Short Summary:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a captivating tale of fame, love, ambition, and identity, chronicling the extraordinary life of Hollywood icon Evelyn Hugo through her seven marriages, each revealing a new layer of her complex persona.
General Information
Book Title: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
ISBN Code: 978-1501161933
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ+ Fiction, Drama
Published Year: 2017
In-Depth Summary of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Introduction: The Legacy of Evelyn Hugo
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo explores the glamour and turmoil of old Hollywood through the lens of Evelyn Hugo, a legendary actress known for her beauty, talent, and seven headline-grabbing marriages. Set in dual timelines, the narrative unfolds as Monique Grant, a relatively unknown magazine writer, is invited by the reclusive Evelyn Hugo to pen her life story. In recounting her experiences, Evelyn seeks not only to reveal the truth behind her marriages but also to set the record straight on her greatest loves, losses, and secrets.
This layered, deeply personal story explores the cost of fame, the pursuit of identity, and the struggle to balance ambition with authenticity, ultimately building toward a powerful and surprising conclusion.
The Structure of the Novel: Framing Evelyn’s Story
The novel is structured around Evelyn Hugo’s life as she recounts each marriage to Monique. Each chapter represents a different husband, and each relationship sheds light on a different facet of Evelyn’s life, her desires, and her sacrifices.
Introduction to Monique Grant:
The novel opens with Monique Grant, a struggling writer at Vivant magazine, who is unexpectedly contacted by Evelyn Hugo, who insists Monique be the one to write her biography. Despite Monique’s surprise and skepticism, she accepts, intrigued by Evelyn’s fame and mystery. As Monique enters Evelyn’s Manhattan apartment, she begins a journey into Hollywood’s glittering and tumultuous past, unaware of the life-changing revelations awaiting her.Setting the Scene: Evelyn’s Rise to Fame:
Born Evelyn Herrera in a poor Cuban immigrant family, Evelyn quickly learns to navigate a world that favors appearance and manipulation over truth. Determined to escape her disadvantaged background, she marries her first husband, Ernie Diaz, to move to Los Angeles. Here, Evelyn reinvents herself, altering her image to align with the blonde bombshell archetype Hollywood craves, signaling her readiness to sacrifice parts of herself for fame.
The Seven Husbands: Unpacking Evelyn’s Marriages and Identity
Each marriage represents a distinct chapter in Evelyn’s life, revealing how her public image often conflicts with her private struggles and desires.
1. Ernie Diaz: The Escape
Evelyn’s first husband is Ernie Diaz, a man she marries to leave Hell’s Kitchen. This marriage is functional rather than romantic, an early indication of Evelyn’s willingness to use people as stepping stones toward her ambitions. Her marriage to Ernie is short-lived, and she quickly discards him once her Hollywood career takes off.
2. Don Adler: The Golden Couple
Evelyn’s second husband, Don Adler, is a prominent actor who initially offers her a fairytale romance. However, this relationship deteriorates as Don becomes abusive and jealous of her rising fame. Don’s cruelty underscores the misogyny and double standards Evelyn faces in Hollywood. Evelyn’s resilience in leaving him highlights her growing awareness of self-worth and her determination to control her narrative.
3. Mick Riva: The Scandal
In a calculated move to protect her reputation, Evelyn marries Mick Riva, a famous singer, in a brief but highly publicized union. Their marriage is strategically orchestrated to create scandal and publicity, but Evelyn feels nothing for Mick. Their quick divorce reflects Evelyn’s shrewdness in manipulating her public image.
4. Rex North: The Business Partner
With Rex North, Evelyn enters a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience. The two stars agree to marry solely for career advancement, without emotional attachment, as they help each other gain roles and status. This marriage shows Evelyn’s transactional approach to relationships and her strategic acumen, revealing that she values power and control over love.
5. Harry Cameron: The Soulmate and Best Friend
Evelyn’s marriage to Harry Cameron, her long-time best friend and a closeted gay man, marks one of the most significant relationships in her life. Though not romantically involved, Evelyn and Harry form a deep bond based on mutual respect, understanding, and companionship. This marriage, designed to protect both their reputations, provides a safe haven in an industry hostile to LGBTQ+ identities. Their genuine friendship and shared parenting of Evelyn’s daughter, Connor, illustrate Evelyn’s capacity for unconditional love beyond romantic attraction.
6. Max Girard: The Illusion of True Love
Evelyn’s sixth marriage, to director Max Girard, begins with admiration and lust, as Max appears to genuinely adore Evelyn. However, Evelyn soon realizes that Max is infatuated with her public persona rather than her true self. Max’s inability to accept the real Evelyn reveals the loneliness and alienation she feels as a public figure, demonstrating how fame often obscures authenticity in relationships.
7. Robert Jamison: The Final Chapter
Her final husband, Robert Jamison, is the brother of her true love, Celia St. James. Robert and Evelyn marry in a quiet, mutual understanding, providing her with companionship in her later years. By this stage in her life, Evelyn no longer seeks passion but rather stability, acceptance, and closure. Robert’s presence helps her honor the memory of Celia, concluding her journey of love and loss.
Themes and Motifs in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
The Complexity of Identity and Reinvention
Throughout the novel, Evelyn’s identity is constantly in flux, shaped by Hollywood’s demands and her own ambition. She grapples with balancing her Cuban heritage and the carefully crafted image of Evelyn Hugo, often at the expense of her personal happiness. Her journey underscores the emotional toll of sacrificing authenticity for fame, reflecting a broader commentary on the pressures women face to conform.
Love, Sacrifice, and Heartbreak
Central to Evelyn’s story is her enduring love for Celia St. James, a fellow actress and her true soulmate. Due to societal taboos, their relationship is hidden, and Evelyn endures immense sacrifices to protect her career and Celia’s. Evelyn’s seven marriages mask her devotion to Celia, reflecting the sacrifices she makes to pursue both personal and professional success. This hidden love story becomes the emotional core of the novel, exposing the often-hidden complexities of LGBTQ+ relationships in a hostile era.
The Illusion and Price of Fame
Evelyn’s life is a meditation on the cost of fame and ambition. Despite her wealth and iconic status, she endures loneliness, betrayal, and loss. Her marriages are strategic moves, each serving her career, but ultimately contributing to her emotional isolation. Evelyn’s story serves as a critique of Hollywood’s commodification of women, as she pays the price for her ambition with personal heartache and loss.
Monique’s Revelation: A Parallel Journey
As Evelyn’s story unfolds, Monique begins to reflect on her own life choices, marriage, and self-worth. Through Evelyn, Monique learns the importance of seizing control of her own narrative and pursuing her desires unapologetically. The novel’s climax reveals a startling connection between Evelyn and Monique, bringing Monique’s journey full circle. This revelation reshapes Monique’s understanding of forgiveness, resilience, and the complexity of human choices.
Significant Quotes from The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
On Resilience and Determination: “When you dig just the tiniest bit beneath the surface, everyone’s love life is original and interesting and nuanced.”
On the Illusion of Fame: “People think that intimacy is about sex. But intimacy is about truth. When you realize you can tell someone your truth, when you can show yourself to them, when you stand in front of them and their response is ‘You’re safe with me’—that’s intimacy.”
On Love and Sacrifice: “I spent half my time loving her and the other half hiding how much I loved her.”
Conclusion: Evelyn’s Legacy and the Power of Authenticity
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a poignant exploration of the cost of ambition, the complexities of love, and the resilience required to live authentically in a world of facades. Evelyn Hugo’s life story is both glamorous and heartbreaking, illustrating how the pursuit of fame often demands great personal sacrifices. As she recounts her life to Monique, Evelyn emerges not merely as a Hollywood star but as a deeply flawed, resilient, and human character who fought for control of her life and legacy.
In the end, Evelyn’s story is a testament to the courage it takes to reveal one’s true self, no matter the cost. Monique’s transformation under Evelyn’s guidance underscores the power of authenticity and the importance of self-acceptance, leaving readers with a profound message about the value of truth in a world that often prizes appearance over substance.
One-Sentence Takeaway:
In The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid crafts a moving story about love, fame, and the pursuit of an authentic life, highlighting both the glamor and the hidden struggles of a Hollywood icon.