Seven husbands, several secrets

Graphic by Caitlin Orsino

Imagine Marilyn Monroe but queer. Taylor Jenkins Reid’s historical fiction novel, “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” is a portrayal of the evolution of Hollywood’s opinions on heteronormativity, women’s rights, and exploitation of stars in the entertainment industry.

Reid, born in Maryland, found her way up to Massachusetts at the age of twelve. Eventually, she attended and graduated from one of Lasell’s neighboring schools, Emerson College with a major in media studies. The author has published other notable novels, including “Malibu Rising,” “Daisy Jones & The Six,” and “One True Loves.”

Published in 2017, “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” recounts several decades to share the life of imaginary Hollywood A-lister and film star Evelyn Hugo. Utilizing an even mixture of flashbacks and modern-day tales, Reid’s writing showcases interviews between an elderly Evelyn Hugo and young and aspiring interviewer Monique Grant.

With multiple plot twists and hidden truths revealed, the novel accomplishes an unexpected journey that encapsulates humanity’s dual capacity to cause harm and ensure protection.

From this point on, a slight spoiler warning is advised to any non-readers of what I deem as one of the best books I have ever read. The story of fictional character Evelyn Hugo begins with an introduction to young Cuban-American girl Evelyn Elena Herrera. A girl struck by an unfortunate line-up of events in her youth, Evelyn dreams of escaping Hell’s Kitchen in New York and ending up in Hollywood to fulfill her late mother and her dreams of achieving stardom.

When the girl suddenly gets the chance to leave the environment that was almost a lifelong destiny for her, Evelyn Elena Herrera gets propelled into sudden stardom. Changing her name to Evelyn Hugo, the eventual cinematic star settles into the life of Hollywood’s elite. One thing that defined Hugo’s life was her several marriages—seven to be exact. Different labels are applied to each of Hugo’s spouses.

From the title of ‘poor’ for the naive husband that Hugo used solely to escape Hell’s Kitchen to the title of ‘brilliant, kind-hearted, infuriating’ for Hugo’s best friend and eventual husband who she marries to conceal his queerness, every husband that Evelyn Hugo had was different in their approach to and actions within the marriages to the actress. The symbolism within each title may not be able to be comprehended at the beginning of their individual sections, but by the end, viewers can easily understand why each husband earned their title.

While Evelyn Hugo’s life was marked by twists and many inconsistencies, one thing stayed almost entirely constant through the novel: Evelyn Hugo was bisexual and in love with her female best-friend, Celia St. James, the second-most named character in the entire book.

Following a shocking plot twist, what starts as a story of a woman sexualized and only remembered for her seven marriages to husbands shifts into a hidden exposé of her one true love. The love story with Celia St. James has many peaks and valleys but overall it is one filled with genuine love, one that is authentic and pure. The romance between Celia and Evelyn faces realistic backlash from the homophobic and heteronormative world that existed for far too long. Evelyn and Celia’s love story is an indication of the power of soulmates and how a romantic connection between individuals has the power to become an ultimate love story.

Reid’s writing talents and creative mind pour through “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” and it is by far one of the best books I have had the pleasure of reading. On a scale, I rate this book 5/5 stars. Overall, “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” is a captivating and beautifully written novel that leaves a lasting im- pression, making it an absolute must-read.