Synopsis

(Courtesy : Goodreads)

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one in the journalism community is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

My thoughts

Narrative and plot

This is my second Taylor Jenkins Reid book and I think I am in love with her style. The depth in her words and the self-reflection of her characters is all so enchanting. This is a fictional memoir alternating between the speaker and the listener and how their stories affected each other’s life.

It took me so long to read this book because of all the hype and buzz. I was afraid I would be disappointed. But my doubts were proved wrong from the very first page.

Characters and Conflict

Quoting Evelyn, they’re all husbands and I am Evelyn. After finishing the book the one character that will be etched in your memory for life will be Evelyn. Love her, hate her or judge her but you cannot put her out of your mind. So much that you wish if she were real. If only you could find Boute-en-Train on Netflix!!

That doesn’t mean there aren’t other powerful characters. Each character has a well defined storyline that connects them to Evelyn. It is all about her and how she struggled in the glamour world to keep her identity and career. And most importantly, the love of her life. It is a story that gets you hooked and empathise with the characters and their struggles. It gives you a glimpse, inside the glamorous Hollywood in a fictional way, yet you feel it couldn’t get anymore real than this.

Knowing how difficult all this have been for a generation of people, who had to abide by the norms of society but also had the passion to be themselves, makes you think deep. Irrespective of time, this is a basic human feeling and that is why this story has touched so many hearts. The things that we believe are entitled to us today, were perhaps, achieved by the struggles of our ancestors.

Conclusion

Simply put, Evelyn Hugo is a must read. This story has so many layers and nuances throughout. It is engaging and intriguing, raw and glamorous at the same time. It is a bittersweet story. Personally, it put me out of a reading slump. If you are a reader, you know what that means. Go for it!!

About the Author

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, One True Loves, Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and Forever, Interrupted. Her novels have been Indie Next Picks, chosen by Book of the Month, and featured in People, US Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, Good Morning America, and more. Her newest novel, Daisy Jones and the Six, is a New York Times bestseller. She lives in Los Angeles.

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