Taylor Jenkins Reid
2017
Atria Books
pp 388
Reid writes the story of a Hollywood star of the yesteryears, telling her biography to be released post her death. The plot starts by the star handpicking a not so famous journalist for writing a piece on her. The mystery starts right there, why did she choose that journalist? And it continues to the very last pages. This would be one of the many reasons to keep you glued to the book.
The book is exactly what it claims to be, the story of Evelyn Hugo marrying seven times. I found it vaguely fascinating that till the very end she claims that she was in love with someone who she did not marry at all (technically at least). Well the story is gripping and since you know that there are seven husbands, I would not be surprised if you keep counting how many there have been. Some lasted longer than others of course. Each marriage was different, and for a different reason- for escape, for love, for fame, for convenience, for opportunity, for putting up a face. You name it, it is there.
There is not one character in the whole book that seems to be living an authentic life. So much for existentialism. Or maybe pretense is the new authentic. I am not quire sure. But the lengths to which one would go to construct a life that others should believe in is bizarre to say the least. It is the bizarre that makes the characters so real.
Reid writes well. Oh, and by the way, Evelyn Hugo is bisexual. Happy reading.