If you were ever on the internet in 2017, chances are, you’ve heard of the viral sensation, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. But why was this book so popular?

The plot immediately grips the reader, promising a story about a struggling and unsatisfied journalist Monique Grant who’s stuck in a strange arrangement with her soon-to-be ex-husband. She then gets called into her boss’s office as she has been requested to interview the enigmatic and iconic Evelyn Hugo, an actress from the 60s to the 80s, famous for her distinct roles and reputation as a sex symbol as well as one of the most powerful and influential actresses of her time, about the historically symbolic dresses she is auctioning off and donating for breast cancer. Monique jumps at the opportunity and takes the job.

However, when she finally meets Evelyn Hugo, Monique is informed that Evelyn’s true intentions are to give the story of her life to someone who can deliver it in a way that does her justice. Evelyn recounts her childhood with a neglectful father after the death of her loving mother who wanted to be famous. Evelyn chooses to be an actress and pursues a life of fame and luxury because of both her mother’s memory and her own desire. In Hollywood, she earns the fame and luxury she always wanted, forms relationships and finds her identity. Though this plot is interesting, what about this book specifically led it to garner so much fame?

In my opinion, one aspect was how Taylor Jenkins Reid combines aesthetics with ethics. The book discusses important topics such as equality, sexuality, and the media industry, to name just a few. Such subjects matter more than ever in the context of our modern world. The protagonist, Evelyn Hugo is a confident queer, Latina woman who unapologetically states her opinions throughout the book and connects these opinions to her own experience in Hollywood. 

Another thing is the language used. The book is like poetry and talks about the above stated topics in a way that is breathtaking. The internal thoughts and prose can only be described as lyrical. The author does a wonderful job of balancing the story of an unconventional protagonist in an conventional and traditional affirming world and how she forges a life for herself from nothing in an all American display of meritocracy that unfolds naturally, against the backdrop of the elite Hollywood scene of California.

The representation in the book is the final thing I want to touch on. The book introduces us to complex, well written characters who have their own motives, struggles and journeys of personal growth that develop as the story goes on. They have diverse identities and actually goes on to further explore the themes of sexual orientation, feminism, inclusivity and racial identity. The characters are well written because of how realistically they are portrayed. They have imperfections, such as thirst for power, alcoholism, fear, regrets, and pride. Showing these flaws lets us know that we do not need to be perfect and that our flaws can be turned into advantages. Just like the characters in the book, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a modern masterpiece.

Elina is a staff reporter.

Edited by Asha

Photograph: Will Ferguson, adapted with Adobe Photoshop’s generative AI functionality.