The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Published 2017 · 400 pages · 110,432 words · about 7 hours at an average pace · Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+ Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance

How hard is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo to read?

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo scores 48 out of 100 for difficulty on ReadingRate, making it moderately challenging. The score is a weighted composite of nine measures: four of how hard the prose is to parse, five of how hard the meaning is to extract.

Vocabulary: 38 out of 100
The vocabulary is contemporary and accessible, with occasional Hollywood jargon (e.g., "day-player roles," "key grip"). There are some Spanish phrases related to Evelyn's Cuban heritage, but these are easily understood in context. Compared to "Beach Read," the vocabulary is slightly more elevated, but still very approachable.
Sentence structure: 42 out of 100
The sentences are generally straightforward, with a mix of dialogue and descriptive passages. While there are some longer sentences, they are not overly complex or difficult to follow. The syntax is more complex than "Diary of a Young Girl" but less so than "The Great Gatsby."
Abstraction: 45 out of 100
The narrative focuses on concrete events and character interactions, with some reflection on fame, identity, and ambition. While there are moments of introspection, the story remains grounded in the details of Evelyn's life and career. This is less abstract than "Remains of the Day," which explores repressed emotions beneath the surface.
Information density: 40 out of 100
The book presents a steady stream of information about Evelyn's life, relationships, and career, but it is delivered in a clear and engaging manner. The plot moves at a good pace, and the reveals are manageable. Compared to "The Housemaid," the information density is slightly higher due to the historical context and character development.
Narrative indirection: 55 out of 100
The story is told through Monique's perspective as she interviews Evelyn, requiring readers to interpret Evelyn's accounts and motivations. While Evelyn directly narrates her life, the reader must still discern her true intentions and the reliability of her storytelling. This is similar to "The Great Gatsby," where Nick's narration shapes the reader's understanding.
Symbolic density: 50 out of 100
There are some symbolic elements, such as the gowns representing different periods in Evelyn's life and the concept of fame itself. However, the story primarily focuses on the literal events and relationships. The symbolic density is less pronounced than in "The Great Gatsby" with its green light and valley of ashes.
Ironic distance: 40 out of 100
There is some ironic distance, as the reader is aware that Evelyn's public persona is carefully constructed and may not reflect her true self. However, the narrative also invites empathy for Evelyn's choices and struggles. This is less ironic than "Lolita," where the narrator is deeply unreliable and manipulative.
Resolution withholding: 65 out of 100
The central mystery of who Evelyn loved and why she chose Monique is withheld until later in the story, creating suspense and intrigue. While the plot eventually resolves, the full truth is revealed gradually, keeping the reader engaged. This is similar to "Lolita," where the aftermath is known but the full meaning remains open.
Structural complexity: 45 out of 100
The story primarily follows a linear timeline, but it incorporates flashbacks as Evelyn recounts her past. The narrative structure is relatively straightforward, with a clear framing device of the interview. This is less complex than "Midnight's Children," which features multiple timelines and extensive flashbacks.

How The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is regarded

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo holds a literary regard score of 24 out of 100, weighing its place in the canon, its critical reception, its influence on other writers, and the standing of its author. Regard is measured separately from difficulty: a demanding book is not necessarily an admired one.

Where The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo sits in Northrop Frye's Anatomy of Criticism

Placed by a full reading of the text (209 passages), not from reputation. Each verdict quotes the passage that earned it. On the axis from myth to irony, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo scores 62 out of 100. A second mythos, comedy, pulls at it with a weight of 0.25. About the map of stories.

Mode: Low Mimetic
Evelyn Hugo never existed. She was a person I made up for them. So that they would love me.
Symbol: Formal
From now on, your mother died in an accident, leaving your father to raise you. He worked as a builder in Manhattan, and on weekends during the summer, he’d take you to Coney Island.
Mythos: Tragedy iv (tragedy iv)
That’s how my story ends. With the loss of everyone I have ever loved.
Genre: Confession + Novel
Everyone I loved is dead now. There’s no one left to protect. No one left to lie for but me. People have so closely followed the most intricate details of the fake story of my life.

Where the story of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo takes place

  • New York City (Upper East Side and Brooklyn), March 2017, the main setting
  • Hell's Kitchen to Hollywood studio system, 1953-1989 (1953 to 1989)
  • Aldiz, Spain, and Manhattan, 1989-2000 (1989 to 2000)

5 things that are true of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, with the passage for each

  1. Evelyn gets her first husband by trading her virginity for a ride to Hollywood.

    And that’s what I traded my virginity for. A ride to Hollywood.

  2. The actress who plays Beth in Little Women wins an Oscar, and Evelyn is moved rather than jealous.

    “And the award goes to . . . Celia St. James for Little Women.”

  3. Evelyn marries Mick Riva in Vegas to deflect rumours about Celia, and then has the marriage annulled.

    That’s right! Evelyn Hugo and Mick Riva got married!

  4. The man who died in the car with Harry was Monique's father, James Grant.

    “Harry had fallen in love with a black man. His name was James Grant. He died on February 26, 1989.”

  5. Evelyn is married seven times, and the book is built around the husbands' names.

    That all anyone talks about when they talk about you are the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo?

Scenes in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo that Frye would name

23 sightings of Frye's terms in the text. The strongest:

Anagnorisis, untitled
“Harry had fallen in love with a black man. His name was James Grant. He died on February 26, 1989.” The reveal that pivots the whole frame story: Monique's father was in the car.
Confession, untitled
Everyone I loved is dead now. There’s no one left to protect. No one left to lie for but me. The whole narrative is framed as Evelyn's sustained dictated autobiography.
Eiron, untitled
The first thing you need to do to get a man to elope with you is to challenge him to go to Las Vegas. Evelyn as eiron scripts a manipulation of Mick Riva, deceiving the self-deceiving alazon.
Hamartia, untitled
I did none of that for Celia. Instead, I avoided her. Evelyn's fatal misstep: filming the explicit scene without telling Celia, which costs her the beloved.
Anagnorisis, untitled
Tell them that I was confused, for a very long time, about what love was. Tell them that I understand it now, and I don’t need their love anymore. Evelyn's late recognition that she chose fame over family and that 'Evelyn Hugo' was an invention.
Sparagmos, untitled
I remember two of his teeth being in his lap. The bloodied, broken body of Harry and the dead lover in the crash scene, a demonic tearing-apart.

Books that share these scenes with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

About the author

Taylor Jenkins Reid