“The world doesn’t give things, you take things” is one of the many inspiring quotes that stuck with me from The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. 

What drew me in to first read the book was the intriguing title. The book is a contemporary novel, where an aspiring writer, Monique Grant, gets the job of a lifetime: to interview one of the biggest movie stars ever, Evelyn Hugo. At first Monique is confused about why she was chosen, but she takes the job anyway. Once they meet, Evelyn tells Monique her whole life story. As you continue to read the novel, you learn more about the glamorous life of Evelyn Hugo and other characters that you will love. When I read this book I felt like I was living in Old Hollywood. This book has many twists and turns, especially the one at the end.

The second I started reading it, I was immediately hooked. The story starts off with a news article about Evelyn Hugo with the title “Evelyn Hugo to Auction off Gowns,” and the news articles reappear throughout the entire story:“Evelyn Hugo and Harry Cameron Have a Baby Girl!” and “Life of The Party Girl.” The news articles give you perspectives onboth  how the media portrays Evelyn’s life and how Evelyn experiences her life, which makes this book fast-paced and never boring. 

Another highlight of Reid’s writing style is how she introduces each husband. The book is divided into sections, one for each husband. Reid titles them,“Clever Rex North,” “Brilliant, Kindhearted, Tortured, Harry Cameron,” and “Poor Ernie Diaz” to name a few. These titles give you a glimpse into what the relationship between Evelyn and the husband will be like. 

This book does a perfect job of connecting the past and present, with  two completely different characters, Monique and Evelyn. It discusses relevant topics from today, like sexism,  in Old Hollywood and in the present day. It has fast-paced chapters, amazingly written characters, and a plot that is effortly flawless. I would specifically recommend this book to people who enjoy pop culture and contemporary novels, but I believe everyone should read this book. This is a book you don’t want to miss.