The secret truth behind the seven marriages of Hollywood star Evelyn Hugo
In short: In Taylor Jenkins Reid's 2017 historical drama, a reclusive icon finally reveals her life's secrets. While the world saw a series of marriages, the truth involves a hidden love that defined her entire career and a complex web of sacrifice and survival.
Published by Atria Books in 2017, the novel follows 79-year-old Evelyn Hugo as she recounts her life to journalist Monique Grant. The narrative is structured around seven distinct parts, each named after one of Hugo's husbands—such as the 'gullible' Mick Riva or the 'tortured' Harry Cameron—to chronicle the marriages and affairs that defined her rise to fame.
While the public saw a glamorous starlet, Hugo's reality was a calculated climb through the Hollywood ladder. She used her exceptional beauty to escape an abusive father in Manhattan and to navigate a predatory industry. Her marriages were often strategic tools for publicity or survival, including a marriage to Rex North solely to generate interest and a marriage to Mick Riva to distract the press from her relationship with Celia St. James.
The novel's emotional core is the revelation that Hugo's true love was not any of her husbands, but her co-star Celia St. James. Their relationship remained a secret from the public for decades. The story explores the heavy cost of this concealment, touching on themes of identity and the sacrifices made to protect loved ones, including a final act of deception to protect a friend during a fatal car accident.
The character of Evelyn Hugo draws inspiration from real-world figures. Reid observes that Hugo draws inspiration from stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, who wed seven different men across eight marriages, and Ava Gardner, who disclosed her private life to a reporter. The novel's depiction of Hollywood life was also influenced by the autobiography of Tab Hunter.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
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