I love love loved this book!
Monique Grant finds herself with an opportunity of a lifetime: Evelyn Hugo wants to do an exclusive interview, but only with her. Freshly out of her marriage, and looking for assurance that hers was the best choice, the aspiring but struggling writer faces the six-time divorced Evelyn.
Evelyn herself, however, seems to have an ulterior motive for picking Monique for her exclusive - a decision that will set her up for life. A woman so uniquely known, and often judged, for her seven marriages takes the stand and reclaims her story. She provides a detailed account of not only her seven husbands but also her motives, thoughts, and her true self. A tale of 'ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship and a great forbidden love',* indeed. She provides details that have never been shared with the world before not only because they didn't look hard enough but also because they could have ruined her and her friends.
By telling her story from her perspective, it allows her to change the discourse about her that has been dominating not only the papers but also her life for years. By opening her mouth, she reclaims her own life and essentially her agency. This makes the novel a feminist read. Furthermore, her class and position in society allow her this opportunity. She is a Hollywood icon, one of the elite. But not only is this an interesting and important read because of its feminism and class representations, but it is also important for queer representation. As a whole, this novel cannot simply be put in one category of fiction. It is a historical novel about the 1950s and upwards, which discusses the topics of fame, class, feminism, LGTBQ+, female friendships, and gender roles.
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