The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

It’s always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly.

Evelyn is a woman of opposites. She’s a selfish person who’s incredibly selfless sometimes. She’s an operator and yet she’s so deeply loving. And because she’s honest about all of that (She’s honest about how much she lies!), she’s more aware of herself than other people. And thus, more aware of what other people are up to, too. Even if they can’t see it. Especially Celia. What I love about Celia—and I do love it about her even though I do not like it about her—is that Celia is a selfish person. She’s a jealous person. Celia is as imperfect as the rest of them. And Evelyn understands that their love is not simple. Their motivations are not always pretty. It doesn’t have to be good and perfect and clean. She accepts Celia as she is.