In this entrancing novel a legendary film actress reflects on her relentless rise to the top and the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine.
Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?
Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
Review: Oh my goodness I loved this book way more than I thought I was going to! This book has been everywhere lately and I was worried it had been over hyped but I have enjoyed a book by this author in the past and so I decided I was going to see for myself. What I got was a great historical fiction novel with an awesome diverse cast of characters and a wonderful LGBTQ+ message at its heart.
Evelyn Hugo is a great character to spend the course if this book with because she is just a larger than life woman who reminded me of the stories I had heard about Elizabeth Taylor the whole way through. She has come up through the ranks of Hollywood and has done everything she can possibly do, not matter how questionable in order to stay there. She has also experienced a great deal of tragedy and rejection in her life and she we instantly empathise and sympathise with her as a woman.
Monique is also someone we can sympathise with as soon as we get to know her, she is a struggling journalists who lands the commission of a lifetime but she also has some darker secrets in her past and possibly some darker times coming up in her future. I really enjoyed getting to know her as much as I enjoyed getting to know Evelyn and I think the decision to run these two character's stories parallel was a good one.
The way this book is structured means you keep reading on, wanting to find out more. I listened to this on audio and the two characters are well distinguished from one another. Because we have scenes from Monique's present day life and her interactions with Evelyn and then we have Evelyn recounting her past and the stories from that part of the book I found myself sitting in the car and listening longer than I perhaps should have or sneaking headphones out whenever I could so that I could hear more from these stories!
I loved this book, if you're not normally a fan of historical fiction, be reassured that you will enjoy this one. And if it is normally your thing anyway then I am sure that you will love this book. It has Hollywood glamour, drama and intrigue as well as stories of modern journalism and relationship dramas over time, i loved it!
Love the sound of this book! Will add it to my never-ending list
ReplyDelete