on
3.5/5
Non-Fiction
- Get link
- Other Apps
Reread
Rating: 4.5/5
Pages: 400
Started: 18 December 2022
Finished: 18 December 2022
Summary:
Journalist Monique Grant has been personally requested by film star Evelyn Hugo to write an article for a fashion magazine. But when she meets her, Monique discovers that Evelyn doesn't want a short magazine article--she wants Monique to write her biography. Of course, Monique agrees. It's the opportunity of a lifetime. But as she begins to learn more about Evelyn's rise to fame, her sacrifices, her seven husbands, and the true love of her lifetime, Monique can't help but wonder: why did Evelyn choose her?
Thoughts:
Though this book does have some problems, it is unmatched in how immersive it is. It's almost ridiculous how I started this book planning on reading for maybe an hour, and only looked up again when it was getting dark. It's been a while since a book has been that consuming for me, and I loved it. While Monique is a very annoying protagonist, she is, luckily, relatively insignificant in the book. Evelyn Hugo is the focus, and it's her story that's so fascinating. Her use of the two things she had--her body and her cleverness. Her love, her heartbreak. I also really like the book's emphasis on bisexuality, how it refuses to erase either side of Evelyn's identity, which is super important since we live in a culture that still thrives off of bi erasure. I'm not sure how I feel about the way Jenkins-Reid, a white woman, portrays a biracial character, but overall the book was a fun yet emotional journey that made me think about loss, aging, love and the sacrifice of fame. I am very excited to continue my Jenkins-Reid re-read (ha) this week as I continue with Daisy Jones and Carrie Soto.