The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Evelyn is a former 1960s Hollywood starlet who, at the end of her life, wants to release a tell-all biography. Growing up Cuban in Hell’s Kitchen, Evelyn’s family struggled to make ends meet. After the death of her mother, Evelyn is left with her abusive father. She matures into a beautiful adolescent, subjecting her to constant unwanted attention from men. To escape this life, she uses her sexuality, cunning, and grit to make her way to Hollywood. She quickly rises to fame, catapulted by her “inevitable” beauty and ability to make headlines. She is described as timelessly stunning, with a striking combination of “tanned skin” and “light hair” (15).

However, this fame comes at a price for Evelyn; she must hide her Cuban heritage and true identity as a clever, strong-willed woman until she is reduced to a bombshell identity. From a young age, she is conditioned to see sex as transactional, instilling within her that she can succeed by manipulating men with sex. However, when Evelyn falls in love with another actress, Celia, she learns that her image harms them both. Evelyn’s love for Celia teaches Evelyn to accept herself, be truthful about the complexities of her identity, and that fame and fortune are meaningless if you’re heartbroken.

Evelyn’s most important role in the novel is her character’s consideration of morality and truth. She never claims she is good, but she also refuses to regret her decisions. Every choice Evelyn made—no matter how wrong it may seem—she did to protect herself and those she loved. Evelyn is depicted as neither all good nor all bad but “[s]omewhere in the middle” (367). Her character is well positioned to represent truth because her entire identity was built upon falsity; as Evelyn chooses the truth, damning though it might be, the novel favors the moral ambiguities and conundrums that accompany truth, rather than a happier lie. 

Celia is the love of Evelyn’s life. Born to a wealthy family in Georgia, Celia is discovered as a teen and flown out to Hollywood. With blue eyes, “strawberry-red hair,” and a “girl-next-door kind of face,” Celia embodies a kind of beauty that is powerful in its “accessibility” (86-87). When Evelyn first meets her, she recognizes this and resents Celia for it. However, Evelyn warms up to Celia’s frankness and sweet disposition. Celia serves as a foil for Evelyn; where Evelyn is cynical and duplicitous, Celia is idealistic and vulnerable. Their greatest difference is Celia’s desire to be out and Evelyn’s desire to maintain her lifestyle by staying closeted. As they age, they begin to see each other’s perspective, validating each woman’s reasons for their respective concerns.

Like Evelyn, Celia is morally ambiguous. She resents Evelyn’s sexual past with men, many times outright refusing to acknowledge her bisexuality. She is also cruel, lashing out at Evelyn by picking at her insecurities. However, Evelyn loves this about Celia because she recognizes the same traits in herself: “[S]omeone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly” (251).