Seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo thoughts

Submitted by Level-Somewhere-8961 t3_11df258 in books

Okay I agree with a lot of the mixed reviews, especially the writing style. But I could not put this book down. The end of the book I was basically sobbing lol. But maybe I’m not looking hard enough, but I don’t see a lot of comments directed around Harry. I’m not saying it was a super well written book, but I really think his character and relationship with Evelyn and his end really made the book super special to me. Not sure why, just wanted to discuss! And let me know if any other books by the same author or different have a similar vibe!

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botoxedbunnyboiler t1_ja87m0v wrote

I am with you. I had a hard time putting the book down. It was an easy read. But you get this feeling that Evelyn’s character was too over the top to be relatable or even real. As much as I liked the book, it was more of a guilty pleasure read.

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literattina t1_ja8ekn6 wrote

I totally agree with you! It’s not a literary masterpiece by any means, but for me it was a really enjoyable read and I couldn’t put it down at all. The story really takes you in and even if Evelyn is not relatable, she’s definitely an interesting character. Also, with all her brutal honesty about herself, bad sides and all, I don’t think she was meant to be relatable at all.

Evelyn got me started with T.J.R., but Malibu Rising has my heart, so maybe check that one out too?

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Level-Somewhere-8961 OP t1_ja8fyee wrote

Replying to literattina (#2,061,586)

Ooh I’ll add that to my list for sure, thanks for the rec! I think I just loved all the different characters in her world. It was so far fetched from an average girl and average boy fall in love type story that it was so intriguing.

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Ill_Buddy9030 t1_ja8nbm7 wrote

I enjoyed reading it but after I finished it, I noticed there were a ton of plot holes that made no sense.

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amberr222 t1_ja8txn6 wrote

I enjoyed it. Last year I read Daisy and the Six, about a pop group, which this author wrote more recently and it's now getting a lot of attention, but I thought Evelyn Hugo was much better.

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ignitethephoenix t1_ja8x0n6 wrote

Just finished the book recently as well! I agree with the discussion about the writing style (which was dialogue heavy and straight forward) but I think that definitely made it an easier read. The story I enjoyed a lot and the end was definitely heartbreaking. Evelyn is a fascinating protagonist and I did like how she wasn’t a perfect / good person. Although the one thing I thought while reading this was how this would be a much better mini series on tv rather than a book where they could flesh out characters more (cause I do think I was wanting more from all the characters not named Evelyn due to the writing style).

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Gina52023 t1_ja8yf6o wrote

I liked it. I read for fun and relaxation. Most books have some unreal characteristics, but if I wanted 100% real, I'd read non-fiction.

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gaspitsagirl t1_ja8z4w9 wrote

Harry was the only character in this book who I actually liked, and was a large part overall of what I liked about the story.

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tsh87 t1_ja8zyct wrote

Have you ever read a book and thought "this was written to be made into a tv show?"

That's how I feel about this book. I loved reading it, blew through it in like three days. But the way it was written... it felt like a book was not the intended medium.

But maybe I'm reading too much into it. If you're looking for an easy, enjoyable beach read then I give it an A+.

And you're right, I think I would've liked to see a little more of Harry's side.

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tsh87 t1_ja93oxa wrote

Replying to therealLKB (#2,068,069)

Three of the author's other books have been picked up for series and movies: Daisy Jones and the Six, also One True Loves and Malibu Rising.

So I do wonder if that writing style is intentional. No hate at all if it is. Say what you want about the "beach read" but they sell really well, readers talk about them a lot and studios do take notice. Making money off your writing is hard and it looks like she's making more than a living so I give her all the props.

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therealLKB t1_ja93xql wrote

Replying to tsh87 (#2,068,357)

I agree!

I’m looking forward to watching DJaTS. I really enjoyed that quick read.

I see a lot of people talking about Malibu Rising. I may check that out next!

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Level-Somewhere-8961 OP t1_ja94sk2 wrote

Replying to gaspitsagirl (#2,067,102)

Same!!!! Thank you, I was waiting for this. I LOVED their relationship, even before marriage. He was always good to her. Even if she wasn’t a great person and did shady stuff, her character still went through a lot and he was just a great supporting character. And their marriage story was unique and I loved how they had so much love for each other. His story was so heartbreaking at the end of it all, I sensed something happening but didn’t expect it to play out like that. I love that even in Celia’s death, she remembered harry too.

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iamthedanger1985 t1_ja95mga wrote

It was a good read; however the ending was too unrealistic. I feel like it didn’t have to throw a large plot twist for it to be a good book. It kinda ruined the book for me.

My wife loved the book so to each his/her own.

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gaspitsagirl t1_ja986tn wrote

Replying to Level-Somewhere-8961 (#2,068,685)

Yeah, Harry was such an intriguing and good character. I loved how he stepped up to orchestrate the dalliance in the car when Evelyn and her then-husband needed it (if I'm remembering correctly), and just how good of a man he was.

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Mrjopek t1_ja988lf wrote

I wish I could have gotten into this book. I love anything Old Hollywood, but I couldn't get past the (frankly, quite bad) writing. I put it down after a couple of chapters.

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More_Than_The_Moon t1_ja98boj wrote

I never understood why she and Harry had to have sex to have a child. They were both knowingly hurting their spouses. I could never escape the idea that they wanted to break their spouses. By that time in history, insemination was possible. I loved the book BTW,

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dusthead1 t1_ja99ihg wrote

I heard so many people complain about the writing style being simple and the story predictable but I personally really enjoyed it. Just because a book isn’t amazingly written doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable, it’s actually nice to take a break from “heavier” literature and just relax. Reading should be fun not just educative.

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SkeeDino t1_ja9dk2e wrote

I hated that the daughter >! with breast cancer!< was basically used as a plot moppet. >!She conveniently died and then the main character could commit/undergo euthanasia with no pesky relatives complicating the situation.!< It just seemed so lazy in terms of plotting.

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tsh87 t1_ja9ejzo wrote

Replying to ExtraAgressiveHugger (#2,070,863)

Or accepted.

There was a ton of backlash when fertility treatments like insemination and IVF were first announced. Tons of people, mostly religious types, saying "that's not how children should be conceived," calling them "test tube babies" etc.

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nashamagirl99 t1_ja9jwi6 wrote

I couldn’t put it down either! Got me out of a big slump. There were no problems with the writing imo. I don’t understand this complaint. It was structured and flowed very well.

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tsh87 t1_ja9l5gw wrote

Replying to nashamagirl99 (#2,073,017)

You know, now that you say that, I realize that I'm one of those people who can visualize while I read, seeing images. It's why I've never minded dialogue heavy books.

And if you're someone whose mind doesn't work that way then it'd probably make this book a lot less enjoyable. Might've played a role in the mixed reviews.

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SNAAAAART t1_ja9l5ka wrote

I loved Evelyn Hugo the book and the character, I wish I could go watch her movies lol! I think TJR did a great job making her feel like a real person in the universe, and I really enjoyed living in her fictional world. If you haven't, you should definitely check out her other books in the same universe: Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and Carrie Soto is Back.

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ilovemycactussocks t1_ja9l761 wrote

TJR's writing style is definitely very very simple and I can think of a bucket load of better writers on the technical level. But I think why she works and why she resonates with a lot of people is that she has great stories and that goes a very long way. While I'm not gobsmacked by her books, I do think about her stories for a long time after reading them and that means something. I'm always interested to pick them up.

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donaldmcdonald00 t1_ja9m401 wrote

Loved the book! Looking forward to the movie adaption! (although i think it would be more fitting making it into a series🤷🏽‍♀️)

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miss_ogre_ t1_ja9m96g wrote

I feel like there's a certain stigma around liking certain authors, particularly ones renowned on booktok. Just a reminder that you're allowed to enjoy the books that you do, and you don't have to be critical over it just because someone else was.

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that said, I loved it! I am not generally a reader of this genre but I thought it was fun.

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galmaaa t1_ja9mwog wrote

I didn’t like it, even though I’m not a native English speaker the writing was way too lazy… it felt like a cheap wine, sorry :(

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Old_Bandicoot_1014 t1_ja9ng2t wrote

I loved Evelyn and Daisy Jones! I STILL haven't finished Malibu Rising because I can't get through it!

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upcountryhermit t1_ja9nhh1 wrote

I enjoyed it as an audio book! I thought the writing style made it very easy to follow along and stay engaged, like a podcast or radio show. The narrator was superb, I enjoyed her different voices and ability to give each character their own personality.

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ohhellothere1234567 t1_ja9nxfu wrote

It was okay, but I wanted more. The setting in old Hollywood, the struggles of being a woman etc could have been so interesting if they were flushed out.

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Level-Somewhere-8961 OP t1_ja9q07y wrote

Replying to upcountryhermit (#2,073,757)

I completely agree, first time I went through the book was audio. I kept wanting to hear more and I agree, I think people who didn’t like reading it or the writing style should try Audio. Felt like I was listening to the interview, so intriguing.

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Suspicious-Post-5866 t1_ja9qy8i wrote

Daisy was much more compelling. Evelyn Hugo just kept wandering around with little point to it

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Character_Yoghurt_11 t1_ja9sxot wrote

Harry was the best character in my opinion. I liked the fact that Evelyn, Celia and Harry were all written with flaws. You can't say someone was simply bad or good. I also liked Evelyn's friendship with Harry much more than her great love with Celia. I feel like they had greater connection and like they were true platonic soul mates.
Even tho it seemed unrealistic at times I loved how tragically written some parts were. I love how people aren't written as black and white and how some situations, as bad as they objectively seem, can be looked at differently once emotions come into play.

I don't think writing style was that bad, but I'm a sucker for deep love quotes, so I missed that, but all in all, I'd give it 8/10.

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Starlit-Sage t1_ja9x7fv wrote

I didn't love it, but I read it after I read Daisy Jones and I absolutely ADORED Daisy Jones. So I was disappointed in comparison, but I've also heard people say the opposite and they loved this book and disliked Daisy Jones.

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giraflor t1_ja9xnke wrote

I liked the multi-media format, but really disliked everyone except Harry. I kinda want him to have his own book (a la Lord John Grey) so we get all of his romances and fixer capers.

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Party_Record4290 t1_ja9y8vk wrote

I read it after having read Daisy Jones and the Six, which I had liked way more, and I remember reading it super fast, but then feeling disappointed. I had listened to the audiobook of Daisy Jones, and then read the French translation of Evelyn Hugo as a physical copy, so maybe the format/translation didn't work as well for me this time.

I just felt like I wasn't as smitten by the characters, didn't feel them or relate to them as much as human beings, as I was hoping to.

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tsh87 t1_ja9ye9f wrote

Replying to Level-Somewhere-8961 (#2,061,885)

I mean we say that Evelyn is unrealistic but... Elizabeth Taylor is real. So is Marilyn Monroe. Britney Spears. Even Kim Kardashian.

If we were to fictionalize any of those lives it would feel insane.

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bl_tulip t1_ja9ymru wrote

I didn't like it. The writing was lacking, Harry was the only nice character for me. And the twist was meh. Sometimes I felt like I was reading a Wattpad novel.

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Possibilitarian2015 t1_jaa3iwm wrote

I enjoyed it. As a lesbian, I get tired of the while “have to stay in the closet” trope, but it was (is?) still a thing.

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benvclios t1_jaa3mre wrote

I really liked Harry and was disappointed with his drunk driving. I thought the book was pretty good, but couldn't really stomach the ending.

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arguablyellie t1_jaa43ou wrote

Replying to tsh87 (#2,067,317)

TJR did work in film production for a bit, so I think her style and approach is definitely influenced by that world more than the straightforward literary one. The audiobook is a really good medium for it, three different narrators for the different sections (Monique, Sub Rosa articles and Old Evelyn's recollections), and I agree she probably had half a thought in her head when she was writing how it could be adapted, with the knowledge, connections and experience she has.

I do love her work as a sort of middle ground for me in terms of feeling a little deeper than just a simple beach read, but not a full on philosophical, leaves you questioning something novel. I can think about fame and the world of celebrities and how she portrays it- and then I can just shut the book and move on with my life.

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thesmallestwaffle t1_jaa59bj wrote

TJR books aren’t meant to be heavy literature— they’re binge-worthy books! I never walk away with anything other than having been entertained. Nothing wrong with that!

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Tricky_Effect258 t1_jaa6g50 wrote

I agree with you as well! I've seen a ton of mixed reviews about it but I for one could not put the book down while I was reading it that I ended up finishing it in a day! It certainly was not like something I had ever read before and I do enjoy Old Hollywood, so I thought the book was a very fun read!

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Unlikely_Channel732 t1_jaa9qck wrote

I enjoyed it like I enjoy watching vampire diaries. I don’t do it to stimulate my brain but it is entertaining. I’d say 4/5

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SRCinSLC t1_jaabe6l wrote

Loved it. No apologies or explanations from me!

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Tuna_the_Luna t1_jaabppa wrote

Replying to literattina (#2,061,586)

Daisy Jones and the six , Malibu Rising, 7 husbands , and Carrie Soto is back are all in the same Universe. For example, Carrie Soto made an appearance in Malibu Rising.

She seems like a totally bad ass. I haven’t read Carrie Soto is back. I’ve read 7 husbands, Malibu Rising and I’m currently reading Daisy Jones and the six.

I can already tell I’m going to finish it tonight or tomorrow.

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kc5itk t1_jaaci2i wrote

I loved everything about this book. I especially loved that it had everything to do with true love and almost nothing to do with the actual seven husbands of Evelyn.

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LegalAssassin13 t1_jaaenmf wrote

While I agree that the writing isn’t the best, I feel like the cast makes up for it. They’re very human and feel real. And I like that I don’t know exactly how to feel about Evelyn Hugo other than that I won’t forget about her anytime soon.

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ShaNini86 t1_jaaez3m wrote

Unpopular opinion here, but I absolutely hated this book. Monique's character wasn't needed at all and if she was left out, it could have been a much better book that made Evelyn more dimensional in terms of her depth as a character. Additionally, the constant foreshadowing was just too much and while there was a little bit of a plot twist, it wasn't unexpected given the foreshadowing hammer prior to that point in the novel. The book had the potential to do way more with the writing than it did. There was way too much telling and not showing, which makes sense given the interview style, but while that's easy to read for some, I found it really tedious and difficult to really dig into the time period, the scenes, the environment the characters found themselves in, etc. Also, the relationship between Evelyn and Celia was super toxic, and, honestly, had this not been the book for my book group, I wouldn't have finished it. I was surprised that so many people liked it and recommended it, honestly.

That being said, I do think this book would make a much more interesting TV show or movie. As a book, for me, it fell very flat.

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Level-Somewhere-8961 OP t1_jaahbd0 wrote

Replying to ShaNini86 (#2,081,814)

I totally get that too! I 100% just enjoyed the actual telling of Evelyn’s life. Did not care for the Monique stuff. I kind of enjoyed the foreshadowing though, bc for me personally it kept me guessing what was happening and things were sort of a plot twist for me. Like harry going from producer, to friend, to finding out he’s gay, to best friend to husband to father, etc, really kept me reading the book!

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Going4baroque t1_jaalnep wrote

It was the second book I'd read by the author after giving her another chance and cemented that her writing style is not for me. Personally, I think her books have interesting concepts, even if they aren't exactly original, but she can't quite make it work as a book.

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tachederousseur t1_jaamoa3 wrote

I enjoyed reading it, it was interesting but definitely a big superficial. The end was definitely surprising and made me tear up a bit.

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readeverything13 t1_jaao3yn wrote

It’s my favorite book and one of the few I’ve reread. The audio version is great too. No complaints here.

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NoMilk9248 t1_jaavp3w wrote

Wow I’m definitely outnumbered because I couldn’t make it past the first few chapters due to the poor writing style and predictability

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af21_ t1_jaazbsr wrote

Replying to tsh87 (#2,067,317)

I agree with you! There are some books that should be made on the screen and this is such a great storyline to make it on tv or film! I almost had the same feeling with A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. With the same multiple characters and backstories. The only difference is that, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was able to capture the reader's attention 100%, from start to end and The Goon Squad was just too much to grasp with all the different characters and time flashbacks. It really is the book you wouldn't want to put down even if you have to come to work the following morning, lol. I am yearning to feel the feeling it again after reading The Seven Husbands few years ago.

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Generallywron t1_jab269n wrote

This was a fairly recent book club pick, I also couldn’t put it down. (I read it over a weekend where I had a stomach virus). My issues with it were 1. Monique, I didn’t dislike her, but I didn’t really find her story engaging or necessary, 2. I didn’t like the twist with Monique’s dad. It just felt like she shoe horned it in to give a reason for Monique to be there. I think it would have felt more poignant if Evelyn really had just respected her work. 3. I didn’t really ever get a feel for the timeline outside of the news clippings. Nothing really evoked “old Hollywood” for me. I wonder if she set it too late, but I think she also wanted to get things like Stonewall and the revelation about Rock Hudson I there. 4. I thought the relationship between Evelyn and Helen was super toxic. I didn’t hate it but just felt really underwhelmed by it.

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East-Cry4969 t1_jab35yt wrote

I personally have not read any of the author's books, BUT they are the only books that can get my wife away from her phone and she finishes them in 3 days.

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itskinda_sus t1_jab521w wrote

I have not read the book, but from your description it sounds a tat similar to Susannah’s Seven husbands by Ruskin Bond. Like I said, I have not read the former so correct me if I am mistaken!

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Level-Somewhere-8961 OP t1_jab580t wrote

Replying to Generallywron (#2,088,700)

I agree about Monique! I think the plot twist was kinda meh, but nevertheless still had me shook and sad. Also you’re right about old Hollywood timeline, I really didn’t feel that as well! And I also agree the relationship was for sure toxic, I don’t understand how they kept working out

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greenvilledemocrat t1_jab5sor wrote

I liked it. All of TJRs books are good but I loved After I Do. I have some time off in March so I’m going to listen to Daisy Jones and the Six on audible then watch on Prime.

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MunkinPie t1_jab65gm wrote

Im reading Malibu Rising right now. I've read Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones and the Six well. There is just something about this author that draws me in and I can't stop reading. Her work is just so enjoyable and relatable for me. I feel like the characters are real and I can really see them as complete people. No literary genius, but she's got something that keeps me turning the pages

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Bikinigirlout t1_jab8cwh wrote

Replying to ilovecheese2188 (#2,069,729)

I actually like that about Daisy Jones and the Six. Both Daisy and Billy are terrible people who shouldn’t be together yet I still found myself rooting for them. Even though Camilla totally deserved better and Camilla was such a great person that I felt like an asshole for rooting for Billy and Daisy

Another thing I love about Daisy Jones is that because of >!who the narrator was, it’s like of course no one is gonna tell them the full details and they’re gonna be biased towards certain people!<

I love the complexity of it all

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UpstairsDonut t1_jabby8s wrote

Replying to Tuna_the_Luna (#2,080,874)

I just finished "Carrie Soto" yesterday after having started it in December. It took me a lot longer to finish reading than the other 3 books you mentioned. Ultimately, I liked it, but I didn't find the tennis easy to follow. I loved the other three books though.

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Tortoise_Symposium t1_jabet7p wrote

I really enjoyed this as well. It’s a great example of a character who is compelling and interesting but morally gray. You can root for Evelyn but not like her either.

The writing won’t win any literary prizes but so what? There is no book report. We don’t have homework as adults. Reading for pleasure is about enjoying yourself.

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pieronic t1_jabge0r wrote

Replying to ShaNini86 (#2,081,814)

Also hated this one.

I thought the near complete lack of regard for the AIDS crisis for a group of actors, athletes, and directors splitting time between Hollywood and New York City in the 70s through 90s was ridiculous.

I thought it was very minimizing how only Harry was mentioned to have friends dying, as if gay men were the only ones socially affected and Evelyn and Cecelia would not have also been losing dear friends in the industry, not to mention the role lesbians played in AIDS relief efforts.

Harry getting into unattached sex with a man who had a wife after having had multiple former partners and having that not come up at all felt very rose-colored glasses.

That’s not a one sentence worry that somehow never affects any of their relationships.

Also fully agree that Monique was annoying and unnecessary. I struggle to trust the characterization of her as a critical thinking, intelligent woman when Evelyn is portraying herself in such an obviously negative light

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pauvrelle t1_jabj1w2 wrote

Replying to Ill_Buddy9030 (#2,063,939)

You mean like “Why did Reporter-Lady’s dad bother to write the conveniently expository letter explaining to Harry that he couldn’t run away with him when he would have just told him in person, because indeed that’s why they were in a car together that night?”?

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BBVIP21 t1_jabomdg wrote

I felt the same way! I too have mixed feelings with the book but I really liked Harry. His relationship with Evelyn was the most memorable and my favorite part of the book. >!I was literally sobbing at the part where she was saying her final goodbye to him on at the hospital!<

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WEugeneSmith t1_jac74cx wrote

loved this book. I completely agree with you about Harry. He balanced things out and was a constant in her life.

Don't worry about whether or not what you enjoy reading is a literary masterpiece.

If a book makes you sob, like this one did, or if it stays with you, as this one did, it is a masterful in its own right.

Books reach people in different ways. That is the beauty of reading.

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Remarkable-Plum8229 t1_jacei3h wrote

I really really hated this book. The writing style was simple, the monique part was unnecessary and all the characters felt flat to me. But that was all fine by me. The thing i hated the most was the representation of PoC. Evelyn was essentially a white woman so why the need to make her latina if it did not impact the story whatsoever. Only for her to remember at the end that she speaks spanish. I thought that was so stupid. If she's white passing fine she wouldn't experience rasism herself but she should have been more aware of it. Or at least struggle with her identity internally or something. I would have liked it more if she would have just been a white woman. She's compared to mostly white actresses aswell like judy garland and elizabeth taylor.

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DrunkOnRedCordial t1_jacg589 wrote

I loved 7 Husbands, but I did assume it was the content rather than the author's style - I love all those all Hollywood autobiographies, so I can tell you that there were a lot of authentic little details in Evelyn H's life! But I wasn't tempted to read another book by her.

Then someone gave me Daisy Jones & the Six and the writing style is so much better, plus it's another completely authentic world. So maybe I'll try another one of her books.

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DrunkOnRedCordial t1_jacgijp wrote

Replying to tsh87 (#2,076,970)

There were a lot of those "purple" marriages in Hollywood around that era. Rock Hudson was marched off to get married before a newspaper could do an expose on his love life. And even someone like Cary Grant apparently lived long term with another man - but I have no idea how he fitted that in seeing he was married so often.

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danzleif t1_jachq8e wrote

it was a good breather from heavy and complex books, and it did generate emotions enough for me to sob at Harry (he was my favourite and I would die for him). the writing had me hooked and i think it plays out beautifully, but I felt it was really messy at times and was covered loosely.

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  1. Everytime >!Celia and Evelyn break up!< , it is always something that could have been easily avoided by just talking to each other. People in relationships don't leave out major details like the fact that >!you're going to sleep with the man when you seduce him or just not ask your s/o if you can film a sex scene with your first love!<. It seems unrealistic because they don't even talk but >!just separate immediately and then no contact/pining for years!<. But TJR covers for it by painting Celia as an immature nepo baby who overreacts and Evelyn as a grey character who will do anything to make things go her own way. And it makes sense, so you accept it, but when I accept it, personally, the plot just becomes so generic and cliche and I ask myself, is it an interesting book, or is it just >!gay? Because I swear if you replace Evelyn and Celia with a straight couple, their relationship will just be the same old drama to read!<
  2. This is more of an opinion, but I feel like there was no need to put in LGBTQIA or POC struggles so vague and directly? It felt as if those moments were for the sake of the fact that TJR suddenly remembered 'oh yeah this too' because there are only brief mentions about these topics. Don't get me wrong, I liked how she wrote them needing to hide and protect themselves etc - it was natural. But there was no need for a >!The past few years, I’d watched Harry lose friend after friend, former lovers, to AIDS. I’d watched him cry his eyes red out of fear that he’d get sick, for not knowing how to help the people he loved. And I’d watched Ronald Reagan never so much as acknowledge what was happening in front of our eyes!< because that was all there was about the crisis... It sounds so out of place and forced for Harry because sometimes it felt like he's only there as a puppet for this representation. Same is with her Cuban identity - her race seems to play no part in her struggle in Hollywood, but when she talks about changing herself to fit into the industry, it suddenly becomes a very emotional moment for her as if that was the main reason for her problems all along. Maybe because the author is white and straight themselves, they felt like they need to include these things, but have no idea about how these people actually feel, so they could not write them well. So yeah, it felt like it was there for woke points.

Apart from that, the book was pretty good! I think art's purpose is not to be great, but enjoyable, and it was enjoyable! Definitely a book written to be a movie/show.

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Coffee_and_Jams t1_jacpbrv wrote

I liked the book. Definitely a sob story towards the end. I loved Harry too.. I can picture that actor who played Julia Roberts best boss friend in My Best Friends Wedding playing him in a movie. His story is pretty sad and he just went along with what Evelyn wanted..

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Framing-the-chaos t1_jacsbgu wrote

I couldn’t get over the fact that Monique just happened to be a writer, she wrote a piece on the right to die AND her father was Harry’s lover?? And he just happened to write all the things he would have told Harry that night? That one was too much for me.

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UpstairsDonut t1_jacxaua wrote

Replying to Tuna_the_Luna (#2,092,908)

It was a good book, but I’m not really into sports so I found it hard to get interested in the tennis aspect (which is a significant theme in the book). I’d still say it’s my least favourite of the four, but it was still good.

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ShaNini86 t1_jad3171 wrote

Replying to pieronic (#2,092,766)

I totally agree with you! There's a total lack of regard for the AIDS crisis while, at the same time, there's almost a stereotype of it via Harry and his relationships.

Also, the writing was just blah too. I really can't understand why this book is so highly recommended.

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pauvrelle t1_jaeuynb wrote

Replying to CitrinetheQueen (#2,096,709)

Wasn’t the whole thread tagged as a spoiler? And if people are discussing their opinions on a book wouldn’t you expect them to use examples from the book to back up their opinions? Or is everyone just supposed to say “it’s good” or “it’s bad” without any context?

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CitrinetheQueen t1_jaevqb6 wrote

Replying to pauvrelle (#2,131,397)

Hey I’m active in many bookclubs and we manage to get pretty deep in discussions without specific spoilers. But somehow I must have missed seeing a ‘spoiler’ tag on the original post, and the comment also wasn’t marked as a spoiler, otherwise I’d simply have skimmed over. Now I won’t bother reading the book.

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