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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Retros_x" data-source="post: 9713841" data-attributes="member: 7033171">While battling myself through "The Way of Kings" I've read "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Huge" by Taylor Jenkins Reid.Very positively surprised by this book, a booktok hype that it is actually worth the hype. I really liked the structure with the narrative frame of the journalist interviewing the old actress and the "bloodless" mystery of why did she specifically got hired as an unknown writer and who of her 7 husbands Evelyn truly love? And than we deep dive into Old Hollywood, but an alternative Universe of it where all the characters are fictional actors and actresses and producers and they make fictional movies. But obviously several real personalities and moves were inspiration to this book - i really like this approach. It gives the author the opportunity to tell their story but still root it in real history. I love the character of Evelyn. She is complex and flawed but somehow you are still rooting for her and you can't help but be amazed by her dedication to come up with a plan and execute it - even they are sometimes truly immoral ones. I also liked the reflections about fame and persons who search fame, why they do it. Of course its a narcisstic and ego driven goal, but that doesn't mean they must be without compassion, love and empathy.The article snippets that are commenting the events were also great and the contrast between what the public think is happening (or what the press sells them) and what actually is happening in the life of stars is funny but also quite interesting, especially if the characters play them and artifically create the image the want to create. My favorite poignant contrast was when one article praises an actress and ends with something like "its a good time to be her" and then you turn the page and the next chapter starts with "I don't want to do this" said by that actress when producers try to persuade her to do a sexual scene in a revealing outfit.  I still had some gripes that caused the book being not a 100% succes for me. Mainly that although some heavy, traumatic evens are happening i felt that many of the emotional beats don't hit quite well for me, especially because its SO FAST PACED. There are important live events and life times that just get jumped into and jump into the next one, especially in the last chapters, that it could not unravel the full impact on me. Still a really entertaining read, that left me wanting for more by the author, which luckily is available.</blockquote>

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