The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Monique, LA native turned New York reporter, is the narrator and interviewer. As a biracial woman with “light brown skin” and “an abundance of face freckles,” she spent her entire life seeking representation and reflection (2). After the sudden death of her father when she was 8 years old, Monique struggles to see herself as whole, feeling severed from her black identity. Her father is her greatest inspiration; as a black man in the 1980s, he made a successful career out of his passion for photography. When she realizes that writing is her passion, Monique follows his example by pursuing that. She’s talented but insecure; she allows herself to be overlooked and even marries a man who isn’t well-read so he can “never think [she] was a bad writer” (284).

However, her time with Evelyn transforms her; Monique realizes what she deserves and learns to demand it: “Why shouldn’t it be me who comes out on top?” (142). By standing up to her boss and ending her marriage, Monique implements Evelyn’s lessons of choosing her own happiness. Monique serves as a parallel for Evelyn; they are both women who struggle to reconcile with their seemingly conflicting identities. Their unwanted connection through James Grant’s death works to contrast their personalities while simultaneously revealing their similarities; while Monique disagrees with Evelyn’s lifelong deception and greed, she can understand her need to protect those she loves.