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Original poster

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: why is it a bestseller?

25 replies

MotherofGorgons · 25/07/2023 14:52

Reading this because there was so much hype, and it's so badly written ( though an easy read). Find it hard to care about any of the characters. Is Daisy Jones and the Six or Carrie Soto any better?

OP posts:
JaneJeffer · 25/07/2023 15:01

I couldn't finish Daisy Jones

ReeseWitherfork · 25/07/2023 15:04

I loved both and think they’re both written in a very similar style so I’d say if you don’t like EH then don’t bother with DJ. I’m reading Maybe In Another Life at the moment and I don’t think it’s as good.

GalileoHumpkins · 25/07/2023 15:07

I liked it, it was a quick, entertaining read, a bit like a soap opera.

bookworm14 · 25/07/2023 15:08

They were all made famous by TikTok, I think. A lot of really badly written books are becoming bestsellers that way.

mnahmnah · 25/07/2023 15:22

I couldn’t finish Daisy Jones either

Original poster
MotherofGorgons · 25/07/2023 15:34

I do like tennis novels though, so maybe I should attempt Carrie Soto.

OP posts:
AgentProvocateur · 25/07/2023 15:39

Daisy Jones is poorly written too. I couldn’t finish it.

ChessieFL · 25/07/2023 15:40

I liked Evelyn Hugo, didn’t like Daisy Jones, really liked Carrie Soto (but does help to be a tennis fan).

LobsterCrab · 25/07/2023 15:42

It's a bestseller because it's easy to read and good fun. It's not great literature but it's better than some!

Original poster
MotherofGorgons · 25/07/2023 15:51

Oh yes, I wasn't expecting great literature, but I was expecting it to be be better written. I don't care much about Evelyn.

OP posts:
ReeseWitherfork · 25/07/2023 18:51

bookworm14 · 25/07/2023 15:08

They were all made famous by TikTok, I think. A lot of really badly written books are becoming bestsellers that way.

I don’t have TikTok so I’m not sure of the timeline but it was a Book of the Month pick a looooooong time ago. Pre pandemic. That’s how I came across it. I think most BotM books probably become bestsellers.

SummaLuvin · 25/07/2023 21:22

LobsterCrab · 25/07/2023 15:42

It's a bestseller because it's easy to read and good fun. It's not great literature but it's better than some!

This exactly, I enjoyed it, for me it was probably a 3.5 stars out of 5. But I can be a bit of a snob about chick lit, and this felt like one step above that, so people who only read chick lit might have felt it was an upgrade to their usual books.

I thought it was easy to read while having an interesting and engaging plot that kept me wanting to find out more. It's set in a glamorous world which gives an element of escapism, though not fantasy or too historical which can put off a large amount of readers. And has some modern appeal with and LGBTQ+ element and strongly written female characters. I did get a little tried of hearing how utterly drop dead gorgeous Evelyn was....

Original poster
MotherofGorgons · 26/07/2023 03:08

I can't finish it. Moving to Yellowface.

OP posts:
Donewithrenovating · 31/07/2023 22:47

I loved yellowface!

Tiddlywinkly · 01/08/2023 08:02

@MotherofGorgons I think you'd like Carrie Soto if you like tennis. I'm not a tennis fan and I enjoyed it.

Hoolahoophop · 02/08/2023 10:42

I really enjoyed listening to Evelyn Hugo on audiobook. But hated reading Daisy jones. I thought that the style was similar to a good BBC radio play which I enjoyed. But didn't work to read.

ScarlettBeauregarde · 02/08/2023 10:47

Couldn’t get on with Daisy jones but enjoyed Evelyn Hugo in audio form: same with Carrie Soto, the audio was great as it allowed for all the tennis voiceovers to work really well.

Malibu Rising I read in paper format and I think it’s her best, highly recommend that one.

FMLWTF · 02/08/2023 11:18

I haven’t finished Daisy Jones either. Just seems dross, I’m not interested in the plot or the prose. I follow Fearne Cotton on Instagram and she reckoned she’d take this book to a desert island! She’s married into “rock royalty” though I suppose she feels like it’s her world. Just seemed silly to me.

Just started Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and I do really like it so far.

JaneJeffer · 02/08/2023 12:10

@FMLWTF imagine if you got washed up on a desert island and the only other inhabitant offered you their book to read and it was Daisy Jones! Aargh Grin

GalileoHumpkins · 02/08/2023 12:47

JaneJeffer · 02/08/2023 12:10

@FMLWTF imagine if you got washed up on a desert island and the only other inhabitant offered you their book to read and it was Daisy Jones! Aargh Grin

I'd feed myself to the sharks!

@FMLWTF Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is one of my favourite reads of this year.

HollyGolightly4 · 02/08/2023 12:51

SummaLuvin · 25/07/2023 21:22

This exactly, I enjoyed it, for me it was probably a 3.5 stars out of 5. But I can be a bit of a snob about chick lit, and this felt like one step above that, so people who only read chick lit might have felt it was an upgrade to their usual books.

I thought it was easy to read while having an interesting and engaging plot that kept me wanting to find out more. It's set in a glamorous world which gives an element of escapism, though not fantasy or too historical which can put off a large amount of readers. And has some modern appeal with and LGBTQ+ element and strongly written female characters. I did get a little tried of hearing how utterly drop dead gorgeous Evelyn was....

Show quote history

This sums up my thoughts exactly! Although I'd probably go 3/5 😂. I feel like it's an easy read, but people might feel like they're reading a 'proper book'.

I'm cringing at how snobby I sound, but it's what I call a Tesco book - enjoyable enough to pick up with your weekly shopping, but not life changing.

Having said that, I wish more people read more, so read (and enjoy) what you want...

Boodahh · 04/08/2023 17:11

Agree, I felt it started well, with Evelyn ducking and diving to get where she wanted in Hollywood... and then that all stopped. It lacked a sense of the period imo. Sarah Waters would have written that book better!

Read Daisy Jones - similar , finished it but it wasn't great.

Soulstirring · 14/08/2023 06:39

Enjoyed Daisy Jones (the tv adaption was fun too) loved Carrie Soto but struggled with many of her others. Not read EH yet but I’ve bought it as a summer read

Welshwabbit · 14/08/2023 12:45

I am quite a big reader and I loved Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo and also enjoyed (but not as much) Malibu Rising and Carrie Soto. Daisy Jones really felt like an elongated Mojo interview; I thought it was really well done and I cared about them all by the end. Each to his/her own!

lastminutewednesday · 14/08/2023 12:50

I couldn't get through a quarter of daisy Jones. Awful.
Loved Evelyn Hugo though. Horses for courses

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