The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

On Monday morning, Monique meets Evelyn in her study. Evelyn is ready—everyone she loved is dead and the truth can’t harm them any longer.

Evelyn grew up in Hell’s Kitchen with her Cuban mother and father. At 11, Evelyn lost her mother and was left with her abusive father. She quickly began to go through puberty that summer, and men watched her every move. At 13, the teenage cashier at the corner store kisses Evelyn. She tries to fight him off, but he holds her tightly. She learns then that she “could do it for free” or for “free candy” (43). Over the next few months, Evelyn takes everything she wants from the store, and she sees the cashier once a week. Her greatest dream is to escape Hell’s Kitchen, so she decides to use her sexuality to accomplish that.

At 14, she meets Ernie Diaz who is rumored to know someone at MGM. She seduces him, trading her virginity for “a ride to Hollywood” (44). They get married soon afterward, despite Evelyn being only 15, and move to Los Angeles. Evelyn spends her days waitressing at a restaurant for “movie people” (45). Four months later, she meets Harry. Two weeks after that, she has a contract with Sunset Studios.