Chapter summaries The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Taylor Jenkins Reid

Chapter 72: Now This: June 11, 1982 – Evelyn Marries Husband Number Six

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Chapter 72 presents a fictional magazine-style article dated June 11, 1982, headlined “Evelyn Hugo Divorces Harry Cameron, to Marry Director Max Girard.” The piece reports that after 15 years of marriage, Evelyn Hugo and producer Harry Cameron are divorcing. The article notes that the couple had recently celebrated success with their film All for Us, which earned both of them Oscars earlier that year. However, sources claim the marriage had been more like a friendship for several years, with Harry reportedly living in the home of their late friend John Braverman, just down the street from Evelyn. The article then announces Evelyn’s engagement to Max Girard, the director of All for Us, and states that Max will become her sixth husband. The tone is sensationalized, framing Evelyn as serial monogamist and questioning whether Max will finally bring her lasting happiness.

Key Events

  • A public announcement confirms Evelyn Hugo and Harry Cameron are divorcing after 15 years.
  • The divorce comes shortly after both won Oscars for All for Us.
  • Rumors surface that Harry had been living separately in John Braverman’s home, indicating a long-term separation.
  • Evelyn announces her intention to marry director Max Girard, her collaborator on All for Us.
  • The article identifies Max Girard as husband number six.

Character Development

  • Evelyn Hugo: The chapter reinforces Evelyn’s public persona as a glamorous, oft-married star. However, the contrast between her successful professional partnership with Harry and the quiet failure of their marriage hints at the personal sacrifices behind her image. The quick transition to Max suggests a pattern of using relationships to anchor her life.
  • Harry Cameron: Though not directly quoted, Harry’s reported move to John Braverman’s house suggests a gentle, amicable separation. He remains a supportive figure even in divorce.
  • Max Girard: Introduced as Evelyn’s next husband, Max is portrayed as a professional partner who became a romantic one, echoing Evelyn’s tendency to blend work and personal life.
  • John Braverman (mentioned): The mention of his home being Harry’s residence underscores John’s lingering presence and the complicated web of Evelyn’s relationships.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Marriage as Public Performance: The article treats Evelyn’s marriages as a recurring spectacle, reducing intimate decisions to tabloid fodder. This reflects the novel’s critique of celebrity culture and the commodification of personal life.
  • Reinvention and Escapism: Evelyn’s rapid move from Harry to Max symbolizes her habit of using new relationships to escape old realities. Each marriage marks a fresh chapter, but the underlying pattern hints at unresolved emotional needs.
  • The Cost of Success: The divorce following Oscar wins suggests that professional triumph does not guarantee personal fulfillment. Evelyn’s career peak coincides with the dissolution of her longest marriage.
  • The Fading Friend-John Braverman: John’s home becomes a symbol of the past that lingers—a quiet reminder of love and loss that Evelyn cannot fully leave behind.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 72 functions as a narrative pivot. It confirms the end of Evelyn’s most stable marriage (to Harry) and sets up her union with Max, which will have major repercussions for the rest of the story. The tabloid format also deepens the novel’s commentary on how public narratives distort private truth, inviting readers to question every news item within the story. Moreover, the chapter advances Evelyn’s lifelong pattern of seeking love as a form of survival.

Study Questions

  1. Why might Evelyn divorce Harry so soon after their shared Oscar triumph?
    Answer: The chapter suggests the marriage had been platonic for years. Evelyn likely valued Harry as a partner and friend, but after achieving their professional goal together, she may have felt free to end a comfortable but passionless arrangement. The Oscars provided a natural closure.

  2. What does the article’s tone reveal about Evelyn’s public image at this point?
    Answer: The gossipy, almost mocking tone (“the marrying kind”) frames Evelyn as a celebrity whose personal life is entertainment. It reduces her complex choices to a series of headlines, reinforcing the novel’s theme that fame strips away human nuance.

  3. How does Harry’s reported living situation (in John Braverman’s home) add to the emotional subtext?
    Answer: Harry living in John’s house keeps John’s memory physically present in Evelyn’s life. This underscores the unresolved grief Evelyn carries and suggests that Harry may have remained close to John even after his death, complicating the triangle that defined Evelyn’s past.

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