The Reinvention of Love by Helen Humphreys
“Le vrai, le vrai seul” : Sainte-Beuve
In Helen Humphreys’ note about writing The Reinvention of Love, she discusses her quest to present “more truth than fiction” about Charles Sainte-Beuve and his relationship with Adele Hugo. Sainte-Beuve, a 19th Century literary critic, embarked on an affair with the wife of another, more prominent, man of letters, Victor Hugo.
We meet Sainte-Beuve as he carries his garish umbrella to yet another duel (it transpires he has an unfortunate habit of finding himself in this position). He is flippant and somewhat ridiculous, but as we begin to learn more about the man, his ambitions, and his love for Adele Hugo, we are treated to glimpses of a character historically overlooked in favour of his more glittering contemporaries.
The book is structured as a series of first person entries: reflections, journals and letters. Whilst this structure lends different perspectives to the events, creating layers of passion, rivalry and betrayal, I felt it weakened the novel overall. You have only just got acquainted with Sainte-Beuve when Adele sweeps in with her own preoccupations; and the latter part of the novel with ‘little Adele’, the daughter, is so contrived and irritating that it nearly spoiled the whole thing for me. We find out about the myriad relationships – Charles and Adele; Charles and his mother; Charles and Victor; Victor and Adele; Adele and her children – but none in great depth.
The most interesting relationship in the book is the one afforded the least time: the friendship between Sainte-Beuve and George Sand. During the course of the novel, Sainte-Beuve confides in the reader about a medical condition that has led to him questioning his physical identity, and at various points he disguises himself as a woman, stealing his mother’s old clothes, to meet with Adele as ‘Charlotte’. The relationship between Sand and Sainte-Beuve – a bohemian woman sporting men’s clothes and defying convention, and a man coming to terms with his physical identity and gender roles – is more touching than some of the frivolous romances within the novel.
Humphreys has certainly done her research, and the portrait of the rising stars of the Paris literary world is both witty and informed. There are various mentions of Victor being absorbed in writing some little book about the Notre-Dame Cathedral, Balzac gets a mention, and a meeting place for the lovers is Montparnasse Cemetery where Baudelaire, Guy De Maupassant and Sainte-Beuve himself would come to rest.
I was so excited to start reading The Reinvention of Love – Paris, romance, literature… I was sure I’d fall in love with it! However, despite the fascinating main character and backdrop of an ever-enchanting city (even with cholera-ridden bodies being wheeled through the streets!), the book never reaches the emotional depths promised by the subject matter.
The Reinvention of Love is published by Serpent’s Tail on 7th July. You can pre-order the hardcover on Amazon for £6.99.
3/5
Recommended for: Lovers of Paris, lovers of literature, lovers of love. But don’t get your hopes up too much!
Other recommended reading: For authentic tales from 19th Century Paris, invest some time in A La Recherche du Temps Perdu, Proust’s fictionalised account of his life in the city or Emile Zola’s Nana in which his female lead lives a dark and destructive life (perhaps more interesting as an exploration of Zola’s own comments on Parisian society than a light read!). Or do what I’m going to do which is immediately seek out some of George Sand’s work as my interest has been piqued… Recommendations welcome in the comments below!
Alex Herod
What do you think?