Member Reviews
A somewhat rambling book which seems more about the author than the subject, one Adele Hugo. I came to this book knowing absolutely nothing about her, but wanted to know more, but in the end I was disappointed. I've no doubt the author is an accomplished biographer – I haven't read any of his other books – but this failed to please this reader. There is very little information to be found about Adele Hugo and maybe this is why this book is so unsatisfying.
There seems to be a bit of a trend lately for authors combining memoir and biography. One I read and enjoyed recently, for example, was In Pursuit of Jefferson by Derek Baxter, who does what Mark Bostridge does here, that is follow in the footsteps of the subject whilst interjecting their own experiences and thoughts as they travel. Here the subject is Adele Hugo, Victor Hugo’s daughter, who left her home to pursue the great love of her life. A combination of memoir, travelogue and biography, the threads knit together satisfactorily and satisfyingly and I very much enjoyed the reading. The book doesn’t pretend to be just a straightforward biography of Adele Hugo, and I can see that some readers have been frustrated by Bostridge inserting himself so much into the narrative, but it worked for me and I found the book absorbing, entertaining and enjoyable.
I really enjoyed this book, it took me a little while to get into., but once I was hooked I really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down.
Victor Hugo’s fame is well documented, although I have never been particularly tempted to pick up one of his novels despite his place in the literary canon. I was, however, intrigued by the life and fate of his daughter, Adele. A young woman whose life seems to have been plagued by immense loss and rejection, living in the shadow of her father a literary giant and perhaps somewhat of a suffocating presence.
Mark Bostridge was inspired to trace the history of Adele, whose historical footprint is somewhat light, having seen a film about her life, The Story of Adele H, directed by French film critic and director Francois Truffaut. Her life seems to have been marked by loss early on with the accidental death of her older sister Leopoldine in 1843. Whilst out on a boat on the Seine in Villequier, it tragically capsized and she was drowned along with her husband Charles Vacquerie. She was just 19 years old. It appears this event was to mark the lives of all the family, but Victor Hugo never recovered from the loss and this grief seems to be a reoccurring motif throughout the rest of the families lives and indeed this novel.
Adele’s personal grief seems to be less well documented however Bostridge discovers that she began to struggle with her mental health in 1856 during her 20s. She became infatuated with a solider by the name of Albert Pinson and seems to have been repeatedly rejected by him despite following him around the world to the Caribbean. Their relationship seems to have been extremely complicated and it is this complexity that Bostridge attempts to unweave by tracing the footsteps of Adele across various countries and landscapes meeting descendants of Pinson and attempting to uncover what it was about him that drove Adele’s compulsion. During this time, he also reflects on his own history and past relationships and finds remarkable parallels between himself and Victor Hugo’s daughter. This compelling aspect to the biography makes it somewhat unusual in form enabling the text to ask the reader how will history interpret our own lives and how far should one go in pursuit of love.
I saw Adele H long long time ago but it's her fist biography I read. It was a fascinating and intriguing read.
She remains a mystery but I appreciated the research and the style of writing even if it drags a bit at time
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
The story of Adele Hugo (daughter of famous poet and novelist, Victor Hugo) is fascinating and, while I expected this book to be more focused on its primary subject, it did not disappoint. Mark Bostridge, with exceptional honesty and vulnerability documents how he goes about researching her life. Retracing Adele’s travels in pursuit of the object of her obsessive love, Albert Pinson, Mark Bostridge attempts to immerse himself in her story and conveys to the reader a personal perspective. Some primary sources of evidence, like letters, are uncovered but much about Adele Hugo must remain a mystery. An intriguing and haunting account of the destructive force of unrequited passion and obsessive love.
Like other reviewers I thought this would be a compelling biography about a family torn apart and interesting discussions surrounding feminism, patriarchy and the use of asylums in the 19th century. However, I grew tired of the author's rambling style and the interjections he made about his own life and experiences. I lost interest in this halfway through and DNFd.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
was deeply disappointed by this book. Bostridge is apparently an acclaimed biographer. I have not read any of his other books. I had expected a well researched account of Adele Hugo's life which sounded interesting. It seems that the information available about her is relatively thin so the book is bulked out with tedious accounts of the author's research trips, rambling irrelevant anecdotes about the author's life and much speculation about Adele, as well as some diversions into comparisons between her experience and those of fictional characters from well-known novels, not even by her famous father. I should have given up early on when he describes his mother as wearing a one piece bikini: a good editor might have corrected that.
I should thank Netgalley for the ARC, not their fault that it's so unappealing.
I have not read any Victor Hugo books and yet identify as French and a reader!
Bizarre to read this book but I am always compelled to learn more about great authors. Like many of his contemporaries and other notable authors, I am left disappointed by their dubious life decisions. This was no exception.
An Interesting book and I liked knowing what drew the author to being obsessed with uncovering Adele’s story.
Unfortunately this book wasn't for me and I gave up half way through (this is a rare occurence for me). I was intrigued to find out more about Adele Hugo but halfway through all I had read seemed to be about the life of Victor Hugo and the author and his obsession with Adele, Adele herself a side note. The second half of the book could reveal more about her but sadly my interest was lost.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read In Pursuit of Love.
Firstly thank you to Netgalley, Bloomsbury books and the author for the eARC of this book.
I was intrigued initially by the description of the book, the sad story of the daughter of Victor Hugo who falls in love with a soldier and follows him across the world only to be rejected by him and subsequently winds up in a mental institution at the end of her life. To love someone that much and to have been so wounded by the rejection has played on my own thoughts in recent years. I am currently seeing first hand what affect rejection can have on a persons mental health as well as body and confidence and what makes you you. People can be inclined to sometimes wrap their whole life and who they are around a significant other and it can end up being catastrophic when things go wrong.
Adele had to deal with the loss of her sister (Victors favourite daughter) and was responsible for taking notes of every conversation her father had for his own records. She was fastidious and was musically gifted and I wonder if she had of been free to pursue her own hobbies and not been put in charge of her fathers work maybe she could have carved out a meaningful and successful life for herself.
Instead she had to live in the shadow of her deceased sister and then she fell in love with the wrong man. It made for a melancholy but worthwhile read and for the first three chapters I felt a bit overwhelmed but I am glad I persevered and finished it because Adele deserves to have people know about her. The author really did incredible research and weaved in his own observations and experiences and brought a unique and eye opening glimpse into what is probably an overlooked part of history. I very much enjoyed this book and it will be one that will stay with me.
A most fascinating story that will, inevitably, leave one saddened! What Adèle's life could have been!! It really seems like a waste of a life and definitely a massive waste of talent!
To my shame, despite having heard so much about Hugo, having read some of his novels, I've never bothered to learn anything about him as a person and/or his family! In Pursuit of Love has been a lovely way to acquaint myself to some of all that! Adèle really comes alive under Bostridge's pen. Which, considering the scarcity of details available, tells one a lot about Mark Bostridge's skill as an author. What I find really fascinating is the whole process: how an author becomes interesting in a person, a subject, and how they follow that through! And let me tell you that In Pursuit of Love has been so very satisfying. from that point of view. The author hasn't left anything out of his narrative, and I loved, loved, loved following him in pursuit of Adèle! Needless to say I have added all those place and museum to my list of places to visit!
Love is an extraordinary thing that can affect us all in different ways and Adele Hugo, the daughter of the famous writer Victor Hugo became obsessed with the soldier who stole her heart, following him to the other side of the world only to be rejected.
1863 was the year this began and she would follow him for eight years, the result was to end her days in a mental institution which was the tragic ending of Adele.
It is an utterly moving piece of writing and a side of love that we may all recognize in some form or other—a compelling read.
Victor Hugo has always been an author I've been unsure of, enjoying some of his work and disliking others. But the tale of his family has been one I've been interested in, especially his daughter, Adèle. After seeing some of the 1975 film, The Story of Adèle H, I've wanted to learn more about Adèle Hugo so finding In Pursuit of Love seemed like a good place to start. Mark Bostridge paints her tale very vividly, showing all sides of Adèle's tragic life after meeting a certain British soldier whom she follows almost to the other side of the world. In following her tale, Bostridge does make many reflections throughout the book, some were distracting, and some halted chapters for a bit, which I think he could have shortened or placed in different places.
As a starting point for delving deeper into the life of one of France's most famous authors, In Pursuit of Love doesn't let her famous father overshadow Adèle's tragic tale. Although I felt the pacing was a bit off with his reflections, it was enjoyable enough. Because of Adèle's parts, I recommend In Pursuit of Love, but I don't think I'll be re-reading it soon.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Adele Hugo’s story is sad, fascinating and intriguing, which is why I was keen to read this book. Whilst the author was impressively diligent in his search for the truth of Adele’s life, I confess I found the extensive interruptions of his travels (however enviable) and his personal revelations intrusive, distracting and ultimately it difficult to continue reading – a deal of page flipping took place.
It is beautifully written, but perhaps somewhat self-indulgent on the part of the author.
I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine
I was not prepared at how emotionally charged this would be
This was a beautiful read
I absolutely loved it
The part that was about Adele Hugo's life was an interesting and maudlin narrative, However, I did not enjoy the way it was interspersed with accounts of Bostridge's research methods and own life. Not quite what I was looking for.
DNF
Mark Bostridge's A Pursuit of Love promised an intriguing blend of biography, memoir, and travelogue, chronicling the tragic and captivating story of Adèle Hugo. As the daughter of the illustrious writer Victor Hugo, Adèle's relentless pursuit of a British soldier across the world and her subsequent decline into madness holds all the potential for a gripping narrative. Unfortunately, the execution left much to be desired.
The book’s core, Adèle Hugo’s tragic tale, is undeniably fascinating. However, Bostridge’s interwoven accounts of his own life and the details of his research process significantly detract from the story's momentum. These sections felt dry and uninspired, making it difficult to maintain engagement.
By the time I reached 40% of the book, continuing felt like a chore. While the historical details and insights into Adèle’s life were the highlights, the constant digressions into the author’s experiences broke the narrative flow and diminished the overall impact of Adèle's story.
For those interested in Adèle Hugo, there are undoubtedly moments of brilliance and historical intrigue here. However, the book's structure and the excessive focus on the author’s personal journey overshadow what could have been a poignant and compelling biography. The life of Adele Hugo could be said to have been framed within other people's lives during the time she was alive, and with this book seemingly also in death.
This is the story of Adele Hugo, daughter of the author of "Les Mis." It's a sad tale of unrequited love leading to madness of a kind. Using journals, records and photos, the author reconstructs her life and that of her family. Perhaps they were all slightly eccentric! But it's a sad story, of early death, Victorian morals and strictures, desperate love and an almost missing person who left very little trace. And of both the family's and Adele's voyages and travels.
The author has travelled in Adele's footsteps, investigating her life and that of Pinson, the man she doted on, and trying to find any traces of them, either from location or from ambience. And as he does so, he draws parallels with his own life, his own unrequited (gay) love and of choices made and impacts that followed.
While I was interested in the lives of the Hugo family in general and Adele's in particular, I found the interspersed reflections on the author's own life interrupted the flow of the main story and frankly added little to it. A kind of spiritual navel gazing that I personally thought unnecessary and of no merit in the re-telling of Adele's experiences. They also added to the already long book. So I began to flick through those episodes very quickly or even ignore them, and concentrate on the main story of the hapless Adele and her sad life.
I have honestly to say that while I appreciated reading about Adele, this is not a book I shall read again.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, for the advance copy in return for my honest review.
I love reading about women who are pushed into the shadows of the lives of famous men, and enjoyed Bostridge's excavation of Adele Hugo's life. He's clearly a dedicated biographer! Hugo's tragedy will stay with me.