RaveThe Houston ChronicleThis novel is important not only as historical fiction but also as a reminder of the challenges that faced career-minded women such as Gellhorn in the mid-20th century, and the risks — both professionally and personally — that were required to be a journalist during the rise of fascism and World War II ... McLain’s strengths as a novelist are formidable, especially her ability to evoke a strong sense of time and place ... Fast-paced and confessional, we get of glimpse of Gellhorn’s emotions and her struggles ... McLain is also a master at ending chapters that make you want to turn the page and see what happens next — even if you are familiar with the Gellhorn-Hemingway story ... She addresses the Hemingway mystique in a way that is believable but accessible ... Love and Ruin will certainly ensure that Gellhorn is not a footnote, although it does underscore the impossibility of minimizing Hemingway’s presence in her life and American letters.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay[/caption]
