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The Promise of Love
They had found each other in the tight-woven hospital world, where all day, every day, doctors and nurses fought errant nature. Even hospital rules could not restrain their passion.
Could the people who had come before – her brother Jan, the arrestingly beautiful amoral nurse, the seductive sophisticated doctor – snatch away their happiness?
Or would her faltering heart, unused to love, betray her now?
Could the people who had come before – her brother Jan, the arrestingly beautiful amoral nurse, the seductive sophisticated doctor – snatch away their happiness?
Or would her faltering heart, unused to love, betray her now?
382 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1939
19 people are currently reading
421 people want to read
About the author
Mary Renault
26 books1,704 followersMary Renault was an English writer best known for her historical novels set in Ancient Greece. In addition to vivid fictional portrayals of Theseus, Socrates, Plato and Alexander the Great, she wrote a non-fiction biography of Alexander.
Her historical novels are all set in ancient Greece. They include a pair of novels about the mythological hero Theseus and a trilogy about the career of Alexander the Great. In a sense, The Charioteer (1953), the story of two young gay servicemen in the 1940s who try to model their relationship on the ideals expressed in Plato's Phaedrus and Symposium, is a warm-up for Renault's historical novels. By turning away from the 20th century and focusing on stories about male lovers in the warrior societies of ancient Greece, Renault no longer had to deal with homosexuality and anti-gay prejudice as social "problems". Instead she was free to focus on larger ethical and philosophical concerns, while examining the nature of love and leadership. The Charioteer could not be published in the U.S. until 1959, after the success of The Last of the Wine proved that American readers and critics would accept a serious gay love story.
Her historical novels are all set in ancient Greece. They include a pair of novels about the mythological hero Theseus and a trilogy about the career of Alexander the Great. In a sense, The Charioteer (1953), the story of two young gay servicemen in the 1940s who try to model their relationship on the ideals expressed in Plato's Phaedrus and Symposium, is a warm-up for Renault's historical novels. By turning away from the 20th century and focusing on stories about male lovers in the warrior societies of ancient Greece, Renault no longer had to deal with homosexuality and anti-gay prejudice as social "problems". Instead she was free to focus on larger ethical and philosophical concerns, while examining the nature of love and leadership. The Charioteer could not be published in the U.S. until 1959, after the success of The Last of the Wine proved that American readers and critics would accept a serious gay love story.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 29, 2018
Third (?) reading, 3/2018: This book is incredible. I am obsessed with all of Renault's novels but this one has a peculiar magnetism for me. Nobody does an ending like she does, except, once or twice, Elizabeth Bowen. When I close the book I feel dazed, like I'm coming out from under a spell. I do not know why people aren't obsessed with Renault. I could have written my whole dissertation about her work and barely scratched the surface of my feeling for her.
First reading, 11/2014: My god, this book will haunt me. I do not know entirely what to make of it, but I did not want it to end.
First reading, 11/2014: My god, this book will haunt me. I do not know entirely what to make of it, but I did not want it to end.
August 3, 2020
I'm sad and genuinely confused to see that this book has such a low rating on GR, it truly deserves better.
Vivian, a 27 year old nurse in a suffocating and soul sucking position at a hospital falls in love with Mic, a handsome, 25 year old pathologist who she meets through her brother, Jan, and who also happens to be his ex-lover. Jan is my favorite character even though he's only present briefly at the beginning of the book and much more significantly towards the end.
Mary Renault describes the mundane tasks and duties and emotional detachment between nurse and patient throughout the first part of the book and then literally TEARS your heart out when a nurse is ordered to take care of a patient she barely knows, but we as the reader do quite well.
I had to read the last 100 pages all at once, there was no way I could put it down.
Renault's dense writing style may not be for everyone, but I love it. Many times I've found myself having to read the same section twice or three times to fully understand what is being implied. It's not WHAT she says, but what she DOESN'T say that's so effective. In my experience with Renault, if you find yourself thinking, ....is that what she means? It is. After reading three books by her, it's much easier to realize what angle she's coming from.
Vivian, a 27 year old nurse in a suffocating and soul sucking position at a hospital falls in love with Mic, a handsome, 25 year old pathologist who she meets through her brother, Jan, and who also happens to be his ex-lover. Jan is my favorite character even though he's only present briefly at the beginning of the book and much more significantly towards the end.
Mary Renault describes the mundane tasks and duties and emotional detachment between nurse and patient throughout the first part of the book and then literally TEARS your heart out when a nurse is ordered to take care of a patient she barely knows, but we as the reader do quite well.
I had to read the last 100 pages all at once, there was no way I could put it down.
Renault's dense writing style may not be for everyone, but I love it. Many times I've found myself having to read the same section twice or three times to fully understand what is being implied. It's not WHAT she says, but what she DOESN'T say that's so effective. In my experience with Renault, if you find yourself thinking, ....is that what she means? It is. After reading three books by her, it's much easier to realize what angle she's coming from.
April 6, 2011
Fascinating first novel. I read all Mary Renault's 'Greek' novels in my early teens and will be ever grateful for the rational way she introduced me to the concept of homosexuality with approval and joy.
'Purposes of Love' is a line from the nurses' prayer, quoted in the novel, so why it was renamed for the American market is beyond me.
I found all the characters well drawn, especially enjoyed Colonna (I guess more of a self-portrait than Vivian?). She has a wonderful way of capturing moments, whether happy ones spent with a lover, or the moment when you realise all life has changed, terribly, and can't understand why you can't just reach back and undo it.
This isn't a considered review, just thoughts I'm having immediately after finishing.
'Purposes of Love' is a line from the nurses' prayer, quoted in the novel, so why it was renamed for the American market is beyond me.
I found all the characters well drawn, especially enjoyed Colonna (I guess more of a self-portrait than Vivian?). She has a wonderful way of capturing moments, whether happy ones spent with a lover, or the moment when you realise all life has changed, terribly, and can't understand why you can't just reach back and undo it.
This isn't a considered review, just thoughts I'm having immediately after finishing.
November 5, 2024
This book was emotionally intense, probably the most straightforward of Renault's books (which makes sense given that it's her debut), I still think I could write an essay on Vivian's identity and gender issues.
I'm not shocked at the rating on here, cannot imagine all of the poor souls going into this expecting it to be a romance when it's basically a tragedy.
Ouch.
I'm not shocked at the rating on here, cannot imagine all of the poor souls going into this expecting it to be a romance when it's basically a tragedy.
Ouch.
June 27, 2015
I really enjoyed this book , which is interesting for its depictions of sexuality and life as a nurse in the 1930s.
Read
January 26, 2014This is the most depressing love story I've ever read.
March 18, 2022
3, maybe 3.5 stars. Huh, that was really something. I had never read a Mary Renault book before and although I knew she wrote novels about Alexander the Great, I had no idea what to expect. I was definitely not expecting that her first novel, written in 1939, would be chock full of queer characters, sex, and involve a very casual approach to abortion. I know that society has always been full of these things even when the prevailing sentiment would have you believe otherwise, but I didn't actually expect that a novel with this content would actually get published at that time, and furthermore set the author up for a very successful career. Having read a little bit about Renault, I now understand that a great deal of this story's setting was drawn from her personal experiences as a nurse - and indeed, she fell in love with another nurse who became her lifelong partner. I'm sure that there were plenty of people at the time this book came out who were thrilled to feel they were being represented in fiction, and not by mere suggestion or hidden subtext.
As for the story itself.... it was okay. I really did not feel any sympathy with Vivian who could be stunningly cruel at times. She also seemed to waffle on whether sex was significant - and her choices in that regard were abysmal. Ugggghhhhhhh. Then there's the whole issue of (This is my opinion.)
I was also annoyed at their repeatedly ridiculous health choices. They are both in the medical field and could easily have killed themselves multiple times with their bad choices when they got ill. So frustrating. I suppose medical people are the worst patients, right?
Nobody came off as terribly likeable or sympathetic to me in this book. It was definitely a unique experience, though, and I definitely want to check out some of Renault's other books. (A wholebunch of them are mentioned in Among Others - I've been reading stuff off that list for some time now.)
As for the story itself.... it was okay. I really did not feel any sympathy with Vivian who could be stunningly cruel at times. She also seemed to waffle on whether sex was significant - and her choices in that regard were abysmal. Ugggghhhhhhh. Then there's the whole issue of (This is my opinion.)
I was also annoyed at their repeatedly ridiculous health choices. They are both in the medical field and could easily have killed themselves multiple times with their bad choices when they got ill. So frustrating. I suppose medical people are the worst patients, right?
Nobody came off as terribly likeable or sympathetic to me in this book. It was definitely a unique experience, though, and I definitely want to check out some of Renault's other books. (A wholebunch of them are mentioned in Among Others - I've been reading stuff off that list for some time now.)
November 30, 2016
Excellent first book - hard to read in places.
Not least because how do you retain yr independence and sense of self within a relationship??
I knew something of the restrictive regimes and rigid hiearchies in hospitals from my Mum - it wasn't much better in the 1950's. Although she says it was much cleaner back then!
And ironic that one nurse wasn't recognised as a lesbian, rather she was seen as a good nurse because she didn't wear make up and had no boyfs.
Not least because how do you retain yr independence and sense of self within a relationship??
I knew something of the restrictive regimes and rigid hiearchies in hospitals from my Mum - it wasn't much better in the 1950's. Although she says it was much cleaner back then!
And ironic that one nurse wasn't recognised as a lesbian, rather she was seen as a good nurse because she didn't wear make up and had no boyfs.
February 13, 2021
don't know what i expected from mary renault's debut but it was certainly not This, a bizarre (and edgy, considering when it dates from) romance novel between two chaotic disaster bisexuals with not a ton of plot (tho plenty of ~vibes~) in its 300+ pages. not unenjoyable (indeed, rather fun) but also very strange. it had little flashes of brilliance throughout (ranging in length from a sentence to a page, but no longer) that reminded me of some of the best moments of the charioteer, and hinted at what was to come later in renault's career – a paragraph very early in this book features vivian, the main character, digging her toes into the dirt and staring into the countryside sky in a way that harkens toward laurie and andrew's afternoon on the banks of eden. but whew lol what an abrupt ending.
v much 2.5 stars, edging toward 3
v much 2.5 stars, edging toward 3
May 14, 2023
I liked it. Maybe more of a three-star read, but the prose takes it to four. On the one hand, Renault is great at describing the psychological struggles of power dynamics in a relationship. On the other hand, the second half of the novel is a little perplexing, and the ending spells things out in a way that I'm not sure was necessary (or properly built up to, given what immediately preceded it).
Recommended to anyone interested in Mary Renault, midcentury bisexual romantic struggles (in a distinctly rigid and stifling environment), or psychology-driven stories.
(I still prefer "The Charioteer.")
Recommended to anyone interested in Mary Renault, midcentury bisexual romantic struggles (in a distinctly rigid and stifling environment), or psychology-driven stories.
(I still prefer "The Charioteer.")
June 3, 2019
I'm a fan of Mary Renault's novels set in ancient Greece, especially those on Alexander. I finally decided to read some of her early work.
Purposes of Love is the story of a bi-curious mostly straight woman falling in love with a queer man, one of the male dates (for lack of a better word) of her bisexual brother. Everyone of *any* consequence in this 1930s novel is queer! There is a refreshing naturalness to it all - the sexual and gender fluidity is dealt with matter-of-factly despite the fact that the central relationship is heterosexual (albeit between non-heterosexual people).
The psychological portraits are deftly done; the writing is refined and elegant (with the occasional slip that makes it hard to grasp the full meaning of what is being said); the interest is sustained throughout, mostly, with a dip towards the middle, where the account of the lovers' besottedness with each other becomes briefly tedious -- though it is a necessary prequel to what happens next, and I can't see how it could have been done differently.
The main character's brother, Jan, is wonderful, anticipating some of the fascinating and awe-inspiring male characters to be found in Renault's later work. Though this book is set in the 1930s, there are a few hints to Renault's abiding love for ancient Greece. I particularly enjoyed the way in which the main character makes sense of her relationship with her male lover in terms of erastes/eromenos -- she being the erastes.
A queer book in the best sense of the word. Though Renault's early work is generally regarded as lacking the maturity of her later historical fiction, this is a more accomplished piece of work than most published authors will ever manage.
Purposes of Love is the story of a bi-curious mostly straight woman falling in love with a queer man, one of the male dates (for lack of a better word) of her bisexual brother. Everyone of *any* consequence in this 1930s novel is queer! There is a refreshing naturalness to it all - the sexual and gender fluidity is dealt with matter-of-factly despite the fact that the central relationship is heterosexual (albeit between non-heterosexual people).
The psychological portraits are deftly done; the writing is refined and elegant (with the occasional slip that makes it hard to grasp the full meaning of what is being said); the interest is sustained throughout, mostly, with a dip towards the middle, where the account of the lovers' besottedness with each other becomes briefly tedious -- though it is a necessary prequel to what happens next, and I can't see how it could have been done differently.
The main character's brother, Jan, is wonderful, anticipating some of the fascinating and awe-inspiring male characters to be found in Renault's later work. Though this book is set in the 1930s, there are a few hints to Renault's abiding love for ancient Greece. I particularly enjoyed the way in which the main character makes sense of her relationship with her male lover in terms of erastes/eromenos -- she being the erastes.
A queer book in the best sense of the word. Though Renault's early work is generally regarded as lacking the maturity of her later historical fiction, this is a more accomplished piece of work than most published authors will ever manage.
July 20, 2022
A story with a very unusual atmosphere. Vivid evocation of the exhaustion and drudgery of nurses' work in a 1930s hospital. There is a powerful sense of loss in the central relationship, because the heroine makes an emotional and sexual misjudgement. Strangely haunting; in fact an incredibly powerful read, if a little intense and introspective at times.
2019: I have just re-read it and although this was the third time, over a period of many years, it almost felt as if I was reading it for the first time. I think we are meant to like and admire Vivian's brother Jan, but I found him rather inhuman.
2019: I have just re-read it and although this was the third time, over a period of many years, it almost felt as if I was reading it for the first time. I think we are meant to like and admire Vivian's brother Jan, but I found him rather inhuman.
October 5, 2013
Would love to read it again.very evocative of a particular place and time, of social constraints. Fascinating.
September 4, 2020
I really like Renault, even though her prose can verge on the melodramatic and her dialogue can be quite theatrical.
She is best known for her gay greek novels, but I was pleasently surprised that her debut novel from 1939 about a nurse and a pathologist set in England between the world wars, has such a good LGBT rep too - I read both main characters as bisexual.
I found the second half of the novel, when the characters are already a couple, much more engaging than the first. At the beginning the detailed day to day descriptions of the strenous life as a nurse between the world wars – while educating – were a bit of a slog. Psychologically fascinating, and some really nice prose.
She is best known for her gay greek novels, but I was pleasently surprised that her debut novel from 1939 about a nurse and a pathologist set in England between the world wars, has such a good LGBT rep too - I read both main characters as bisexual.
I found the second half of the novel, when the characters are already a couple, much more engaging than the first. At the beginning the detailed day to day descriptions of the strenous life as a nurse between the world wars – while educating – were a bit of a slog. Psychologically fascinating, and some really nice prose.
December 29, 2022
Purposes of love is written in a language that keeps me in good company.
It touches on difficult questions of co-dependancy, and does so with immense vulnerabality.
I love the many perspectives in the book and it gives great insight into characters from the 1930s I have not read much of before. Marxists, bi-sexuals, gender-queers, philosophers.
The book surprised me and I look forward to reading more of Mary Renault.
I wrote many quotes down in my journal, here's just a few:
"A piece of crystal has its own uses; you don't ask it to oblige by bending in your hand."
"Life's made harder than it need be by the human belief that effort could make us capable of perfection."
It touches on difficult questions of co-dependancy, and does so with immense vulnerabality.
I love the many perspectives in the book and it gives great insight into characters from the 1930s I have not read much of before. Marxists, bi-sexuals, gender-queers, philosophers.
The book surprised me and I look forward to reading more of Mary Renault.
I wrote many quotes down in my journal, here's just a few:
"A piece of crystal has its own uses; you don't ask it to oblige by bending in your hand."
"Life's made harder than it need be by the human belief that effort could make us capable of perfection."
June 12, 2025
Cripes. Did not know it had been published under this title, I know it as 'Purposes of Love' which makes more sense. FFS what is with the godawful romance novel blurb? I suppose it's funny, at best and at least.
Jan is so fucking awful it makes me despise the whole book. Although Vivian is a soppy stupid bint too, and Mic puts up with - cripes, is infatuated with - Jan, too, so although I might otherwise find him tolerable I cannot respect such a tool.
Overall the writing is pretty wonderful, however, so I am very reluctantly obliged to award it trois points. Even though it's about a bunch of self-indulgent honking wankers.
Jan is so fucking awful it makes me despise the whole book. Although Vivian is a soppy stupid bint too, and Mic puts up with - cripes, is infatuated with - Jan, too, so although I might otherwise find him tolerable I cannot respect such a tool.
Overall the writing is pretty wonderful, however, so I am very reluctantly obliged to award it trois points. Even though it's about a bunch of self-indulgent honking wankers.
January 13, 2023
An unusual, dense and intense novel, set in the lamp-lit wards and corridors of an English hospital just before the Second World War. Mary Renault is so skilful at setting a scene and keeping it moving, with her believable, not always likeable, characters picking their way through the minefield of human relationships. There's an undercurrent of homosexuality in the triangle at the book's heart, and some genuinely tense moments towards the end. Wonderfully evocative descriptions of the weather too! I found this a thought-provoking and worthwhile read - but was glad to finish it!
January 31, 2018
Beautiful.
May 9, 2019
we love a romance novel with some MEAT!
September 22, 2016
Renault’s first novel, Purposes of Love was first published in 1939, and is set between the world wars. It became a bestseller in both the United Kingdom and United States upon its publication. The novel focuses upon two characters who work in different capacities within the same hospital – Vivian Lingard, a student nurse, and Mic, who ‘immerses himself in his work at the hospital to ward off the emotional wounds of an unhappy childhood’. The friendship which forms between the two soon ‘turns into a secret romance’, clandestine for the sole reason that ‘if discovered, it would lose them their jobs’.
Never one for a straightforward story, Renault introduces Vivian’s brother, Jan, ‘the tantalising and enigmatic shadow’, and then throws in another surprise element; a female nurse who seduces Vivian. The relationship which is portrayed between Vivian and Jan is interesting, and is nicely introduced: ‘Jan – he was twenty-nine – was the elder of them for three years, but from their teens onwards strangers had often taken them for twins. They themselves, more conscious of their differences as close relatives are, still found this amusing’.
Many of the elements in the novel are autobiographical. Renault herself trained as a nurse, and her firsthand knowledge was translated into much of her early contemporary fiction. The condition of the unwell and recovering patients around Vivian and Mic are set against any happiness which they may feel, and it appears that one of these elements often outweighs the other. The hospital setting, and the use of the third person perspective, allow Renault to introduce a plethora of characters from varied walks of life. Whilst Purposes of Love is essentially a love story, many themes can be found within its pages – longing, passion, sickness and health, honesty and deception, cruelty and adultery, amongst others. It is an interesting novel – by no means Renault’s best, but it has a well-plotted story nonetheless, and is a good fit upon the Virago Modern Classics list.
Never one for a straightforward story, Renault introduces Vivian’s brother, Jan, ‘the tantalising and enigmatic shadow’, and then throws in another surprise element; a female nurse who seduces Vivian. The relationship which is portrayed between Vivian and Jan is interesting, and is nicely introduced: ‘Jan – he was twenty-nine – was the elder of them for three years, but from their teens onwards strangers had often taken them for twins. They themselves, more conscious of their differences as close relatives are, still found this amusing’.
Many of the elements in the novel are autobiographical. Renault herself trained as a nurse, and her firsthand knowledge was translated into much of her early contemporary fiction. The condition of the unwell and recovering patients around Vivian and Mic are set against any happiness which they may feel, and it appears that one of these elements often outweighs the other. The hospital setting, and the use of the third person perspective, allow Renault to introduce a plethora of characters from varied walks of life. Whilst Purposes of Love is essentially a love story, many themes can be found within its pages – longing, passion, sickness and health, honesty and deception, cruelty and adultery, amongst others. It is an interesting novel – by no means Renault’s best, but it has a well-plotted story nonetheless, and is a good fit upon the Virago Modern Classics list.
September 28, 2017
There's so much emotion here. I first read this book as a teen and was stunned by the intensity. I've read it several times over the many, many years since I was a teenager and I guess it's gotten a bit creaky for me to give it 5 stars, but I would still recommend it.
One of my favorite parts of the book occurs when the h has such pride in having and painting her own room. A very touching way to show the importance of independence.
One of my favorite parts of the book occurs when the h has such pride in having and painting her own room. A very touching way to show the importance of independence.
Want to read
May 2, 2009Purposes of Love by Mary Renault (1986)
January 30, 2011
ok but not gripping enough to finish.
May 10, 2016
A love story set in a hospital where a woman decides between a sister and brother.
July 20, 2018
I'm reading all of her - very interesting as a group. Stuck on gay men!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews