Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier were an iconic couple in the acting industry, with their combined talent and looks. But the turbulent thread of mental illness ran through their intense romance, ultimately tearing them apart.
I only vaguely know both these figures, Leigh better than Olivier because of Gone With the Wind. However, I have always been fascinated by old Hollywood romances because of how turbulent they are, and I was excited for this one.
The author has a pleasant narrative voice – he is respectful of both parties, which I appreciated considering how easy it could be to simply dismiss them as another pair of high-strung artistes. He interviewed many people close to the couple, so he is able to give us an inside view in the relationship. I was also really interested in how the book was a biography of a relationship and not merely the two people in it, and the damage that mental illness did to it.
However, I did find the pacing slowed at times, and my attention lagged. Though the author does a good job of translating the stage to the page, everything does not come across so I don’t know that I truly felt the force of the couple’s talent.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
