The North Face (novel)

First edition (publ. Longmans)

The North Face is a 1948 heterosexual romance novel by Mary Renault, who later became famous for historical novels set in ancient Greece and featuring homosexual love between male characters. The protagonists are Neil Langston and Ellie, both of whom have tragic pasts and both of whom are staying at a bed and breakfast in Cornwall. They both have a passion for mountain climbing, which is what first brings them together. Neil is in the process of obtaining a divorce. Jock, the love of Ellie's life, died in World War II. The novel is set in the period immediately after the end of the war.