The Painted Veil (edit title)

• Rated 4 stars

“Everybody who knows me well knows that I don't particularly like classics, and I feel horribly bad about that. The librarian in me feels that I'm missing out on some of the big secrets in life, but I don't enjoy struggling through a book enough to make up for that gap.

My husband keeps telling me to try Maugham, and I finally gave in and picked up this book when I was browsing at the public library. The Painted Veil is a clasic, but it didn't read like a classic. It was a story with staying power, and I didn't have to fight my way through it because the language was normal and readable. I'll be searching for more Maugham in the new year.”

• Rated 3 stars

“A story of redemption, though definitely not as candy-coated as the movie portrays. I was intrigued as Kitty grew from a spoiled girl to a deep and multi-faceted woman, and as other characters' flaws and assets surfaced. Glad I took the time to read it, though I'm not seeing a reread in the foreseeable future.”

• Rated 4 stars

“ghost of a rose said: 4 stars
At first this book reminded me a bit of Madame Bovary. But before long, it took a completely different turn. The result is a much better book: with more depth and a far more developed, multi-faceted character who matures and learns from her mistakes. The Painted Veil packs a lot of wisdom into a quick read.

Kitty Fane grew up in England and eventually returns there, but most of the story takes place in Hong Kong and China among the British colonials. Although her husband adores her, for Kitty it is a marriage of convenience. When she escapes her boredom by having an adulterous affair, she is caught. Her husband's response borders on abusive in its cold-hearted vindictiveness and disregard for her safety: he forces her to accompany him on a volunteer mission to a remote area of China where a severe epidemic of cholera is raging.

For both Kitty and her husband, the experience is life-changing. Kitty learns to appreciate her husband, and to regret her impulsive affair. I won't say whether he learns to forgive her and love her again; that would be a spoiler. But even more importantly, Kitty learns to value Chinese culture, people that are different from the socially acceptable standard, and especially the things in life that are truly important. She helps out at a convent a French nuns who are caring for the sick, which often means contracting the cholera and dying themselves. From them she gains a deep spirituality which transcends the bounds of religion. In the end, Kitty finds fulfillment in an unexpected way.

The Painted Veil is a beautiful and thoughtful story of redemption. Along the way, the reader also picks up some interesting knowledge about British colonialism, 1920's Hong Kong, Fu Manchu China, and bacteriology. This book has earned a well-deserved place among the classics.

”

• Rated 4 stars

“At first this book reminded me a bit of Madame Bovary. But before long, it took a completely different turn. The result is a much better book: with more depth and a far more developed, multi-faceted character who matures and learns from her mistakes. The Painted Veil packs a lot of wisdom into a quick read.

Kitty Fane grew up in England and eventually returns there, but most of the story takes place in Hong Kong and China among the British colonials. Although her husband adores her, for Kitty it is a marriage of convenience. When she escapes her boredom by having an adulterous affair, she is caught. Her husband's response borders on abusive in its cold-hearted vindictiveness and disregard for her safety: he forces her to accompany him on a volunteer mission to a remote area of China where a severe epidemic of cholera is raging.

For both Kitty and her husband, the experience is life-changing. Kitty learns to appreciate her husband, and to regret her impulsive affair. I won't say whether he learns to forgive her and love her again; that would be a spoiler. But even more importantly, Kitty learns to value Chinese culture, people that are different from the socially acceptable standard, and especially the things in life that are truly important. She helps out at a convent a French nuns who are caring for the sick, which often means contracting the cholera and dying themselves. From them she gains a deep spirituality which transcends the bounds of religion. In the end, Kitty finds fulfillment in an unexpected way.

The Painted Veil is a beautiful and thoughtful story of redemption. Along the way, the reader also picks up some interesting knowledge about British colonialism, 1920's Hong Kong, Fu Manchu China, and bacteriology. This book has earned a well-deserved place among the classics.

(294 pages)”

• Rated 3 stars

“This is one instance where the movie turned out better than the book, in my opinion. There were no likable characters in book other than perhaps the Mother Superior. If you saw the movie first be prepared for many things in the book to seem out of order and the ending is completely different. All in all I remain indifferent of the book.”

• Rated 5 stars

“Fantastic read, good book to movie adaptation”

• Rated 2 stars

“This book was entirely frustrating and raises the question "who on earth wants to read a book about an awful character who learns nothing and is exactly the same at the end of the book?" Waste of time.”

• Rated 3 stars

“Selfish, vain Kitty Fayne undergoes a change when her husband moves her to a remote Chinese village ravaged by cholera. While this book was enjoyable, I liked the movie (with Edward Norton and Naomi Watts) better. The movie and the book start out basically the same but then differ in how they end, and I liked the choices made by Movie Kitty over Book Kitty in the end better. I could relate to Movie Kitty much more. Also the cinematography is beautiful”

• Rated 3 stars

“Perhaps I was expecting too much ... I liked the story but nothing more; I didn't really feel the characters. It took me a while to get used to the prose style and short chapters. Thought Maugham's collection of short stories "The Casarina Tree" was much better.”

• Rated 4 stars

“Definitely a classic! I really enjoyed reading this. I loved that the chapters were short, because they were so readable. The main character, Kitty, experiences a great change in character through the course of the novel, and her change is completely believable. I look forward to watching the movie, but I can't imagine it will be as good as the novel!”