If You Like Old Literature Try This

The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book was copyrighted in 1925, and it's actually sort of between 3 and 4 stars. I was intrigued to read it when I saw clips for the film version of it. It's about a woman who married a man she didn't love, and is foolishly in love with a married man. Her husband discovers this love affair, and gives her an ultimatum - either file for divorce and name your lover, or come with me to Mei-tan-fu, which is ridden with cholera. Her lover doesn't want to marry her, as her husband well knew, and so she goes to Mei-tan-fu. I was expecting her to fall in love with Charlie (her husband), while there, but she does not. Eventually she finds a purpose in helping with the children, and a sort of satisfaction in the woman she becomes. I can't give away anymore without spoiling the story. To understand the story as a whole, you will need to look up "Elegy" by Goldsmith, unless you are already familiar with it.

View all my reviews >>