Group Classics Read - The Painted Veil - Jan & Feb 2017- SPOILERS ALLOWED

[Paul]

Spoilers are allowed in this thread. Please unselect 'Add to my update feed' so other don't see your comments.
Things to consider:
1. Did you like the book?
2. Did you like or dislike the main characters?
3. Do the characters develop?
4. What did you think of the plot and the ending of the story?
5. Do you have any particular favourite quotes or scenes?
6. Would you read anything else by this author?

[Gisela]

Did nobody else read this book? I read it a few months ago and absolutely loved it due to the excellent description of the colonial times and attitudes not only of the British towards the Chinese, but although the different classes of those living in the colonies. Some of the racial and sexist attitudes were a bit difficult to take, but on the other side that is what made the book so interesting.

The setting and atmosphere of the book was excellently described and the characterization worth an Jane Austen in my humble opinion.

I will definitely try and read something else from this author again.

[Sandy]

I've been meaning to read this. I saw the movie, and I should start reading this soon to see how they compare.

[Paul]

I think that you might be the only one so far Gisela

[Gisela]

Paul wrote: "I think that you might be the only one so far Gisela"
What a shame it is an excellent book.

[Bkwmlee]

Gisela wrote: "Did nobody else read this book? I read it a few months ago and absolutely loved it due to the excellent description of the colonial times and attitudes not only of the British towards the Chinese, ..."

I actually read it last month and loved it too! I wrote a review on the book but haven't had a chance to do up answers to the questions specifically yet (planning to some time soon). One thing I will say is that I also want to read more from this author after finishing this book.

[Pamela]

I am going to start this one in the next week or so, looking forward to it as I enjoyed Of Human Bondage.

[Gisela]

I'll give this a try. Thanks

[Nikki]

I really enjoyed this. I listened to the audio version which was very good.

I kept expecting a twist in that the husband has faked his death in order to make her realise how much she loved him. Being a romantic myself I wanted her to fall in love with him again and was disappointed when she expressed relief after his death - although I think she was trying to convince herself.

This is a beautiful read if you have ever been through a difficult patch in your relationship and have had to fall in love again or see each other through new eyes.

I have a collection of books by the author and they have been collecting dust, this has inspired me to get them down and give them a read.

Thankyou whoever nominated this charming book

[Jo]

I think I have a copy waiting for me at the library, hope to squeeze it into February.

[Lisa]

I really fancy this now after reading your reviews! Will add it to my tbr, thanks.

[Gisela]

Nikki wrote: "I really enjoyed this. I listened to the audio version which was very good.

I kept expecting a twist in that the husband has faked his death in order to make her realise how much she loved him. Be..."

One of the reasons why I liked it was that it is quite realistic. She never really loved her husband, so it would have been fake to fall in love with him when he was ill or after his death. I do think she started respecting him however.

For me the main character was quite tricky. Whilst I could emphasise with her from time to time, I can't say I ever really liked her.

[Bkwmlee]

Gisela wrote: "Nikki wrote: "I really enjoyed this. I listened to the audio version which was very good.

I kept expecting a twist in that the husband has faked his death in order to make her realise how much she..."

I had the exact same feelings. I never liked Kitty either, even at the end when she matures and we see that she starts to change for the better. In my mind, she went from being abhorrent and despicable in the first part of the book to being slightly less so in the second part (to the point where I did start to pity her a little bit for being born into the circumstances she was), but never once did I like her.

I also agree with the part about the story being realistic. We see this not just in Kitty’s relationship with her husband but also with her lover and her own parents as well. There is no “drama for drama’s sake,” which is one of the aspects of this book that I enjoyed immensely.

[Nikki]

I totally agree with the realism comment , it would have been easy to have created "cheap drama" but the writing is so beautiful it isn't needed.

I really disliked Kitty for most of the book. She did become slightly more likeable for a while when working at the convent but she soon returned to type when she expressed relief at her husband's death. Again as you say it would have been easy to have had her become a new person who truly mourned her husband's death having fallen in love with her.

[Pamela]

This was an excellent book, I disliked both Kitty and Walter but thoroughly enjoyed reading about them and their troubled relationship. The way that Kitty developed and gained self-awareness was convincing, and I was glad that Maugham avoided any slick reconciliation as I wouldn't have believed in it.

Many perceptive observations, one I liked was 'It was all make-believe that he had lived on, and when the truth shattered it he thought reality itself was shattered'.

I would definitely read more from Maugham, I liked Of Human Bondage too (Walter reminded me in many ways of Philip in that book).

[Patricia]

I absolutely loved The Painted Veil--definitely in my top 10. The writing is exquisite--I liked the writing more than the characters or plot. The main characters--Kitty, Walter, and Charles--while well-developed, were stock characters; they made the plot possible. As I watched Walter's character sour through his wife's infidelity, I hoped that Kitty's would blossom. And it did to a point--then her human frailty got the better of her. Good--I didn't want her to suddenly be a saint. Kitty developed slowly--two steps forward, one step back--as we all do in life. My favorite characters were Waddington and Mother Superior. I'm glad for the ending of the story: hopeful without being trite. I appreciated the realism throughout.
As for favorite quotes or scenes--I loved it when Kitty asked Waddington about Tao and following his explanation--so deep and thought-provoking--Kitty simply asks "Does it mean anything?"
I haven't seen the movie version of The Painted Veil, but I'm a little saddened that it's been made into a movie. This is a story that's meant to be read. Maugham's diction and syntax, his style, cannot be adequately translated to film. It may be a good movie, but it won't be the novel. Sigh.