Set in England and Hong Kong in the 1920s, The Painted Veil is the story of the beautiful but love-starved and shallow Kitty Fane. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, in his revenge he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic.
Stripped of the British society of her youth and the small but effective society she fought so hard to attain in Hong Kong, she is compelled by her awakening conscience to reassess her life and learn how to love.
This classic, tradgic love story was a qualified success in the discussion stakes this month. For although we had plenty to say, with a full table, it took us awhile to get through everyone's comments ... but in the end it proved worth it. With scores ranging from 5 to 9, we came to the conclusion that even though at times it leaned towards the melodramtic, it had most of us captivated from the start.
Some felt it lacked depth and wanted fuller character outcomes, but in the same breath said it was clever writing with a magnificent turn of phrase. This was the first Maugham for some of us, a return for others. It was mentioned by a few that this was a book of its time, considering the views on divorce, adultry and foreign policy, but from the enjoyment that we found in the reading, it would seem that his stories are timeless and still hold a place in today's literature.
The recent movie adaptation also received a positive 'thumbs up' and those who had not seen it were encouraged to do so. Both are available from our library collection. Sounds like a good way to spend a winter's evening?
