The Painted Veil

Just because you make a mistake doesn't mean you are a mistake.

** Welcome to the 1920's **

Kitty is a free-spirited, outgoing individual. She is quite gorgeous and has many admirers, but she has fended them off for many years while waiting for Mr. Right. Eventually, she marries Walter, an intelligent bacteriologist who is stationed in Hong Kong.

Walter is extremely cold to Kitty conversationally, but he makes up for his lack of social skills by attending to her every will.

A bored Kitty meets Charlie, a charming man who is married, has kids, has a good career, and is quite older than her. An affair transpires, which makes you think this is going to be a typical romance-drama, but it actually turns out to be so much more.

There are some interesting dynamics afoot! Walter was aware of her proclivities and that they would eventually lead her to become promiscuous, but he does very little to stop the meetings since he has a weak backbone and is too preoccupied with his profession.

An ultimatum is drawn up by Walter. Kitty can either have Charlie divorce his wife and marry her or travel with him to mainland China so that he can provide help to those who are in need of cholera treatments.

After much fuss, she agrees to travel with Walter to live out her loveless marriage in a foreign land.

How will Kitty fit in with her new surroundings, and will Walter help develop a treatment for the disease? From here on out, I would describe the book as being sorrowful, poignant, and despondent.

Somerset Maugham weaves a story that feels realistic. There are no sunshine or rainbows throughout 95% of the book. Although Kitty and Walter do their best to make things work, oil and water never mix.

So, if you are in the mood for a soul smashing story of love and its many trappings, this might just be the one to pull off the shelf.