| "The Painted Veil" can be justly tagged a love | | | | way - their faith and self-sacrifice of the kind |
| story, but it's not quite a usual one. It goes much | | | | she'd never encountered before open for her |
| deeper into the psychology of everyone involved | | | | new horizons. She reforms under their influence - |
| than it's usually done in love stories - and it has, | | | | she becomes a new woman, a person with new, |
| unfortunately, no happy end. | | | | more refined, higher values. |
| Kitty marries Walter; Kitty meets Charlie; Kitty | | | | Too bad Walter was too proud to forgive her; I'm |
| commits an adultery - how trivial it might seem, | | | | sure they could have been happy - through newly |
| and yet the angle at which Somerset Maugham | | | | acquired mutual respect, which has been known |
| looks at the whole thing is somewhat unusual. I | | | | to grow into love, a different, more mature sort |
| usually feel sympathy for love - even forbidden | | | | of love... but the author decides otherwise. Walter |
| love - but I can't sympathize with Kitty's love, | | | | has to die; Kitty has to rediscover herself more |
| knowing it for what it is - a mere silly infatuation. | | | | than once yet (and some of those discoveries |
| Charlie Townsend - selfish, vain and incapable of | | | | are quite unpleasant to her), but she finds her |
| caring for anyone but himself - represents exactly | | | | peace of mind, after all. She is pregnant - and full |
| the type of a man I wouldn't look twice at, and | | | | of expectations for the new life. I can only wish |
| Walter - intelligent, thoughtful and shy - or | | | | her well. |
| "boring", as Kitty puts it - is exactly my type. I | | | | It was pleasant for me to follow Kitty's |
| remember reading the book for the first time - | | | | reformation, especially when she grew from |
| many years ago now - and blaming Kitty | | | | regarding Chinese children as ugly and repulsive to |
| remorselessly for her inability to appreciate the | | | | feeling affectionate towards them. It proves that |
| treasure she was given by Fate - her husband, | | | | prejudices forced upon us during our early life |
| Walter. How carelessly she has wasted this | | | | through social stereotypes are never too late to |
| remarkable man's life - and for whom! | | | | overcome. It gives me hope... |
| I've re-read the book to review it - and now I'm | | | | Would I have offered those nuns my help if I had |
| finding out that I no longer blame Kitty for | | | | ever been put in Kitty's situation? I don't know. |
| anything. Probably because I'm older, I no longer | | | | Maybe; and maybe not. But the book has |
| judge her - I've grown to understand, to see | | | | definitely opened new horizons to me, like the |
| things from her point of view. She couldn't bring | | | | nuns did to Kitty. It's given me new ideas about |
| herself to love Walter for his virtues; well, if she | | | | life; new ideas of how one could be tolerant of |
| couldn't, she couldn't. She's never had proper | | | | others' imperfections and of how one could find |
| guidance, and she was alone in Hong Kong, alone | | | | joy in sacrifice. The Mother Superior at the |
| save for her husband, whose presence was a trial | | | | convent seems almost a saint - she is, as we |
| to her. No wonder that mature and experienced | | | | now say, a perfect role model, except that few |
| woman-hunter Charlie Townsend found it so easy | | | | of us are strong enough to follow that amazing |
| to get hold of her. | | | | example. But if we can't follow it, it still should help |
| I've accepted the fact that Kitty is not me. I've | | | | to think about it from time to time. |
| even learned to admire her for what she is - but | | | | It did make my day to re-read the book, at any |
| oh! I still feel so sorry for Walter! It still feels so | | | | rate, and I definitely do recommend it. You'll find it |
| unfair that such a wonderful man should die so | | | | beautifully written, too - and, despite the certain |
| young - die from "broken heart", in Kitty's words. | | | | grimness of the background, refreshing. Somerset |
| I'm glad that she - though way too late - learned | | | | Maugham was, I believe, a genius; he definitely |
| to appreciate him, if not love him. But the most | | | | knew human nature more than most writers do - |
| fascinating part of the book to me - just like the | | | | and he loved people, despite knowing them so |
| first time - is still the story of Kitty's experiences | | | | well. A rare gift. |
| in the French convent in Mei-tan-fu, a | | | | Was that nice, witty and cynical Mr Waddington |
| cholera-stricken Chinese town where she finds | | | | (with whom I'm almost in love) in a way |
| herself, a victim of Charlie's treachery and | | | | Somerset Maugham's avatar? I wonder... |
| Walter's bitterness. The nuns show her the new | | | | |