Hi, Readers! In this article, you will be reading my thoughts and opinions on my recent read, The Painted Veil by Somerset Maugham, without giving too many spoilers away. Enjoy!
“One cannot find peace in work or in pleasure, in the world or in a convent, but only in one's soul.” Somerset Maugham, The Painted Veil
I’m one of those readers who collect and buy books in advance. I have so many books on my shelf that I haven’t even touched yet. I hoard books without thinking, really. If I see a good book on sale, I’ll buy it. If someone gives me a book, I’ll take it. And then the next thing you know, I have stacks of books everywhere! I don’t think that’s a bad thing though. I’ll always have something to read in the future.
The reason why I’m writing this is because‘The Painted Veil’ was one of those books I owned but never read. My father got it for me last summer, and I decided to read it now.
Before I get into the book, let me share the backstory.
My father didn’t just pick this book as a random read. He bought it because of the author: Somerset Maugham. You may or may not have heard of him, depending on what you read and when you were born. He was a playwright, a novelist, and a short story writer. His most known novels are ‘Of Human Bondage’, ‘Razor’s Edge’, and ‘The Painted Veil’. Internet says, he was the highest-paid writer of the 1930s. And I have a grandfather who was his friend! My great-great-grandfather really did know Somerset Maugham! I was told he wrote letters back and forth and hung out at his house.
My great-great-grandfather was a painter, writer, and traveler. It makes sense that he hung out with a famous writer, but when I found this out, I was still mindblown.
I’m a writer. I love to write. That’s what I do. So it makes me so happy to know that my ancestor, who also wrote in his spare time, was friends with a famous writer. It makes me feel more confident in my passion. I now understand where my love for good books and writing comes from!
Somerset Maugham published ‘The Painted Veil’ in 1925. It was the first ‘psychological fiction’ novel I read, and I really enjoyed it. It was a solid read, and easy to understand.
The story started with the main character’s husband finding out she was having an affair. Kitty, the main character, kind of reminded me of Scarlett O’Hara from ‘Gone With The Wind’. She was completely naive and helpless. Characters like that annoy me so much, but I guess that’s what makes them good characters. If a fictional character has the ability to change your emotional state in any way, it must be a well-written character then.
After Walter, Kitty’s husband found out she was cheating on him, he decided to volunteer as a doctor at a cholera epidemic in China. And, he forced Kitty to accompany him. This upset Kitty very much. She treated it as a suicide mission.
During Kitty’s time at the epidemic, she learned that the dramatic world she created, wasn’t at all important. It was kind of like a self-realization story.
One of the things I liked about this book, was that it captured the era perfectly. I felt like I was in the 1920s while I was reading it!
I don’t want to write any more on the plot, so you’re just going to have to read it! Trust me, it’s a good book. I recommend this read 100%. Other than that, thank you for reading this BOOKS post. Have you ever read ‘psychological fiction’? If so, how did you like it? Please remember to like, comment, and as always, come back for more!
...in other words, writing is in your blood.
Your family is seriously beyond cool- literature runs in your genes. Love it!
This sounds like a great book! I will add it to my "to read" list. I truly laughed out loud when you compared the main character to Scarlet - and said you don't like her! Of course, she is one of my favorites - both of these characters started out weak and self centered but through their journey, they matured and grew into stronger women.