I read an awful lot of Maugham books when I was in my twenties, and wondered whether I'd appreciate them today. I wasn't disappointed. Somerset Maugham sums up 'storyteller' to me, all his books are plot driven, the characters so well drawn, his descriptions spot on. I reckon he is so good on human relationships - their spontaneity, their cruelty and deviousness. And yet in all his characters their is just a touch of kindness or goodness. This book is seen entirely from the point of view of Kitty - the 'pretty' daughter of a dull lawyer father and extremely ambitious mother. The latter is determined for a good match for Kitty but when her younger plain sister becomes engaged to an very eligible man Kitty fears being left on the shelf, and she marries in a panic to a man she knows little about and understands less. This microbiologist based in Hong Kong turns out to be a remarkably boring man from Kitty's point of view and although she is probably not intentionally cruel she embarks on a torrid affair with a married man. When this is discovered Kitty's husband presents her with an ultimatum - go with him to a cholera ridden backwater of China (and almost certain death). The alternative is to persuade her lover to divorce his wife and marry her, and then he will divorce her. If she tries to divorce him, then the truth of her affair will come out and both she and her ambitious lover will face shame and humiliation. She goes with her husband. This is a remarkable and very emotional book, with superb realistic dialogue, and confronts the reader with some truly realistic dilemmas. Although we rarely enter into the minds of the other characters we are carried along with the emotional roller coaster of Kitty's life, towards the ultimately surprising denouement. The themes are timeless, and although very much set in a different era and mores very much appropriate to today. Maugham's descriptions are spare but so accurate - his style filmic - you can picture it in your head. My rating 9/10
Friday 25 July 2008
The Painted Veil - W Somerset Maugham
I read an awful lot of Maugham books when I was in my twenties, and wondered whether I'd appreciate them today. I wasn't disappointed. Somerset Maugham sums up 'storyteller' to me, all his books are plot driven, the characters so well drawn, his descriptions spot on. I reckon he is so good on human relationships - their spontaneity, their cruelty and deviousness. And yet in all his characters their is just a touch of kindness or goodness. This book is seen entirely from the point of view of Kitty - the 'pretty' daughter of a dull lawyer father and extremely ambitious mother. The latter is determined for a good match for Kitty but when her younger plain sister becomes engaged to an very eligible man Kitty fears being left on the shelf, and she marries in a panic to a man she knows little about and understands less. This microbiologist based in Hong Kong turns out to be a remarkably boring man from Kitty's point of view and although she is probably not intentionally cruel she embarks on a torrid affair with a married man. When this is discovered Kitty's husband presents her with an ultimatum - go with him to a cholera ridden backwater of China (and almost certain death). The alternative is to persuade her lover to divorce his wife and marry her, and then he will divorce her. If she tries to divorce him, then the truth of her affair will come out and both she and her ambitious lover will face shame and humiliation. She goes with her husband. This is a remarkable and very emotional book, with superb realistic dialogue, and confronts the reader with some truly realistic dilemmas. Although we rarely enter into the minds of the other characters we are carried along with the emotional roller coaster of Kitty's life, towards the ultimately surprising denouement. The themes are timeless, and although very much set in a different era and mores very much appropriate to today. Maugham's descriptions are spare but so accurate - his style filmic - you can picture it in your head. My rating 9/10
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