The Painted Veil Audiobook By W. Somerset Maugham cover art

The Painted Veil

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The Painted Veil

By: W. Somerset Maugham
Narrated by: Kate Reading
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First published in 1925, The Painted Veil is an affirmation of the human capacity to grow, change, and forgive. Set in England and Hong Kong in the 1920s, it is the story of the beautiful but shallow young Kitty Fane. When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to a remote region of China ravaged by a cholera epidemic.

Stripped of the British society of her youth and overwhelmed by the desolation around her, she is compelled by her awakening conscience to reassess her life. She takes up work with children at a convent, but when her husband dies, she is forced to return to England to her father, her one remaining relative, to raise her unborn child. Though too late for her marriage, she has learned humility, independence, and how to love.

Listen to the classics: download more from W. Somerset Maugham.©1925 W. Somerset Maugham (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc. Classics European World Literature Heartfelt

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Finalist, Classic, 2007

"[Maugham is] the modern writer who has influenced me the most." (George Orwell)
"An expert craftsman....His style is sharp, quick, subdued, casual."(New York Times)
"The Painted Veil, with its sadness, its moral tension, its irony and compassion, its building evocations of lust and terror and remorse, is a work of art." (Spectator)

Featured Article: The top 100 classics of all time


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Featured Article The top 100 classics of all time
Character Transformation • Compelling Redemption • Complex Relationships • Beautiful Writing • Realistic Portrayal

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This book was a very intense listen. First published in 1925, it is the story of a childless woman who starts out--a product of her upbringing--as a fairly shallow, bored woman who is having an affair with someone known to her husband. Upon his discovering this, he takes her to an area of China that is rampant with cholera (one assumes this dangerous action was meant to put her passively into death's midst as a way to punish her.)

Here, she gradually finds her way to a local convent where she begins to find meaningful work in helping the nuns care for children there, and so, despite the terrible conditions they live in, she is beginning to have experiences that will ultimately lead to enormous growth for herself. This does have a rather early feminist quality to it--whether intentionally or not. Or at least, it is hard not to read it that way at this point in time.

The book traces the course of significant inner changes in Kitty Fane's life--that end with her being back with her father and pondering all that she has learned in the events she has survived, hoping her own child will have a life different from her own.

What makes this book so good, among other things, is its' shift to the examination of a woman's experiences, her transformation and how she deepens her existence as a result of challenging events she has lived through. Kate Reading does an excellent job of narration. I highly recommend this as a very good read/listen!

A compelling story of transformation

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I had forgotten this book brought forth so many emotions for me. There were parts I didn't remember reading the first time around. I thought it was good then, read for school, now even better as I understand the meaning due to age and (i hope) wisdom.

Kate Reading is one of my favorite narrators. A must listen of a great classic story.

Even better than I remembered.

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Perhaps it is because I am the type of person who prefers to see a movie without having seen its trailer, but because this book points out at the beginning that it is based on a verse from Dante which pretty much spells out the plot, I felt like I knew too much. I wish I could have heard this book without knowing the general direction of the plot.

Perhaps it is because I never grew to sympathize with the main character that I failed to be moved. She began as a spoiled and snooty product of a very unlikeable mother. She remained this way through most of the book until a rather cliched form of awakening. This is where the plot deviates from Dante's poem, unfortunately, since in Dante she gets tossed out a window.

Yes, it was written and read well. This was my first attempt at Maugham-- it was good enough that I may try him again, but I am not rushing to it.

Dante spoiled it

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The narrator draws you into this book and adds so much to the enjoyment of the story.

Another great book by Somerset Maugham

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I don’t think I’m educated enough to do this justice but I wanted to say even though it’s old fashioned & sometimes wordy that doesn’t stop you from enjoying the story If you’ve seen either of the movies it will allow you to imagine China & Cholera but other than a few things here & there it’s not the same I’ve always loved Maugham movies on TCM,this is the first one I actually read Glad I did!

A classic novel

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