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The Painted Veil cover art

The Painted Veil

By: W. Somerset Maugham
Narrated by: Sophie Ward
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Summary

This is the story of Kitty Fane, the adulterous wife of a bacteriologist stationed in Hong Kong. When her husband discovers her deception, he exacts a terrible vengeance: Kitty must accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic in China.

The Painted Veil was recently made into a feature film starring Edward Norton and Naomi Watts.

©2006 W. Somerset Maugham (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[Maugham is] the modern writer who has influenced me the most." (George Orwell)
"An expert craftsman....His style is sharp, quick, subdued, casual."( The 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)

What listeners say about The Painted Veil

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The Painted Veil

Fantastic story. One of those that when it ends, you want to double check it really has finished because you were enjoying it so much

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Bleak but compelling

Typical Somerset Maugham - compelling and desperately sad. I wanted to listen to this after seeing the film. As expected, the book is much bleaker and more complex, without the reconciliation between Kitty and Walter that made the film more of a straightforward romance.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A beautifully read classic...

An evocative classic that opens a unique window into British life in the Far East via the deteriorating relationship between a doctor and his wife. This was my first Somerset Maugham book and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Sophie Ward does a splendid job at narration. Recommended.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful

Beautiful, serene, quite affectionate style of writing, I did enjoy this book despite its often old fashioned language, the whole thing was very captivating and special.



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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen

I loved this book and Sophie Ward reads it beautifully. I was impatient with the characters at first but grew to sympathise and identify with them and got totally caught up in the tale. Very easy to listen to and I finished it in a few days.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Superb, thought-provoking storytelling

This is one of those books that stays in my mind long after I had finished listening. The characters seem so real that the tragedies that unfold left me feeling sad on their behalf. None are flawless which makes it more authentic. The story set in the 1920s reflects the unhappiness and havoc that can ensue when marriage is the only option for a woman, desperate not to be left on the shelf, marries without love. The story makes one think about how people react when they feel betrayed by a loved one and either seek revenge or are forgiving. The emotional pain of marriage breakdown is little different today compared to 100 years ago but the social upheaval is thankfully far less damaging. Although sad it is a wonderfully well-told story beautifully narrated. Highly recommended.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Gorgeous

Such a charming story, beautifully narrated. I enjoyed the images of Shanghai in the 20's & the insight into the complex relationship of the characters.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Love and revenge.



A story that will be told forever. Love, revenge and life doesn't end after a fall

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

A brilliant novel

I found the writing compelling, and rather fascinating, and it's a great idea for a story (although Maugham's casual racism is a bit off-putting at times). Unfortunately the narration is monotonous and she doesn't really attempt to separate the different voices. It's a shame as it would be hugely enjoyable.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A book from a by gone era

A well written story that develops to a good ending. The story is not politically correct at times referring to a child with hydrocephalus as it and as an idiot. Also Chinese babies are considered ugly. If you can get passed that it’s primarily a story of a woman’s lot in life during colonial times contrasted with the male experience.

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6 people found this helpful