I just finished reading The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham. Maugham is pleasant to read like Willa Cather or E.M. Forester. The book wasn't long, but I was happy it was so easy to read. I hate getting bogged down in thick prose.
I decided to read the book after seeing the movie Edward Norton made (see my other post). I'm happy to report that a lot of the dialogue in the movie was taken from the book, and so remained "true" to the book in that respect. There was a significant subplot added to the movie that was not at all present in the book though. And the ending was a bit more optimistic than the book.
I haven't decided if I prefer the redemption they put into the movie, or the more realistic ending in the book that includes some moments of weakness that the main character later regrets. The movie showed what we hope and wish would happen, whereas the book remained in the it's-hard-to-be-human-and-we-make-lots-of-mistakes area. The redemption felt so good, but the book felt closer to the sometimes ugly or boring realities of life.
As the back of the book says "The Painted Veil is a beautifully written affirmation of the human capacity to grow, to change, and to forgive."
The dedication page explains the title: "... the painted veil which those who live call Life."
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