This book by Somerset Maughm is one book I completed in recent times before returning back to the library.
The story revolves around Elliot Templeton and his family. His false prestige, shallowness and need to be always in high society are amusing. His niece is Isabel a good looking girl who is in in love with and engaged to Larry against the wish of family and friends who oppose the alliance as they think he does not have any future. He has returned from army, but does not want to go back to college. Nor does he want to work with stock broker who is father of his friend. He reads voraciously, and is in search of meaning of life. Unable to convince him to settle down, Isabel breaks her engagement to Larry and marries a rich boy Gray who is the son of stock broker and is immensely rich and adores her.
The great depression starts and the broker and his son will lose all their wealth. Father dies and Isabel's husband falls sick. Isabel with her husband and children comes to stay with uncle Elliot who has some how escaped the financial trouble during that time. There they meet with Larry who has come back after travelling all over the world and staying for a long time in India (yes and he has learnt Hindoostani and Tamil!!) He cures Gray's head aches and brings back his self confidence. Now Isabel is not ready to accept the fact that Larry is no longer in love with her. Even though she is faithful wife and a good mother, she still longs for Larry.
One day they all along with the author, meet their childhood classmate Sophie. Sophie was married at the same time as Isabel and had two children. But she loses both her husband and children in a car accident. Unable to face the tragedy, she takes to alcohol and sleeps with anyone when she is drunk. Her in laws drive her out of the house. When Isabel and party meet her, she is dressed garishly and is drunk and is with some violent man.
When they come home, Isabel argues that it is not the tragedy which ruined Sophie but she was bad from the beginning. But the author and Larry commiserate with Sophie.
Few weeks later, Isabel urgently summons the author to give him the news that Larry is going to marry Sophie and he should some how stop this and save Larry. Larry has cured her of Alcoholism. When he does not agree, she makes a plan herself and invites her home but remains out of the home leaving a bottle of liquor in the room where Sophie is waiting. Sophie drinks the wine, then thinks she can not stop herself from drinking and runs away again.
Last we hear from her is the news that she has been murdered by some one.
Later there are some chapters about the last days of Elliot, Larry's stay and learning in India etc.
The author says in the end - all these people finally got what they wanted - Larry got his enlightenment, Isabel got a secure future, Elliot got a high society life and Sophie got death.
Even though the story is really good, some how the characters fail to touch you. Is it because the author acts so aloof to all these people?
The story revolves around Elliot Templeton and his family. His false prestige, shallowness and need to be always in high society are amusing. His niece is Isabel a good looking girl who is in in love with and engaged to Larry against the wish of family and friends who oppose the alliance as they think he does not have any future. He has returned from army, but does not want to go back to college. Nor does he want to work with stock broker who is father of his friend. He reads voraciously, and is in search of meaning of life. Unable to convince him to settle down, Isabel breaks her engagement to Larry and marries a rich boy Gray who is the son of stock broker and is immensely rich and adores her.
The great depression starts and the broker and his son will lose all their wealth. Father dies and Isabel's husband falls sick. Isabel with her husband and children comes to stay with uncle Elliot who has some how escaped the financial trouble during that time. There they meet with Larry who has come back after travelling all over the world and staying for a long time in India (yes and he has learnt Hindoostani and Tamil!!) He cures Gray's head aches and brings back his self confidence. Now Isabel is not ready to accept the fact that Larry is no longer in love with her. Even though she is faithful wife and a good mother, she still longs for Larry.
One day they all along with the author, meet their childhood classmate Sophie. Sophie was married at the same time as Isabel and had two children. But she loses both her husband and children in a car accident. Unable to face the tragedy, she takes to alcohol and sleeps with anyone when she is drunk. Her in laws drive her out of the house. When Isabel and party meet her, she is dressed garishly and is drunk and is with some violent man.
When they come home, Isabel argues that it is not the tragedy which ruined Sophie but she was bad from the beginning. But the author and Larry commiserate with Sophie.
Few weeks later, Isabel urgently summons the author to give him the news that Larry is going to marry Sophie and he should some how stop this and save Larry. Larry has cured her of Alcoholism. When he does not agree, she makes a plan herself and invites her home but remains out of the home leaving a bottle of liquor in the room where Sophie is waiting. Sophie drinks the wine, then thinks she can not stop herself from drinking and runs away again.
Last we hear from her is the news that she has been murdered by some one.
Later there are some chapters about the last days of Elliot, Larry's stay and learning in India etc.
The author says in the end - all these people finally got what they wanted - Larry got his enlightenment, Isabel got a secure future, Elliot got a high society life and Sophie got death.
Even though the story is really good, some how the characters fail to touch you. Is it because the author acts so aloof to all these people?