Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a novel that tells the story of two couples, a young woman in love with a man torn between his love for her and his incorrigible womanizing, and one of his mistresses and her humbly faithful lover.
The novel explores the themes of sex, love, and duality of body and soul. The key dichotomy of the novel is lightness versus weight, which cannot be resolved. The characters struggle to find meaning and weight in their lives, but ultimately accept the lightness of being and live for momentary beauty.
The novel also touches on politics, with the three more perceptive characters recognizing that all diehard political or ideological parties are fundamentally the same. The novel ends with a sadly sweet tone, with sleep instead of death as the closing scene, emphasizing the circling motif and the cycle of life.
What I Liked
Classic novel, great read. The film is also A+.
What I Did Not Like
Nothing – great read.
