Review of The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) by Tim L — 01 Jul 2009

Lessons Learned: Tomas likes to have sex. He will have sex with nearly any woman. Tomas does not like commitment. He marries Tereza. He cheats on Tereza. She is kind of cool with it for a bit, as long as it is not in Geneva and he showers afterwards.

Tomas has a mistress named Sabina. She doesn't die in an accident, and is kind of cool in a crazy, superficial, live in the moment kind of way. She also really likes sex. Especially when she wears her grandfather's old hat.

Tomas moves back to communist Czechoslovakia in pursuit of Tereza. She did not like the freedom of Geneva and instead preferred oppression. They also have a dog. She is oppressed too. But her oppression is due to her allusion to Tolstoy and problems with gender identity.

Their lives in Czechoslovakia are not good. Tomas cannot be a doctor. He washes windows. He also still has sex with other women. This stops when he and Tereza move to the countryside. That is probably because there are no other women.

Tereza is crafty. I am surprised Tomas does not have many children.