Review of 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' by Milan Kundera

This has been sat unread on my shelves for years after a burst of enthusiasm I had for buying the book. I always thought it would be too heavy and philosophical and that I'd have to force my way through the book, but it was actually a lot easier to get to grips with and understand than I imagined. 
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a book about a flawed man and woman in love, where neither understands what the other needs or wants. The man's a womanizer who, despite loving his partner, can't break the habit. The parts of the book look at bodily attraction, mental attraction, the idea of fate and romance, anti-romance, sex and relationships in a variety of styles and from a variety of angles. 
I'm usually a sucker for a good romance, but I enjoyed the analysis of what makes a good relationship, and the buildup and breakdown of relationships in this. I liked that we saw both the man and woman's perspectives on what was happening and what it meant to them, as well as the failings of each of them through each other's eyes. Although there certainly were philosophical elements to the book, it was by no means very dense or impossible to understand. 
I gave this four stars because I found it a genuinely interesting read. It wasn't a long slog to get through like I had expected, and it's something that I can definitely see myself reading time and again throughout my life.
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