033 4 After being captivated for nearly 400 pages , I was so unsatisfied by the contrived ending of this novel that my entire reading experience was spoiled . Yes , Golden's details of Gion culture pre-WWII are fascinating , and the intense rivalry among geishas ( who accept their roles in Japanese culture because they have no other choice , as one character notes ) puts a literary spin on traditional soap-opera fun . But the happy ending was a [ unbelievable ] Hollywood slap-in-the-face to Japanese notions of duty , honor , and morality . From a narrative standpoint , the novel spends a lot of time showing the complex depth of the relationship between Sayuri and a man she would do well to accept , and almost no time developing the character of the man who ends up being her dreamboat . As a result the ending is flat and absolutely unfulfilling .
Yes , Sayuri's attempt to escape her fate says something about the powerlessness of women in Japanese culture , but no one will mistake this for a feminist text . Her character at the end seemed so selfish and cruel that I was left irritated at having spent so much time with her .
What a wonderful novel this ALMOST was ! I'm surprised the editors at Knopf let Golden put a pin in what should have been a beautiful , brightly-colored balloon .
008 4 This novel rings false among Japanese . The reason is simple : Golden's exotic setting is not exotic for Japanese people . While I was reading this , I looked for something beyond the exotic setting because Golden's details in culture are what I'd already known . Yet , I found that it was empty under the skin !
Yes , you can think that this novel is quite accurate , but don't think that Japanese people act like Golden's characters . Although Golden did a great job on creating an exotic setting , he failed to capture people who lived through the emperor system , the WWII , and the arival of democracy . This is the prime reason why Japanese people don't like this book .
Anyway , I am glad that this book is popular among American people and they are more interested in our culture . There has been an invisible big gap between America and Japan , but Golden seems to have made a bridge inbetween .
124 4 I can't believe I put off reading this story for so long . I want to go back and read it all over again . I liked the story of Sayuri's life and all , but most of all I was drawn to Hatsumomo . . . she may be one of the best literary characters I have ever seen .
A MUST READ !
047 4 The first time I read Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha , the simple genuine voice of the narrator , Chiyo / Sayuri , as she moves from a puzzled girlhood to a fulfilling womanhood enchanted me . Sold to a Gion ` okiya ' , Chiyo , the illiterate child of a fishing village , shares with the reader her struggle to find her identity while surviving and accepting the rigorous disciplines and the personal sacrifices necessary to effectively and complacently morph into Sayuri , one of Kyoto's legendary geishas circa WWII in Japan .
Golden gently instructs us without an information burnout of the extensive and thankless training the geisha undergoes to ensure her livelihood as a paid artistic entertainer . Borrowing heavily from first hand experience gleaned from one of Gion's top geisha during the 60s and 70s , and from Liza Darby's anthropological study of geisha culture , Golden recreates a lost world that rings sweetly with an exotic authenticity as lovely and as ephemeral as a cherry blossom .
After watching the rather long and vacuous Rob Marshall film adaptation , I found that I wanted to give the novel a second look to substantiate my initial warm feel for the narrator , her story and Golden's depiction of her lost geisha's world . However , a viewing of the film complete with all of the novel's key scenes - - - spectacular glimpses of an attractive enigmatic demimonde of colorful pageantry and a treacherous infrastructure of cutthroat competitors - - - still renders a re-evaluation of the novel devoid of the clarity of emotion so easily accessed by a first reading . Sitting through 145 minutes of kimono changes and nuanced facial gestures seems to suck at the marrow of the book leaving the reader softly mesmerized by pastel floral patterns and fluttering fans but feeling detached and disappointed as the film imprint stamps the novel's characters with too much of Marshall's peripheral vision and not enough of Golden's bulls eye heart .
If reading Chiyo / Sayuri's story appeals to you , do so without tainting Golden's delicately told tale with Rob Marshall's whirlwind celluloid version . Picture Chiyo / Sayuri in your own mind while remembering that her words are told from the vantage point of a certain age and Park Avenue address . Remember that nuance is difficult to recreate on a screen where one picture forms a thousand words and no matter how clever or authentic the sets the actual drama takes place in the soul of a girl who has lost her heart to a man who once showed her a simple kindness .
Recommended to all who enjoy first person coming-of-age narratives where the outcome does not soar with the usual happily-ever-after crescendo of music and lingering glances but comes fairly close for a parallel universe that is difficult to understand or imagine in the 21st century .
Diana F . Von Behren
reneofc
051 4 I think what makes this book so fascinating not because it's fiction , but because it feels more like a tour inside the life of a geisha . Actually that's exactly how it feels , a tour inside the life of a geisha , to the point where you don't feel attached to most of the characters within the story . I think the setting itself , is the most fascinating aspect of the story : a girl kidnapped from her own village , sold to a geisha house with no choice , to aspire to a lifestyle of being a performer / entertainer only to have WWII crashing down around her . Other than the setting , the story , the characters otherwise kind of limp along as time passes . I usually am fascinated by geisha , although this was an OK book , it didn't always hold my interest . I think , the story really limps along up until the last few chapters of the book , where anything feeling remotely rewarding takes place .
I'd hate to compare this to another book , but a book I found more superior to this one was ' falling leaves ' by adeline yen mah . The similarities between these two , is that they are both asian autobiographies by women , with their stories taking place within the 20th c . Even though ' falling leaves ' is a true account , and this is fictional ; that book will leave you haunted for quite awhile , at least it did for me . The 1st time i read it , i had to read it in one sitting , and i couldn't put it down . Though underrated , it far surpasses this book , mostly because the story and the facts are REAL . If you were fascinated by this book , you will surely enjoy ' falling leaves ' .
072 4 this was a great book . it was one of those books that you cant wait to start reading right when you come home because it hooks you in . the writing is descriptive and entertaining , and while this book has a great story , it also subliminally introduced japanese culture in a not so boring way . a definite read for anyone looking for a GREAT book
147 4 First , to correct another review , you ARE privy to the Chairman's name , Iwamura Ken ( Ken Iwamura to us not in Japan ) . This was the most amazingingly romatic and touching story I have ever read . I have owned it for a few months now and have read it three times already . Not only is it gripping ( Many a night I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning , even in my second and third readings ) not getting sleep because I couldn't put it down . I , too , was amazed that this was not a true story and I do look forward to reading more from Arthur Golden , when he does write more !
108 4 I find it facinating that so many reviewers are calling a novel written by a Caucasian-American man a JAPANESE novel , just because of its setting . It is NOT a Japanese novel , it is an American novel with Japanese themes which could have been written much better than it was . I have also studied Japanese culture for years and I find the depictions of geisha very Hollywood-ized . He is just re-hashing stereotypes prevalent in Japan-themed books and movies of the 60s , 70s and 80s . He just writes as though all of his characters exist in a vacuum . I would have really liked to know why Hatsumomo was such a difficult woman or what caused Mother and Grandmother to be so bitter . The lack of explanation clearly shows his ability to write . . . or maybe he just got tired . I wonder why the author gave Sayuri gray eyes . It seemed as though he was trying to give this character western features so western readers could relate to her . Also , I am aware that many western feminists are discouraged by the portrayals of women in this book , they , too , must understand feminism simply does not exist in the same context as it does here in Japan . The author fails to convey the Japanese feminist elements of geisha - - they are not as dependent upon men as this book leads you to believe . Please read books by Japanese authors on the same subject matter . They are more knowledgeable than a rich Caucasian man with a degree from an Ivy League university getting his facts second hand .
123 4 I saw the film based on this work a few weeks ago and felt I had to sit down and actually read this book for myself . I was so untouched by the film - - though beautifuly rendered - - it lacked depth and I can't help but say there is such an incredible difference in depth , in range , in the richness of the prose here - - there is just no comparison .
Sometimes a great book is just too good to try to render on to film - - sometimes it works , but why does it seem that the lesser works of fiction end up making a better movie ? There is so much verisimilitude in the renderings of the time period , the place , that it seems this should be a real memoir . Accolades to this author and it's been almost ten years since this book originally came out ; let's hope there's another to follow . The best writers patiently work on their next books - - So recommend along with MIDDLESEX , and LIFE OF PI .
Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha is among the handful of works that come to my mind when confronted with the question : What is the best book you have ever read ?
This is the fictional tale of a geisha , the high-class counterpart of a Japanese prostitute , who rose to fame in the city of Gion in the late 1930s . Plucked from a tiny fishing village when she was nine , Nitta Sayuri relates her painstaking training to become a geisha ; her encounters with an exquisite but vicious archenemy ; and above all , her lifelong struggle to win her great love , a prominent but sensitive man whom she refers to only as the Chairman . From the little seaside town of Yoroido to the exotic allure of Gion , from the heady glamour of the geisha life to the stark hardships of World War II , we follow one woman's heart-wrenching but determined journey toward her own happiness and fulfillment .
The book reads as though you are sitting across Sayuri herself , listening to the cadence of her voice . The metaphors she uses are panoramic windows into a larger-than-life world . She also introduces the other characters in such a way that , while their motivations have been retold time and again in countless other books , they are rendered with a thoroughly human face . There is Mrs . Nitta , the money-grubbing employer ; Mameha , the ethereal , perfect mentor ; and Nobu , the cynical and pragmatic suitor . But most of all , there is the geisha Hatsumomo , Sayuri's nemesis . She stands out as one of the most venomous villains in fiction , and yet the poignant conclusion to this phase in Sayuri's life attests to Golden's genius in sympathetic characterization .
The book is peppered with upsetting changes and new conflicts . But stripped of its relentless pace and distracting twists , Memoirs of a Geisha is essentially a love story - one that is occasionally frustrating , yet thoroughly compelling . From the very beginning , you can't help but cheer Sayuri on in her attempt to grasp the barest tail of that elusive happy ending , a struggle that is made all the more agonizing by its sheer uncertainty . Very few books compel you to keep turning the pages as much as this one does .
My only quibble about the book is its extremely vague reference to the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . At least the Doolittle raid on Tokyo is de-glamorized , as the book retells it from the perspective of the victims . But the geisha's post-war fraternization with American soldiers - portrayed here as unwaveringly friendly and generous foreigners - still hints of a Westernized lens .
This is surprising because the author , a scholar of Japanese history and culture , otherwise masterfully portrays the geisha life . You'll learn that a geisha goes to school to hone such arts as dance and tea ceremony . And while she entertains men at various functions , she does not provide sexual services ( which are reserved for only one man , the geisha's danna , who must be able to afford the price of long-term financial and social commitment ) .
While all this sounds glamorous , Golden doesn't romanticize the work of geisha . Through the words of Mameha , the author writes , We don't become geisha so our lives will be satisfying . We become geisha because we have no other choice . There is a tacit edict that all geisha must be content with their lot in a patriarchal culture . Their role is all about obedience and passivity , a mold against which Sayuri continually ( if not always successfully ) rebels . So many novels implicitly valorize a patriarchal definition of femininity , a fantasy where the so-called heroine derives pleasure and fulfillment from being pursued . But Memoirs of a Geisha tells the story of a woman who , given the circumstances in her life , undertakes the pursuit herself .
Whether or not Sayuri eventually wins her beloved becomes academic , because as a heroine in the strongest sense of the word , she remains the single most compelling reason to read the book . When it finally closes , it's hard to tell which is more real : her bittersweet musings about the changes in a lifetime , or the almost unconscious flow of your tears .
001 4 This is one of the most beautifully written novels of the past 20 or more years , and definitely one of my personal favorites . Arthur Golden , a student of Japanese art and language , paints a remarkably true-sounding account of one woman's training and practice as a geisha . There's not a false note in the writing : The characters , dialogue , and emotional content all ring true . Aside from some slightly plodding descriptions of the protagonist's introduction to the geisha district of Gion , the pacing is excellent .
I kept waiting for Golden to slip , for some implausibility in character or plot development , some anachronism or artistic license that would have made me feel cheated-but it never happened . Without further research , it's difficult for me to comment on the book's historical and cultural accuracy , but it always felt true , and Golden's simple but powerful language is absolutely compelling . The book surpassed my already high expectations , and increased my appreciation of - - and curiousity about - - historical Japanese social structure in general , and geisha culture in particular . Above all , this is a completely satisfying book about perseverance within boundaries . Both the story and the writing are filled with grace , power , and beauty .
002 4 As a gaijin ( foreigner ) who spent 6 years in Japan and had ample opportunity to witness many of its social customs , I think it's worth noting that the setting Mr . Golden creates in his Memoirs is very much of a Japan gone by . This is sad . It is precisely the aspects of Sayuri's world that are the most exotic to us which exemplify the best of what is uniquely Japanese . Modern Japanese cherish the remnants of that romantic past the same way that Americans revere tales of our pioneering forbears - - as a way to hold on to , and honor all that was poetic and noble about ourselves .
I think it also bears mentioning that the average Japanese person today knows almost as little about the life of a typical geisha as the average Westener . Geisha entertainment has always been the province of extremely wealthy , powerful men - - going to a teahouse to be entertained by geisha served the same function for a Japanese VIP that a British one would find at his tony men's club . Throughout the centuries that Japan's entertainment quarters - - the flower and willow world as they call it - - has existed , the number of patrons who could afford top-notch geisha entertainment for themselves and their friends has been an exclusive club indeed . In today's highly Westernized and technology-worshipping Japan , the idea of a geisha party is nearly as anachronistic and unattainable as it is here . Geisha belong to the same catagory as cowboys , knights on horseback and damsels-in-distress : cultural icons who have no place in the modern world . Mr . Golden does a superb job of capturing some of the magic of Sayuri's metier for those of us who will never have the opportunity to witness it firsthand . Sayuri and her fellow geisha may be trained from birth to be beautiful flowers , but they are also very human working girls ( and I don't mean that in the sense of prostitute ) Although there is an ever-present sexual overtone to the role of geisha , 99% of the time it is subliminal rather than overt , which I think Mr . Golden makes clear . I agree with one of the other reviewers who equated a geisha mistress with a Western trophy wife . This is a very apt description . While wives are chosen for their docility , domestic skills , and breeding potential , a geisha mistress provides color , dash and sexual sauce for those who are lucky enough to afford them . However , in today's economy , a man would have to sport a bankroll the size of Donald Trump's to be a serious contender for a geisha mistress .
Geisha are not flourishing these days , but a few communities still survive in major Japanese cities . For an excellent , highly readable treatment of the modern geisha ( if this is not an oxymoron ! ) I highly recommend Liza Dalby's book Geisha . The author was the only Western woman ever or since to apprentice as a Kyoto geisha , so she knows what she is talking about .
003 4 As a twentysomething Irishman who's only ever lived in the UK , my contact with traditional Japanese culture , society and history is , as you can imagine , scant . However , Golden's classic ' Memoirs of a Geisha ' is so beautifully crafted , and so powerfully descriptive , that even my bare knowlege of Japanese history is extended by having read it .
It's the fictional story , cleverly told from an autobiographical point of view , of one of Japan's most famous and enthralling Geisha , a woman of a profession commonly mistaken for prostitution ( Golden draws some clever and insightful distinctions between the two , both in general and specifically ) . Sayuri tells her story from her humble beginnings as Chiyo , the daughter of an impoverished fisherman , through desperation , war and trial , to the final happy ending .
For a man to write so convincingly as a woman is a very rare thing - Nick Hornby's ' How to be Good ' is an example of how it can go wrong - but for an American man to write so beautifully and convinvingly as a Japanese woman from a highly secretive society is an unequivocal triumph . We believe , from the first few chapters , that Sayuri is this observant , silent little thing , a lower-class child facing the arduous and enforced task of becoming a Geisha . We are there with her when she is sold into servitude , when she attempts a failed escape , when she eventually becomes a successful geisha - all thanks to Golden's rare gift for combining a strong plot with incredible descriptive prose . You can smell the incense and see the kimono as Sayuri is preparing to go to work . It's a strange , wonderful style of writing - set at a slow pace ( after all , this is the story of a life from start to near-finish ) , Golden neatly sidesteps any sort of flagging pace by creating some hugely memorable characters - Auntie , Mameha , Mother and the destructive Hatsumomo - and giving them fully-realised personalities . The consistency with which Golden creates these women is admirable - after a while we feel we know them . Their reactions and situations seem perfectly reasonable to us , thanks to excellent character construction and atmospheric prose .
An epic , enthralling and sensitive novel , ' Memoirs of a Geisha ' is a huge recommendation for anybody fond of novels , epics and truly exceptional examples of fiction .
005 4 This book is extraordinary , combining highly literary style with unusual subject matter , the world of the geisha . No , geishas are not high-class prostitutes , nor are they femmes fatales - - there is no comparable class of woman in Western society . In this piece of virtual historical fiction , we follow the life of a highly successful geisha from the time she was taken away from her parents at age 9 before the Depression . . . to her old age in Manhattan in modern times . Most of the story centers on the geisha's coming of age , struggles with other women and search for love ( of sorts ) during the 1930s and 1940s . Not only do we get inside the head and heart of one deeply sensitive woman in her particular world , but also see reflected the characteristic grace , stoicism and politeness of Japanese culture . We certainly would not wish to be a geisha . Yet , as we read through this gripping account , we couldn'tt help but wonder whether today's Western woman isn't kept in other ways . Finally , the author deals eloquently with Japanese spirtuality , and the protaganist's struggle to find meaning in her life and to deal with the loss of her family and other misfortunes in her childhood.This is a one-of-a-kind and beautifully written book .
006 4 There are some books ( and some movies ) written using a well-known formula . These formulas almost always guarantee bestseller success . One of the most popular is the Cinderella . It is a surefire way to sell books , and this is why you see it time and time again . This is how it goes :
· Hero or heroine must be born into poverty or come to it fairly quickly in the story .
· Hero or heroine must possess extraordinary beauty and / or above-average intelligence .
· Hero or heroine is subject to the most hideous trials and tribulations while still a child , and when you think nothing worse can happen to the creature , it does .
· Hero or heroine possesses a heart of gold .
· Hero or heroine has the opportunity to be equally evil to those that damaged him / her , but because s / he is compassionate , s / he refuses to .
· Hero or heroine rises above adversity and survives all calamities
· There is always a happy ending .
Memoirs of a Geisha is a perfect example of the Cinderella format ( some readers called it Oliver Twist , some Jane Eyre ; it's all the same ) . Chiyo is an extremely beautiful child ( the constant reference to her gray eyes became too much too soon ) and very smart , whose father is a poor fisherman , not very bright , and whose mother is dying . She and her sister are sold and soon separated , and poor Chiyo ( who will later change her name to Sayuri ) suffers enormously for the next 400 pages or so .
The best part of this book is its detailed descriptions of all things geisha , from makeup to hair to clothing to ceremonies to education to housing . . . After reading the book , i felt that i had learned a lot about this important subgroup of Japanese culture . I also enjoyed the prose , for the most part . As a person who sometimes has to explain foreign customs to others , i identified with the tone that Sayuri used when describing things . The story of young Chiyo is also quite entertaining , from her days in the tipsy house till she gets under Mameha's wing . After that , the story line goes downhill . The worst part , from a literary standpoint , is that the book is formulaic , and uses many artificial devices to keep the plot going . For example , how come Hatsumoto is so bent in destroying Chiyo from the moment she meets the poor girl , who is only 9 years old ? Hatsumoto can't be that much older than Chiyo , yet she is machinating like an old witch , and we do not know exactly for what reason . Also , Chiyo's encounter with The Chairman is so brief , yet she is so affected by it for years and years to come . Even though when they met she was crying and her vision was blurry , she remembered his features like they were engraved in her brain . The Chairman and Hatsumoto are artifices to make the story move along . The flow , especially after Chiyo becomes Sayuri , is really poor . The intrigues and the convenient situations and coincidences that take place really detract from the story . The final pages are particularly bad . All of a sudden , the author wanted to wrap it up and there is absolutely no development and scenes just do not make sense . I can't really explain some of my objections without spoiling the end , but all things related to The Chairman were so very unbelievable . There is no amount of willing suspension of disbelief to make me swallow the final chapters .
People love to see these plots because they are predictable and there is a feel-good quality to them . For example , i have to admit i couldn't wait till i found out what horrible ending Hatsumoto had , after being so cruel and despicable to poor Chiyo . But overall , except for the cultural aspect of the book , this is as bad as a cheap romance novel from the supermarket .
007 4 While intrigued by a glimpse into a world closed to me , I find the author altogether more interested in things than in people . This is the proper stance for an historian and student of visual art ; it is a handicap for a novelist . Golden is distant , and his novel only about surfaces . It has no depth , a melodramatic plot , flat charac - ters , and he generalizes experience rather than communicating sensation . The oft-mentioned blue eyes are a red herring , not a functional symbol . While it is perhaps apt that a story about a culture that objectifies women - - and geisha in the extreme - - would objectify its characters , and that a work almost devoid of subtext would have stock archetypes as actors , it doesn't seem deliberate artistic intent , and if meant as subtle comment , is too dear at the narrative's expense .
Golden is , perhaps , too well trained as a collector of facts . Loathe to present anything that is not verifiable , his novel exists within the tiny limits of reality . A novel must be a work that breathes in the infinity of fiction . Art is not a thing observed , that we can view and set aside . Art is an act : experienced , incorporated and symbiotic . Golden hints at intimacy , but does not enter into it , requires only passivity in the reader , demands no emotional investment and delivers only entertainment . He never dares to create a world inside his characters as real as the one outside them , the details of which he lovingly reports . Golden does not risk the act of fiction , the act of Art . In this , the author is like his geisha protagonist : adept in the craft of presentation , polished appearances , elaborate surface decoration and the gestures of emotion . But under all those layers of exotic paint and silk ? Empty .
The betrayal of Sayuri by her culture is that it does not allow her to be herself , and only values her as a commodity . Ironically , Golden commits the same act when he does not let us learn about this woman or about ourselves by allowing us access to her interior . We are left with a collection of interesting factoids , vivid spectacle , pastel sentiment . And the same question after the last words of Golden's book as we have before we began : who is this woman , and what does she have to say to us ?
009 4 This begins as Charles Dickens might have written it , had he such a vision , continues as a fairy tale , and concludes as a strange and touching story of love spanning decades and ending in happiness and fulfillment . But primarily this is a fairy tale , and like all fairy tales there is beneath the surface an underlying current of the dark nature of humanity that can only be glimpsed through the use of symbolism . Just as the wolf in grandmother's bed represents something more than a wolf , so it is with the men attended by the geisha . And so it is with her as well . She projects the image of fairy tale beauty and an attentive loveliness , but is in fact a woman of business whose attentions are bought and sold , just as with any commodity . This is the illusion and the pretense , and the soft , embroidered veil between us and the truth that is paid for .
This is also a beautiful novel , charming and witty with just the barest touch of satire , an original work of a cunning genius , as readable as a best seller , as satisfying as a masterpiece . Although written as realistic fiction and presented as the memoirs of someone who really did exist , the story and especially the action are veiled reality . Notice that Sayuri is fifteen when she first learns of the significance of her virginity . Since her captors would have put a very high price on maintaining that virginity until they could sell it , they would have taken very careful measures to ensure that she could not lose it ; consequently , being the clever girl that she was , Sayuri would have understood what that meant . And to suppose that she knew nothing of sexual intercourse until Mameha's story of the lonely eel and the cave . . . Well , this is part of the contrivance and illusion maintained by geisha and its tradition . But make no mistake , the girls know , but their knowledge must be expressed and understood euphemistically .
There are a number of other contradictions in the novel that are of no real import because the world of the geisha is the world of illusion and fairy tale . Although Chiyo never says so directly , she knew quite well what was being done to her sister in the house of ill-repute that she visited in the poor section of Kyoto . There is something wonderful and alluring about this duplicitous view of human sexuality found in all cultures . One of the wonderful things about Golden's novel is how he shows us its expression in the Japanese tradition . When Hatsumomo's vagina is forcibly investigated by Granny and Mother looking for evidence of semen ( and Chiyo is about ten years old ) she understands what was found because she had seen the man between Hatsumomo's legs in the dim light through the partially opened door . Adults find comfort in the illusion of a sexless childhood , comfort that can only be maintained through the artifice of self-deception . Please note that this is not a criticism of the novel ; on the contrary . It is part of Golden's vision to realize that a fairy tale view of Chiyo's sexuality was necessary . Note also the scenes with Mr . Tanaka when she appears as a naked nine-year-old . Read carefully we can see that his sexual desire for her is apparent and is symbolically acted out through the device of her sister with the Sugi boy and Mr . Tanaka's bare touch of her cheek . Incidentally Nitta Sayuri's narrative is coy by design , and it is this structure that allows Golden to so beautifully present this fairy tale world with its illusion of a foreign and bygone reality .
But the fairy tale ends three-quarters of the way through , and then begins a counter point as the war and the hardships are brought home to the Japanese people and to Sayuri personally . Now we have a tale stripped of illusion , devoid of symbolism , replete with the harsh reality of a civilian population with dwindling resources , impending loss , and the sound of bombers overhead . . .
This is the kind of commerically and artistically successful novel that makes other novelists despair of ever coming close . The exquisite style , the confident scholarship , the ample energy so gracefully expended , the unerring sense of what is appropriate , the generous and apt use of metaphor , the clever plotting , the rich detail , the sure commercial feel : a publisher's dream , an agent's adrenal rush ! I expect a lavish movie production , an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical , and perhaps even the first important opera of the twenty-first century to follow .
Or maybe a Disney cartoon in the tradition of Snow White and Cinderella . On second thought , probably NOT !
010 4 I am a Japanese college student now studying in Tokyo . I was born and brought up in Kyoto so I know most of the things the author mentioned in this story . They mede me recall Kyoto city , and made me prond of Kyoto .
This is a story of one geisha as the title goes . I am not sure how the term ' geish ' is regarded in foreign countries and I wondered if it is just the same as Sayuri reffered to in this story . For Kyoto people , geisha is a symbol of elegent things and we do not have any bad image toward them , of course . Because of how they behave and how they look , we tend to see them ' weak ' because once it was regarded good . ( I cannot tell if it is still like that even now . ) And I thought that they are frail and elegant - but I found another beauty toward this book . I found another beauty that woman have . It is not the weakness - but we cannot say it is strength . Something else . I cannot find a good term toward it , however I admit you can see many beauty in this book .
011 4 This first book by American writer Arthur Golden is an extremely easy read - a page-turner for sure - and all in all it presents an intriguing Japanese Cinderella story . Mr Golden has also made quite an amazing attempt at literary personification .
Yet , I never quite felt that it was dictated by a true Kyoto geisha . Instead , I continually had the feel that the story was told through Western eyes masqurading as Oriental eyes . I cannot quite put my finger on it - perhaps it was the superfluous use of the Japanese aligories along with the overly descripted kimonoes - however , the story seemed to be too American-made . . . Moreover , several of the characters were in my opinion quite one-dimensional . Surely there must have been more to a geisha such as Hatsumomo besides her beauty and cruelty ? Or to the mean greedy Mother ? Or to the lovely and kind Mameha ?
Oh well - I did in fact quite like the story and particularly the descriptions of pre-WW2 Japan . Also , the presentations of the various cultural rituals , including the elegant tea ceremonies , were delightful reading .
This is one of those books that makes you want to find more literature and facts about its subject matter - I can't wait to read more ( hopefully authentic ) descriptions about Geisha life . Memoirs of a Geisha is like a juicy appetizer that leaves you hungry for the main dish .
I recommend the book despite its shortcomings . I have not yet seen the movie ; however , I cannot wait to see the sure-to-be delightful Geisha dancing and elaborate costumes . . .
012 4 The strengths of the book shine through from the first page to the last . Golden's poetic and beautiful imagery , tinged with zen simplicity , understanding and appreciation for beauty and nature , inform the narrator's thoughts and descriptions , and while not always peaceful or reflective , the feel of the novel comes across as genuine . A Japanese reader may well feel that this is a cheap rendering of their speech and culture ; but the target audience is the west , readers reading in English , and to an American there is a natural grace to Golden's prose , unforced and simple , yet often vivid and imaginative .
The weaknesses are unfortunately in the story and in some of the characters . Simply put , the story line comes across as jerky and episodic , random and finally contrived , and too pat . The story's ending , with the heroine achieving her goal at long last , almost entirely by wild luck and coincidence rather than the twenty years of pining and planning that have been described , is not satisfying , and is clumsy . She has done nothing to earn this , and little to earn so much else .
The characters are similarly spotty . Her erstwhile friend and later competitor Pumpkin is well drawn for a minor character , and the changes in her personality over time are interesting and well done . Hatsumomo , the villain of the novel , is sharply drawn and genuinely scary , a well executed character . And Nobu is perhaps the most fully realized character in the book ; by the end of the story , his gruff but honest quality , and how he is treated , actually makes the narrator less sympathetic . But the narrator comes across as thoughtful , kind , and good ; however , indecisive , and prone to allow fate to decide her course in life . Again and again the reader mentally urges her to do something , do anything , to further her progress along ; but no , she waits for life to happen to her . It is frustrating going for readers weaned on Raymond Chandler books . Tanaka , Auntie , Mother , Granny , Satsu and the Chairman are all essentially cardboard characters ; there is little logic behind Sayuri's extended obsession for one older man who offers neither compassion , companionship , nor even conversation , year after year .
That said , the book's strengths make this a fascinating read . The background of World War II , the dying of the geisha culture and changing of Japan in the postwar period are all touched on , and one sees a bit of the rough side of female servitude as well as the smooth . It's a good read , and should make for a beautiful movie .
013 4 Reading about this beautiful gray / blue eyed child moved me to the point of tears . Arthur S . Golden ( from my hometown of Chattanooga , TN ) has done a masterfull job of research for this novel . I picked the book up on a Thursday afternoon , and was finished Friday morning . The trials this child went through at the hands of the owners of the Geisha house and the top Geisha in that house was so painful , at times I found myself enraged at fictional characters . Every part of this novel was so detailed , it ws as if Chiyo / Sayuri was alive and part of my life . Mr . Golden put you in the story , watching this young beauty go through each day , trial , tribulation , and finally , success . Seeing her become the ultimate geisha was such a pleasure . At the end of the novel , I was brought to tears because Sayuri was not a real person . I wanted so badly to be able to call New York and speak with this Goddess whom had achieved so much . From a fisherman's daughter to the most well-known Geisha in the world . Mr . Golden , congratulations on bringing this woman to life for so many of us . I must say this is one of the top 10 books , out of hundreds , I have ever had the pleasure of reading .
014 4 I admit that I was reluctant to read this book because of the hype that surrounded it ; but being curious and trying to keep an open mind , I did finally read it . I was extremely disappointed - - although it is not a terrible book , and it does strive to capture the aura of life in Gion in the 30 ' s , I find Sayuri completely unbelieveable ( and unlikeable ) as a Japanese character . I realise that there is dramatic license in fictional novels , but I still find that ( in my opinion ) she is just too western in her thinking and mannerisms to try to pass as a credible Japanese character . While I do commend Mr . Golden on his extensive research , as evident in the details , there are still a few small factual errors ( e.g . pineapples do not grow on trees ) that he has missed . All in all , although Mr . Golden may have done a fair job of trying to relate the details of the life of a geisha in Gion ( I do applaud his efforts here ) , I think that he could never fully comprehend the Japanese psyche and personality , let alone try to emulate one in his novel . As such , I find it impossible to empathise with the character of Sayuri ( or to even care about what happens to her ) , thus making the novel very difficult for me to enjoy .
015 4 I am Japanese . I have a gradfather who often played with geisha . I have to tell my loving American frineds that this story is only a fairy tale , much of which is not the truth . We , Japanese people , can tell this is written by someone who only knows the surface of Japanese culture .
Please read other Japanese novels that are written by Japanese writers . I feel as if this book is manupulating innocent American people who simply like to know about our culture .
016 4 And I read a book a week ! Memoirs of a Geisha is destined to be one of the greatest books of this century ( or any other for that matter ) . Arthur Golden writes with such an amazing eye for detail and feeling that the reader forgets that this book is fiction and that the author is a man .
I fell in love with the characters , with their world and having been to Japan it made me want to return - tomorrow ! This book is beautifully written and the topic is unique .
I could not put this book down and when I finished it I felt as though I had lost a good friend . I have read it several times since I first picked it up in April and I always enjoy it .
The most interesting thing about this book is that the author wrote it three times - this is the third version . I believe that the first two were written from different points of view ( third person as well as in another character's voice ) .
I can not wait to see what Spielberg does with this moving story on film .
017 4 Only a miracle of marketing hype could have produced such rave reviews for so shallow a book . Yes , Golden appears to have done his research on the geisha lifestyle , which is ( I suspect ) the only reason it was published in the first place . Beyond that , it's basically a male fantasy about a young girl who can't get a man out of her head - - and why ? Because he once bought her an ice cream ! Sayuri has all the depth of a PBS documentary narrator , and the men - - particularly the Chairman , for whom Sayuri is supposedly pining throughout the book - - are one-dimensional bores . Golden studied creative writing at Boston University , which seems to be at the forefront of the cookie-cutter , take-no-risks school of writing these days . ( And a man writing as a woman is hardly a risk when done so poorly . ) Occasionally one sees glimpses of genuine promise in this book when he just forgets the pretense and lets himself write , but this reads as if he has a stern workshop teacher looking over his shoulder , about to criticize him if he actually risks anything . A disappointment , to say the least .
018 4 Where to begin ? I got this book after several recommendations from friends . I only regret not getting it earlier . One of the ways I like to rate books is how much I miss them when I'm finished and I feel as though I've lost a good friend . Towards the end of the book , I found myself slowing down , a measure of my attachment to Sayuri and her tales . This book is an incredibly well thought-out and beautifully written piece that is so endearing and passionate . The main reason I picked up the book was to learn and gain insights into the secretive life of Geisha - - what I got was so much more than I ever expected .
Holden has an amazing ability to make the writing appear so effortless and yet , each word seems so carefully crafted and deliberate . Memoirs is written in 1st person narrative and convincingly so ; many other people have commented on his extraordinary ability to sound like a female author . For me , there is just the right amount of dialog - - my preference is for an economy of words , and Holden gets it right .
All in all , a fantastic read and finding another comparable book to read has been tough . I'm going to try Snow Falling on Cedars and Angela's Ashes .
019 4 I have to admit , I'd never even been very interested in Oriental culture . This book was recommended to me , and despite excellent reviews , I was hesitant to pick it up . However , I did , and I have been grateful ever since . This is once of the most richly drawn tapestries I have ever encountered . I knew before reading this that geisha were not prostitutes , but I had no idea the lengths that they went to . The extensive schooling , the makeup , the OBI . ( I had no idea that the obi was that complicated . ) Not to mention the story ! Between Hatsumomo and Nobu , I felt as though I were just as upset as Sayuri . I also must commend Arthur Golden for something that I haven't heard in a review as of yet . I had to look at the book jacket picture 3 times before I would allow myself to believe that a man penned such feminine thoughts and experiences . Not to mention the erotic symbolism that I thought only existed in the minds and hearts of women . I don't know whose head he crept into , but he sure took notes well . It's been awhile since I was upset that a book was ending . I flew through the book with such a frenetic pace that I was regretful in the end that I didn't have more time to spend in Gion . A worthy and triumphant first effort .
020 4 Entrap yourselt within the beautiful and enchanting culture of Japanese geishas . Memoirs of a Geisha is a book that gives great meaning to the overlooked Japanese culture of geishas .
This book is surely different and unlike any other book I've read . Not only because of the plot of the story or the theme , but because of the way it's written .
The author of the book , Arthur Golden , portrays the story in the eyes of a young girl whose life is going through the tough stages of blooming into a geisha . From her tortuous childhood living in a tiny village and being taken away by a stranger to the time of her present adulthood , adventures , and hardships are all illustrated using intriguing language and explicit details . The narrator's sufferings and achievements make the grand theme of this book obvious and true . The theme is revealed in many parts of the story . Because the theme is so easily found , the book goes quite deeply into fine points about the foundation topics that lead into this theme . Although set in a far-off and foreign country in the time of World War 2 , the setting is one more thing that makes this book readable and enjoyable . By using original Japanese words , the reader gets used to the setting of this beautiful country more . The words to describe the settings draw the most incredible pictures in the readers ' minds .
The story also has many surprises , twists , and turns that totally leaves the reader grasping for need of reading on . The quick pace in the plot and the quickly changing conflicts and problems leaves no room for the reader to be bored .
Memoirs of a Geisha is interesting and definitely not boring . A wide range of different types of readers would get into it easily . It gives the reader a totally new perspective of history and leaves them with more knowledge about the dramatic life of Japanese geishas .
021 4 As an avid reader and anime otaku , I am always eager to read about Japanese culture and subculture . When I read Memoirs , I found myself captivated . Golden's prose paints elegant , definite pictures in the reader's mind , capturing every detail of Chiyo-chan / Sayuri-san's life , from the little fishing village of her birth , to the Nitta okiya in Kyoto . His talent for placing himself in Sayuri's mind is extraordinary : As I read , I felt that I was listening as a Japanese woman told her life story , rather than reading the words of an American man . Golden's style is highly epigramatic , with wise sayings such as A shopkeeper who leaves his window open can hardly be angry at the rainstorm for ruining his wares peppering the entirety of the novel . Overall , Memoirs is a truly well-written novel whose monetary success testifies to its quality . Truly a must-read .
022 4 Chiyo / Sayuri is a woman who puts a lovely turn of phrase onto everything she says , and this is almost enough of a reason in itself to read this book . The language is so beautiful and evoking that it conjures up in precise detail everything Chiyo / Sayuri beholds .
Not only this - or perhaps because of it - the story is engrossing and fascinating to read . Although I have known for some time that Geisha are not merely high class prostitutes , but elegant , highly skilled women who entertain with charm , wit and talent , not exchange favours , I did not know the details of their life , how they come to this profession or what it means to them . Although an individual's experience cannot speak for all , Sayuri's account certainly gives compelling insight into the world of a Geisha .
It is hard to believe - for at least four fifths of the book at any rate - that this is work of fiction , for it is so convincingly told . The research has been painstaking , and the characters are brought to life with delicious detail . At the beginning of this tale , Japan is still an ancient and beautifully fragile world and the realm of the Giesha an exotic and desired place . But as the story continues Japan becomes a world jaded by war , and as the Geisha melts away with many other ancient traditions , it is revealed that the life of a Geisha is like any other : one searching for meaning and a place in the world where they are necessary . And although , at the close of the war the entertainment and beauty of the Geisha is needed once more , its quality has had to be modified for a changed audience . Even those who remember Japan before the war can no longer be content with a shadow of the past . Apart from the beauty and poignance of the tale and its richly realised characters and story , I was dissapointed with the final fifth . Not because it came to the cliché faery tale finish , but because it was made so apparent that all of Sayuri's happiness depended on whether or not she ended up with the Chairman . Her whole life was spent anticipating that moment , and as she herself said , if it had never come to pass , she would've missed out on the richness and beauty of everything else around her . Her life would've been a mockery of living .
I can understand a young girl clinging to a childish crush in a world in which she was isolated and expected to effectively wear a mask , but for her entire existence to rest on whether or not she ended up with this man as her danna seems to me a sorry existence indeed . Overlooking the fact that the Chairman had a wife - for in this culture that was the norm and both Sayuri and the Chairman were brought up to this - the fact that she waits and builds her entire life up for a man she encountered for only a few moments is a better portrait of a lonely life than any other nuance of the book . What distresses me is that male and female readers alike will be thinking aw . . . how romantic , and seeing it as a dream ome true - getting the much longed-for , seemingly ever out of reach prince , as though it is right for her to feel her life is void of any meaning without him . It is not romantic , is a tragic sign of a life deprived for the most part of true friendship , love and communication with other human beings . This may not be the case of every woman raised to the life of a Geisha , but it is with Sayuri . One has the feeling she sacrifices her own identity for one she feels would be pleasing to the Chairman .
On the whole though , this is an immensely entertaining and involving book , with it's beautiful language and fascinating insights sure to intrigue many .
023 4 I loved this book and I have never been particularly interestedin the Japanese culture . It was a captivating book which took youinto the mindset of a Geisha . Although you learn a lot about the Japanese culture you mostly learn about the similarities that exist among women . I was fascinated by the strength of women as revealed in this novel ! I found myself absorbed with this book even when I wasn't reading it . My sign of a great read !
024 4 I don't even know where to begin . . . _ Memoirs of a Geisha _ is one of those books that will truly leave you breathless . I'd been hearing about this book ever since it came out , but it wasn't until one of my very good friends forced it into my hands that I actually read it . I'll spare you a summary of the plot , because others have done it better then I could , and frankly there's so much to this book that you could hardly describe it to it's fullest . _ Memoirs of a Geisha _ is a book that you will want to read slowly and draw it out as long as you can . The way Arthur Golden describes Japan and the world of the Geisha is amazing . All western misconceptions of this world are put to the test and the truth about Geisha really come out . You are swept into their world and Mr . Golden's prose . Sayuri is character that you feel you know from the inside out and it is hard to believe that Mr . Golden is an American man , for the book flows perfectly from a Japanese woman's perspective . There is never a dull moment and I often found myself re-reading many sections just to get the full affect and power of his words . _ Memoirs of a Geisha _ is masterfully contructed to the point where you can close you eyes and see Japan . Honestly , I would be surprised if you haven't heard of this book until now , and if you havn't read it yet , don't waste another minute . You will be blown away by this epic , amazing book . Bravo , Mr . Golden - I can't wait to see what else you bless the book world with .
025 4 This is the best novel I have read in a long time . I cannot praise it enough . The pictures that the author paints are wonderful . He provides a vividly detailed ( and many times disturbing ) view of the geisha world . I was so enthralled with the novel that I began to believe it was ( actually I was willing it to be ) nonfiction . A friend had let me borrow her copy and after reading it I went out and bought a copy of my own . This is a must have for any library .
026 4 The central fictional device of Arthur Golden's novel is that it presents itself as an as told to oral memoir of a former Japanese geisha . In a nice touch , the book has a forward by the fictional amanuensis , who describes his experience taking down the words of the protagonist .
As a page-turner , it works . The read is generally brisk throughout . Not so much because the reader is dying to know what comes next , but because the author has a graceful style that gently moves the reader along .
The book reads a little like Charles Dickens transplanted to Japan . All the Dickensian elements are here : a poor child loses the support of his / her natural family , and is thrust into nasty circumstances , a result of the peculiar institutions of the surrounding culture . In this case , it's a geisha house , not the orphanage that Dickens might write about . But the other Dickensian elements are all there : you meet mean , avaricious adults in the novel's early pages , and the poor child is required to scrape and to labor and to serve those around him / her in a way that no child should be required to do .
Also , as with Dickens , salvation comes in the form of unexpected kindnesses from randomly encountered adults in positions of authority .
The most notable aspect of the book is the care with which it details the life of the geisha : the appearance and significance of the clothing , the training in the seductive arts , the manners that determine both her reputation and that of her danna , and much else . I won't pretend that I can vouch for the accuracy of these details ; but the author succeeds in giving them the credible feel of truth .
A few minor nits about the novel : one is that there are places where the as told to oral history conceit doesn't really work . The narration goes into minute details of feelings and sexual encounters that are fully in place in a typical first-person novel , but which are hard to imagine coming out of someone's mouth in this way . It sounds more written than spoken for much of the book . Which is fine , it doesn't make it any less pleasant to read , but it makes the basic story feel a little less believable .
The other aspect of the book that I found lacking was the hinging of so much on the protagonist's lifelong romantic attachment . The main character is motivated by a love interest throughout much of the novel , but it doesn't seem substantiated enough to perpetuate itself amid the novel's other more substantial events . Hence , the resolution of the love interest ( I won't give away how it turns out ) did not feel terribly satisfying . I found myself wishing that the author had found another central plot hook on which to hang his very impressive cultural detail .
If you're looking for a book that is a perfect literary whole , that you'll put down with a sigh afterwards and reflect to yourself about its perfection , you won't find it here . But if you're looking for something that piques your interest in a subculture of another society , this book succeeds quite well .
027 4 Once in awhile there comes a story so completely transporting that , from the exhilarating experience of reading it , you emerge almost wordless . A review cannot fully describe what is indescribably beautiful . But I will say this : Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha is among the handful of works that come to my mind when confronted with the question : What is the best book you have ever read ?
This is the fictional tale of a geisha , the high-class counterpart of a Japanese prostitute , who rose to fame in the city of Gion in the late 1930s . Plucked from a tiny fishing village when she was nine , Nitta Sayuri relates her painstaking training to become a geisha ; her encounters with an exquisite but vicious archenemy ; and above all , her lifelong struggle to win her great love , a prominent but sensitive man whom she refers to only as the Chairman . From the little seaside town of Yoroido to the exotic allure of Gion , from the heady glamour of the geisha life to the stark hardships of World War II , we follow one woman's heart-wrenching but determined journey toward her own happiness and fulfillment .
The book reads as though you are sitting across Sayuri herself , listening to the cadence of her voice . The metaphors she uses are panoramic windows into a larger-than-life world . She also introduces the other characters in such a way that , while their motivations have been retold time and again in countless other books , they are rendered with a thoroughly human face . There is Mrs . Nitta , the money-grubbing employer ; Mameha , the ethereal , perfect mentor ; and Nobu , the cynical and pragmatic suitor . But most of all , there is the geisha Hatsumomo , Sayuri's nemesis . She stands out as one of the most venomous villains in fiction , and yet the poignant conclusion to this phase in Sayuri's life attests to Golden's genius in sympathetic characterization .
The book is peppered with upsetting changes and new conflicts . But stripped of its relentless pace and distracting twists , Memoirs of a Geisha is essentially a love story - one that is occasionally frustrating , yet thoroughly compelling . From the very beginning , you can't help but cheer Sayuri on in her attempt to grasp the barest tail of that elusive happy ending , a struggle that is made all the more agonizing by its sheer uncertainty . Very few books compel you to keep turning the pages as much as this one does .
My only quibble about the book is its extremely vague reference to the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . At least the Doolittle raid on Tokyo is de-glamorized , as the book retells it from the perspective of the victims . But the geisha's post-war fraternization with American soldiers - portrayed here as unwaveringly friendly and generous foreigners - still hints of a Westernized lens .
This is surprising because the author , a scholar of Japanese history and culture , otherwise masterfully portrays the geisha life . You'll learn that a geisha goes to school to hone such arts as dance and tea ceremony . And while she entertains men at various functions , she does not provide sexual services ( which are reserved for only one man , the geisha's danna , who must be able to afford the price of long-term financial and social commitment ) .
While all this sounds glamorous , Golden doesn't romanticize the work of geisha . Through the words of Mameha , the author writes , We don't become geisha so our lives will be satisfying . We become geisha because we have no other choice . There is a tacit edict that all geisha must be content with their lot in a patriarchal culture . Their role is all about obedience and passivity , a mold against which Sayuri continually ( if not always successfully ) rebels . So many novels implicitly valorize a patriarchal definition of femininity , a fantasy where the so-called heroine derives pleasure and fulfillment from being pursued . But Memoirs of a Geisha tells the story of a woman who , given the circumstances in her life , undertakes the pursuit herself .
Whether or not Sayuri eventually wins her beloved becomes academic , because as a heroine in the strongest sense of the word , she remains the single most compelling reason to read the book . When it finally closes , it's hard to tell which is more real : her bittersweet musings about the changes in a lifetime , or the almost unconscious flow of your tears .
028 4 Memoirs of a Geisha was book of the month for May 2002 and the one word all of us used to describe it was excellent . We all enjoyed reading this book and all of us agree that this book was a true 5 star book .
We were all captivated in the transformation of Chiyo into the Geisha , Suyuri and enjoyed rivalry between her and Hatsuomo . All of the descriptions in the book were excellent from the land , culture , homes and especially the clothing . It was interesting to learn more about the life of the Geisha and we all thought Arthur Golden did his research pretty well .
This is the first book we were all in complete agreement on and its highly recommended .
029 4 It's characters are vivid , sparkling . The wording is clear , elegant . But what makes Memoirs of a Geisha truly astonishing is that it is unlike any other book I have ever read . Arthur Golden , in the words of fictitious geisha Sayuri , relates the tale of the lilfe of a young Japanese girl , from when she is wrenched from her childhood home through her life as an entertainer .
First-person narration allows the reader to experience the events of Sayuri's life through her eyes , and to watch her grow and change . For example , the young girl Chiyo makes very innocent and naive gestures , such as whistling Mr . Tanaka's name over and over to herself ( 16 ) . Later , there a fewer such instances as Sayuri matures . Another remarkable element of Memoirs of a Geisha is Golden's use of characterization . One memorable moment is when Chiyo first meets the intimidating Mother . Describes Chiyo , Instead of being white and clear . . . her eyes had a hideous yellow cast , [ like ] a toildet into which someone had just urinated . They were rimmed with the raw lip of her lids in which a cloudy moisture was pooled , and all around them the skin was sagging ( 42 ) .
I also loved the succinct dialogue in Memoirs , exemplified when Chiyo expresses her liking of Mother's kimono . The latter responds , Do you have any idea what it cost ? . . . More than you did , that's for certain ( 42 ) . However , the most important asset of Memoirs was its unique plot . While many romances , mysteries , and horror stories follow a rigid sequence with litle deviation , this tale shatters the mold . Based upon the life of a single character , the plot is abstract ; descriptions and characterization are the key to the tale . This is what captivated me , and it will astound other patient readers as well .
In future generations , Memoirs of a Geisha will be considered a classic , much like Jane Eyre is today . To all readers who are fans of Oprah's Book Club novels or who simply enjoy a well-written book , I highly recommend Memoirs of a Geisha . If you take my advice , I guarantee you will not stop thinking about Sayuri's life .
030 4 I read a review that said Memoirs of a Geisha is an epic on an intimate scale . That is exactly true . This is a very intimate book , and Golden has done an excellent job of creating a very memorable and lively character in Chiyo . This is the only piece of modern literature I have read that is actually literature - yet it is also a true page-turner . There are faults in the book - the ending seems a bit rushed , and the way the book comes to its climax is so muck like a Dickens novel its almost laughable . But this is the only book I have read in a very long time that truly absorbed me , and I still think about it weeks after i finished it . There are so many things to love about this book , I dare not try and list them for surely i would forget some . Just buy the book and read it , you won't be disapointed .
031 4 I had one encounter with a geisha during the 4 years I lived in Japan . And it & #8217 ; s not what you think ! ( Honi soit qui mal y pense . ) It was during a visit I had to the police captain of a small village during a kendo ( Japanese fencing ) training trip . The captain couldn & #8217 ; t speak English but there was one lady in regular dress who confessed she could speak only & #8220 ; a little & #8221 ; English . All night long , she enthralled me , and six other guests of this police chief , in pleasant conversation . She had almost nothing to say of her own , but she could take even the simplest of utterances from me or any one at the table and turn it into a ten minute conversation filled with laughter and innuendo . Only later , after I returned to Tokyo and had a chat with my sensei , did I realize that I had fallen under the charms of a geisha .
As YOU read the book from one page to the next , you & #8217 ; ll find that you too will have an experience similar to the one I described above .
The whole Western concept of the geisha has been one of elegant prostitution . And certainly the controversy about the selling of a young geisha & #8217 ; s virginity ( mizuage ) to the highest bidder ( which figures prominently in this book ) underscores this aspect . But this does little justice to the fascinating life of a member of this reclusive and talented profession .
Golden & #8217 ; s book succeeds where no other book on this topic does because you , the reader , through its 400 + pages , become a member of an evening party with geisha in attendance . It is as if you had a geisha sitting next to you whispering some of her most intimate observations in your ear ; only her voice is slightly loud enough that others next to you can hear . Not only is Golden & #8217 ; s book provocative , but it is seductive , pulling the reader into a world in which no MAN is supposed to enter .
I can & #8217 ; t say the book is for everyone . It & #8217 ; s certainly not for anyone not interested in the topic . But if you give the book a chance , you too might discover something about our own personal need for human interaction . If the prose doesn & #8217 ; t hook you right away , make the effort to get through the young girl & #8217 ; s apprenticeship , which is about half of the book . The story is subtle at the beginning ( some would say slow ) , but the end is a fascinating and compelling read . Certainly a story worth telling in film , as Ron Howard is about to do .
This book has affected how I interact in my most personal moments . It & #8217 ; s made me discover that the art of company is the art of conversation .
Nick Jamilla , author of Shimmering Sword : Samurai , Western , and Star Wars Sword Fighting
032 4 Chiyo and her older sister Satsu are taken away from from the fishing town of Yoroido and their elderly father when their mother becomes critically ill . Chiyo is hopeful that she and her sister will be adopted by the wealthy Mr . Tanaka , owner of the Japan Coastal Seafood Company . They are surprised when he does not adopt them but rather takes them by train to Kyoto and later horrified when they are cruelly separated from one another . Chiyo finds herself thrust into the position of a maid in an okiya ( house of geisha ) , but she does not know where her sister was taken .
Memoirs of a Geisha opens a rich new world of traditional Japanese customs to the Western reader . Although the author is an American man , he transcends the barriers of gender and culture in telling this story . He narrates his story in the first person of the geisha Sayuri while also fully developing the relationships between other predominantly female characters . His tale is so convincing that , at times , it's hard to think of this memoir as a work of fiction . The Japanese theme of geisha is treated by the author with utmost respect and understanding . It's a beautiful story which leaves an indelible mark on the heartstrings of its readers .
034 4 Golden sketches the delicate , slowly vanishing world of the geisha in beautiful , sometimes startling language and imagery . Most surprising - and haunting - are the tiny details embroidered throughout this novel : the smell of fish , the steps of a dance , the contents of a geisha's makeup collection , the brilliant designs swimming across an antique kimono . Though I consider this novel's fatal flaw to lie within Sayuri's overplayed love story , this book is to be treasured , nevertheless , for its wealth of emotions and stunning attention to detail .
035 4 I'm going to assume that most everyone has the details of the book already that you can get from the cover , so I won't go into that summary again . You can get that from the title . But perhaps ' Memoirs of a Geisha Reflecting Upon Her Life Many Years Ago as Told to a Westerner Also Late In His Life As Told By Arthur Golden ' would be a much more appropriate title . ( Although it just isn't as catchy , I agree . ) This novel is full of the kinds of details that one would expect from an author who has all of the appropriate titles and credits of Mr . Golden , not to mention the 10 years of study . The devotion to his topic is evidient in the copious details . The world in which he takes us is that of a curator , walking through a dreamlike museum of all of his highly prized objects , found in the deepest corners of the earth , from a land and time that we cannot fully comprehend and never visit . His details are exquisite , the devotion to the subject unwavering , but were his story a rare and highly prized silken screen , it would be no less two-dimensional . Sayuri could be any Geisha . Her Chairman any businessman . There is so much in the events of their lives and the details of their surroundings that you can almost forget that we learn very little about the actual people . The reader will do well to forget the word ' Memoirs ' and remember that this is fiction , perhaps of the purest kind : A fairy tale . A Western fairy tale in an Eastern setting . Cinderella , teahouse style . Only on paper can a villan be so purely evil , a heroine so unquestioningly long suffering , a hero so valiant by his mere existence . But the silken threads of good and evil , great beauty and unspeakable hideousness are so eloquently woven that we do not mind that it takes hundreds of pages to arrive at our glass slipper ending .
036 4 Rarely has a book captivated me like this one . And I'm NOT easy to please . Why ? One reason may be that I have lived in Japan for over 13 years , most of it just a brief train ride away from Sayuri's home of Gion . And every time I turned a page of Geisha I expected Arthur Golden to take the easy way out and deliver the all too familiar and irritatingly biased , westernized , syrupy-sweet , made-for-people - who-have-no-idea-what-Japan-is-about goo that is churned out all too often by the western media . And he never did . The simple and delicate narrative may have put some off , but I assure you that that IS how a girl of that time would think and act . A trademark of Japanese design is its complete devotion to a captivating simplicity that often produces achingly beautiful results . A . Golden seems to understand these and other often unspoken yet essential Japanese principles as he skillfully weaves together the simplest events to create a riveting and incredibly realistic story / world / mosaic . May I also add that my equally critical Japanese wife ( an English literature major in college ) read this book almost as quickly as I did ( 4 days ) - something she has never done before and was equally captivated by each page . Simply put , he got it right .
037 4 This was the most shallow and superficial attempt of a cultural novel I have ever read . I read that Golden wrote another poor novel before this one , also set in Japan , and the man had not even been to Japan before ! When that novel failed , he decided that maybe it would be a good idea to understand what he is writing about . Good idea ! I'd hate to see how it would have turned out if he hadn't .
If the Japanese culture interests you , than please read Tanizaki's The Makioka Sisters and I promise you that you will realize what I mean .
038 4 Just thought that readers will find it interesting to see what a JAPANESE person thinks about the authenticity of this book . Who would have thought ? All those reviewers on the back of this book are caucasian . Not one is Japanese . Oh , yes , and the JAPANESE person with her opinion below is the woman that this book is written about . If YOU REALLY want to find out about the world of the GEISHA from a GEISHA , why don't you read her book ? Geish , A LIFE by Mineko Iwasaki .
In Mainichi Daily News
By Keisuke Hirano
Mainichi Shimbun
Ex-geisha takes objection to Memoirs of a Geisha
November 30 , 2001
Geishas are professionals who make a living by using their artistic skills , but many people have a mistaken image of the world of mystery and shadows , says Mineko Iwasaki . Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha ( translated in Japan as Sayuri ) was published in 1997 and has sold 4 million copies in the United States .
Iwasaki agreed to an interview by the author because she thought she could help dispel the Fujiyama-geisha image of a woman who sells herself to her customers . She was shocked when Golden's novel turned out to be a narrative that contradicted her very intentions .
I want people to have a true understanding of the Karyukai ( the flower and willow world of the geisha ) of Kyoto's Gion quarter . This is why Iwasaki published her own memoirs , Iwasaki Mineko no hana ikusa - honma no koi wa ippen dosu ( The flower wars of geiko Mineko - - True love happens only once ) . In the book , Iwasaki writes without reservations about the personal relationships and complex give-and-take that go on between the women behind the ornate scenery of the flower and willow world . She also writes about the pride these women take in their artistic skills .
039 4 Just like everyone else , I read this book quickly . Yes , the book grabs you and pulls you in . But I couldn't help but wonder if my own curiousity concerning Geisha didn't drive me to keep reading . If this writer wrote another book I probably wouldn't bother reading it because I wasn't overly impressed . One of the main problems of this book is the lack of character development . I know that the book is supposed to be from the first person perspective , but IT IS FICTION and the author could have done more to develop the charaters . Many characters could have been explored more deeply to add rich emotional depth to the story . Such as the doctor with the strange hobby of collecting . . . well you'll have to read to find out . ( Readers will know who and what I mean ) . We never get to know the Chairman in any great detail . Also , what about the introduction of a wife of any kind to any of the rich men ? We never get the wive's perception of a Geisha . The relationship between bastard children and Geisha and danna and legit family could have been explored more . Religious sentiment of any kind is curiously minimal . Do not Geisha talk to God also ? The mention of the mentor Geisha going to the temple in memory of her aborted babies deserved further exploration . But it's just mentioned in passing . And that's the problem with this book . Everything is in passing . The story rockets forward and I'm still straining my neck looking back to try to look more at scenery and people zipping by before I miss it all . I felt like the author had a checklist of items to include and cover and the book becomes like a quick run through a museum . Too much ground is covered in too few pages .
In the end , there is so much more that the writer could have done . Another 100 pages of character development and this book would have been a modern masterpiece . I guess the choice of story vehicle of first person perspective is the limiting factor here . As it is , the book is pretty to look at , in a sense , yet unsatisfying .
Despite my grousing , this is still a good book and worth the time reading . My interest is piqued to find more books on the subject matter that perhaps will be more meaningful .
I hope I haven't turned anyone off from buying this book because it is worthy of reading .
040 4 I like reading books ; the only problem is that I don't have a lot of time , with school , work and other activities . Needless to say there are more books unfinished than finished , so when I wanted to read something , I bought Memoirs of a Geisha . I had heard a lot of great things about this book , so I went in with hopes held high . Never would I have imagined what I was in store for . I became entranced by the creative , clever and beautiful writing of Arthur Golden who paints a beautiful landscape with interesting and unique characters that you love , hate and love to hate .
You follow the life of a young Japanese girl , Chiyo as she is ripped from her family and sold into a lifestyle where every glance , word spoken , piece of exposed flesh has meaning . Where their virginity is auctioned and their existence is nothing more than being a mistress to a wealthy businessman . You experience her love , her hate , her friendships , her broken heart and her transformation into Sayuri , one of the most notable geisha in Japan .
You will find yourself reading for hours , only to look up with bleary eyes and wonder where the time went . The writing recreates Sayuri's world with such faith that it is difficult to remember that this is a work of fiction ; the best fiction I have ever read . So much so that I often had to look at the back of the book to read the Fiction / Literature label in the upper left-hand corner of the back cover . Memoirs of a Geisha is one of few books that I never wanted to end . This important piece of literature should not go unnoticed and if I could give it 10 stars I would with ease .
041 4 I began Memoirs of a Geisha with many reservations . I was certain that this would be another Western man's tepid little fantasy about a specific facet of Asian culture . But happily , Arthur Golden surprised and delighted me .
Memoirs of a Geisha is an imaginative , superbly researched , and well-written book . From the opening pages I was quite convinced that I was reading an actual Geisha's autobiography . The details of the geisha's life were compelling and quite believable . From what I understand , Golding performed quality assurance tests on his original manuscript by running it past several Geishas whom he had previously interviewed . Apparently , they faulted so much of the original manuscript that Golding rewrote the entire book . I applaud his persistence and integrity to that end .
The book does have its imperfections . For one thing , I found the protagonist's constant use of similes to be a bit superficial and fake . But who knows , perhaps Geishas used this sort of lexicon out of habit . I also found the story's resolution a little disappointing . It capped a superbly written story off with a Hollywood cliché and detracted a bit from the believability of the characters . But even with these flaws the plot was still superb .
I highly recommend this book for its imagination and attention to historical accuracy . Among other things it tears down a lot of Western stereotypes of Geishas as prostitutes . Contrary to some complaints that I've heard , very little of this book is sexual in nature .
042 4 A friend recomended this book to me as a must read . She was completely right . As soon as I picked up the book I couldn't put it down . This isn't just an adults ' book , I know teens who have loved it .
The mainc character Chiyo is determinded and caring . She has many obstacles to overcome before she can become a geisha . As her spirit changes so does yours . Soon you are captivated in her troubles and triumphs .
This book has deserved all the recognition it has received . Golden writes passage after passage of utter beuty . There is nothing you can do but feel with Chiyo .
I have not yet finished but can hardly wait to hear the rest of this captivating story .
043 4 Memoirs perpetrates an inexcusable fraud on the reader : it makes non Japanese readers think it is Japanese . Golden researched his book by gathering anecdotes and compiling them into a very Western story disguised as something Japanese . Most Americans trust his accuracy because they don't know better . I've lived in Japan 20 years , speak Japanese and enjoy Japanese literature . If one wishes to know about geisha , one should read English translations of Nagai Kafu stories , not pulp fiction from an opportunist who knows next to nothing about Japanese sensibilities . Golden's greatest crime , as he dares to pass himself off as an authority on Japan , is found in his completely ignoring the element of Japanese literature most central to the culture : a constant sensitivity to the seasons and their beauty . No Japanese , and especially not a geisha , would describe her kimono without reference to the relevance to seasons . Real Japanese literature is laced with seasonal references , both the conventional and the novel . Yet Golden makes almost no such references . The most striking example of this : he has a geisha practicing flower arranging ( ` ikebana ' ) using dogwood , in autumn ( the season - in typical Golden style - is not mentioned but can be deduced from context , as it follows a reference to a fall month ) . The tree was unknown in Kyoto at the time of the story . It was introduced by America as gift to Japan in return for the sakura ( cherry blossom ) trees given to America by the Japanese . Even today , its blooms are not used in ikebana , but if they were , that would occur in May , when the tree blossoms , not in autumn ! Three are other crimes : most of the so-called witty old Japanese sayings are Golden's own ; and - most seriously - the characters are Americans in kimonos , they are certainly not Japanese . If you must read this book , please do not imagine that you are experiencing anything Japanese .
044 4 I really wanted to like Memoirs a lot more than I did . My review is in two parts because I need to address both directions of my critique .
It is an enjoyable read , in a slighly potboiler mode . You get the tragic story of a young girl thrust into a life that she never expected . She is revered as an artist and work of art in her own right , but faces terrible suffering in a time of war . She faces abuse at the hands of the men that she was trained to serve , yet holds in her heart a pure love for an older man who stands as her masculine ideal . Yes , it does read a bit like a soap opera and some of the characters were outlandish and unbelievable , but it still was an enjoyable read and the first half of the book progressed quickly . The second half plodded a bit and I found myself starting to lose interest towards the end . It wasn't that it was bad ; the plotline had slowed and I think that the novel could have been wrapped up a few chapters earlier .
Now to the second point of my review . . . No one should ever take a fictional book as a resource on understanding a culture or period of history . As much research as Golden had put into his novel , it was clear that he was writing from the perspective of a westerner who has some misunderstanding of the history of the geisha and it's unfortunate that a reader who does not understand anything about the culture might come away from reading Memoirs with the idea that geisha were something akin to highly trained prostitutes . The novel basically ignores the deep cultural history of the profession and the important role that it has played in Japanese society .
Some of the more intense scenes , such as when Sayuri is sold by her father and the night when her virginity is auctioned off do have some basis in history , but the manner in which they were portrayed in the novel clearly indicates that the writer is from a culture outside of Japan . While the geisha and the prostitute were both creatures of the Floating World , there was a huge sea of difference between the two . Golden seemed to regard the rigerous training that Sayuri endured as a cruelty and the woman who enslaves Sayuri while ignoring the compact that normally existed between a geisha and the owner of the ochaya who usually shouldered all of the considerable expenses for maintaining and educating a geisha . Hatsumomo was my favorite character , but was the most unbelievable as a geisha who acted in this manner would quickly find herself losing patrons and the support of her ochaya .
This is historical fiction , and must be taken as such . I truly hope that people who were facinated by this novel will want to go and do research on their own regarding the true history of the profession . It would be very sad if they accepting this novel as fact and explore no deeper because they would lose out on understanding a very old and facinating aspect of Japanese culture that few westerners can truly claim to understand .
045 4 This review is from :
Memoirs of a Geisha ( Mass Market Paperback )
This book has been sitting on my to be read shelf for a long time , mainly because the teeny tiny little print that fills the pages to within half a centimeter of the edge filled me with trepidation at the apparently insurmountable task ahead . Fortunately , I took the coward's way out and watched the movie first , and this gave me the boost I needed to get started . Watching the movie first allowed me to put faces to the names , and to witness almost firsthand the intricacies of the rituals that are so intimately described in the book .
Suffice to say that I was completely captivated from Chapter one , and was even reluctant to put it down at the end . The novel tells the story of a young Japanese girl named Chiyo who is taken from her village in the 1930s and sent to Gion , to an okiya or geisha house . Her sister Satsu is also taken , but lacking Chiyo's striking beauty , she is sent to a house of ill repute . At first Chiyo dreams of finding Satsu and running away from Gion , but later realizes that this is never going to happen .
The resident geisha at her okiya is a jealous and arrogant woman named Hatsumomo , who sabotages Chiyo's progress towards becoming a geisha herself , leaving Chiyo in the unenviable position of being a maid for the rest of her life . Fortunately for Chiyo , a chance encounter with a wealthy businessman ( known as the Chairman ) opens new doors for her and this brief meeting changes the course of her life forever .
Soon , Hatsumomo's rival , an extremely popular and successful geisha named Mameha decides to take Chiyo under her wing as her little sister , and after the usual haggling over fees and royalties is completed , Chiyo finally gets her chance to continue her geisha training . An intense and vicious rivalry develops between the geisha tag teams of Hatsumomo and her trainee Pumpkin , and Mameha and Chiyo , who then assumes the geisha name Sayuri .
With the threefold purpose of defeating Hatsumomo , winning a wager , and paying off Sayuri's debts , Mameha orchestrates a bidding war between rich men for the apparently acceptable privilege of deflowering her young apprentice , the financial results of which set a new record in geisha history at the time .
Just when things seem to be settling down nicely , two events shatter the relative calm , and Sayuri finds herself torn emotionally by the reappearance of the Chairman , and then later , mentally and physically by the outbreak of World War II . After the War , she goes back to being a geisha , but has to choose between following her heart and following what seems to be the obvious path .
The film and the novel are different in several sections , even down to the ending , but of course the book provides a lot of important background information that could not be captured in the movie version , even though I'm not sure of the historical accuracy . I would strongly recommend them BOTH to anyone who is not familiar with the amazing gilded world of Geisha .
Amanda Richards , April 14 , 2007
046 4 This book has been sitting on my to be read shelf for a long time , mainly because the teeny tiny little print that fills the pages to within half a centimeter of the edge filled me with trepidation at the apparently insurmountable task ahead . Fortunately , I took the coward's way out and watched the movie first , and this gave me the boost I needed to get started . Watching the movie first allowed me to put faces to the names , and to witness almost firsthand the intricacies of the rituals that are so intimately described in the book .
Suffice to say that I was completely captivated from Chapter one , and was even reluctant to put it down at the end . The novel tells the story of a young Japanese girl named Chiyo who is taken from her village in the 1930s and sent to Gion , to an okiya or geisha house . Her sister Satsu is also taken , but lacking Chiyo's striking beauty , she is sent to a house of ill repute . At first Chiyo dreams of finding Satsu and running away from Gion , but later realizes that this is never going to happen .
The resident geisha at her okiya is a jealous and arrogant woman named Hatsumomo , who sabotages Chiyo's progress towards becoming a geisha herself , leaving Chiyo in the unenviable position of being a maid for the rest of her life . Fortunately for Chiyo , a chance encounter with a wealthy businessman ( known as the Chairman ) opens new doors for her and this brief meeting changes the course of her life forever .
Soon , Hatsumomo's rival , an extremely popular and successful geisha named Mameha decides to take Chiyo under her wing as her little sister , and after the usual haggling over fees and royalties is completed , Chiyo finally gets her chance to continue her geisha training . An intense and vicious rivalry develops between the geisha tag teams of Hatsumomo and her trainee Pumpkin , and Mameha and Chiyo , who then assumes the geisha name Sayuri .
With the threefold purpose of defeating Hatsumomo , winning a wager , and paying off Sayuri's debts , Mameha orchestrates a bidding war between rich men for the apparently acceptable privilege of deflowering her young apprentice , the financial results of which set a new record in geisha history at the time .
Just when things seem to be settling down nicely , two events shatter the relative calm , and Sayuri finds herself torn emotionally by the reappearance of the Chairman , and then later , mentally and physically by the outbreak of World War II . After the War , she goes back to being a geisha , but has to choose between following her heart and following what seems to be the obvious path .
The film and the novel are different in several sections , even down to the ending , but of course the book provides a lot of important background information that could not be captured in the movie version , even though I'm not sure of the historical accuracy . I would strongly recommend them BOTH to anyone who is not familiar with the amazing gilded world of Geisha .
Amanda Richards , April 14 , 2007
048 4 Upon reading this book , at first I was annoyed with the chain of seemingly petty mini story plots that soon revolve around a timeless girl-cat-fight theme , but found I couldn't put the book down . I was hooked . It is a very well written , well researched book , that draws the reader in , portraying a world completely different from our own , and besides , isn't that what life is eventually all about ? A series of seemingly petty everyday events , with a fight or two mixed in ?
This is an entertaining book to read . I am disappointed with the ending , however . The ending is much too much hollywoodish ; I feel that personality should really have won out over beauty in the end . That would have been more realistic and educational , instead of leaving us with the conjecture that beauty is everything here in life .
049 4 Although the book is fiction , it is so well written and researched that it feels real . The reader is introduced to a young girl aged nine who lives in a fishing village , called Yoroida , on the Sea of Japan . Her mother is ill , it turns out with cancer , and her father is a simple man , a man who works hard to make ends meet and provide a livlihood for his wife and two daughters . They live in a house that is described as tipsy because it sits near a cliff , where the winds blow so hard it make the house appear crooked . The story is told from the perspective of Chiyo , who became a beautiful reknowned Geisha in the city of Kyoto . Early in her training she encounters an important gentleman who gives her his handkerchief during a particularly low period in her initiation . He later plays an important role in her career and life . She remembers his kindness to her throughout her training and even after becoming a full-fledged geisha , she hopes to meet him again . She does meet him during some important functions yet , he indicates no recognition of her . Only after surviving many hardships during World War II and its aftermath , does she dare speak of the past to him and then he reveals many truths to her . . . Besides being an autobiography of an important geisha , the book is about survival , the indomitable human spirit . It is about romance and the strong bonds of love which survive despite many changes . . . all set within the unique culture of Japan .
Not long after her mother dies , Chiyo is visited by Mr . Tanaka , a local fish factory owner . He takes an interest in her well-being and it is to him she owes a debt for having saved her life . . . He had been an orphan , who later inherited the fish factory from his adopted parents . He saw a very bleak future for Chiyo and her sister unless someone intervened . He arranged for them to travel to Kyoto and enter training as geisha . Although Chiyo is separated from her sister , she managed to visit her , despite threats of dire consequences if caught during her training . The reader learns , the life style of geisha is not just about flower-arranging , serving tea , playing musical instruments , dancing for a patron or wearing exotic silk kimono outfits . It is about meeting certain expectations to please a sponsor , called a ' danna ' , who pays all her life style expenses voluntarily . In fact , he is the highest bidder - all for the privilege and honor of paying her expenses , for which certain expectations are his reward . Specific aspects of the geisha lifestyle are kept secret and mysterious . There are strict behavioral and honor codes . . . protocols . . . expectations . . . and monetary gifts .
The whole book is a fascinating reading experience which shows the rigorous training , the cultural initiation and induction of a poor fisherman ' daughter into one of the most hidden and secretive lifestyles of Japan . The reader learns to appreciate the spectacular and subtle behavior which is expected of a geisha . The behavioral and honor code is very strong . . . it plays a unique role in the Japanese society . What is most interesting is how the people who accept this unique cultural role deal with the social , community and national implications of this life . The reader is drawn into recognizing how the role is natural in its particular setting . . . Japan . There are many different reflections of feeling and thoughts about the role embedded within the fabric of the society in which it was born . The book is an artistic masterpiece in how the geisha lifestyle in all its myriad of aspects is revealed for the modern reader to understand and explore . This is a most highly recommended book . Erika Borsos ( erikab93 )
050 4 I didn't expect to like this book , but so many people raved about Memoirs , I had to pick it up and see for myself . MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA begins with a young girl Chiyo from an obscure fishing village in Japan . Her mother is dying and her father is old . When she unintentionally draws the attentions of a wealthy man from her village , she believes he will better the lives of her family by adopted her and her sister Chiyo .
To her dismay , Chiyo learns he's sold her to a geisha house and her older sister into prostitution .
This is just the beginning of a well researched and richly written tale of a young girl's struggle to become a top-flight Geisha . The wording is amazing and the voice of Chiyo / Sayuri sings out through the book .
This one is destined to be a classic .
052 4 This book follows the life of a ( fictitious ) geisha , Chiyo ( later Sayuri ) who is sold into geisha-dom at a young age . The bulk of the book takes place in her childhood and young adulthood in the years just before World War II . It follows her training as a geisha , her conflicts with another established geisha , and her pursuit of true love .
To my untrained eyes , the book seems well-researched and realistic . It removed some misconceptions about what geisha were ( hint : not prostitutes ) and what life was like in this lifestyle . It is exciting without being overly-sensationalized ; erotic and sexy without being pornographic . There is not a slow part anywhere in this book . The characters were convincing and the situations believable .
Highly recommended .
053 4 Some may find strange that I put that title , but so far , my experience has shown that good books are mostly the ones that get missunderstood , or reach too high for an unexperienced reader . Their only chance at fame is if they become classics .
So each year new products are presented , and over-presented and publicised , and among them books . We are flooded with so much mediocrity , that our standards fall , and we entertain ourselves as absent-mindedly as in front of a T.V .
So why is this book good ? First of all , I'd like to add counter-arguments to what has been written against it in other reviews .
- It's not realistic / non-fiction / accurately historical etc .
That's simple . It was never meant to be completely historical . It's Fiction . And realism is often misunderstood . If realism means portraying reality as it is , I'd go look out the window , or see a documentary , or read the dictionary .
- The characters are simplistic .
I may not know what Mr . Golden had really intended , but for me this book is a story . It's as beautiful as the stories I read as a child , the mythologies , fairy-tales , and phantasie pieces I loved . It has the same innocence even though , ironically , it's not about the standard Moral person . So for me , it matters not that the characters seem sometimes uni-dimensional . And they aren't really . The other characters inner life is not known , since the book is writter at first person . One can only guess , as in real life , what really lays beneath .
- Some reviewers seemed to emphasise that it's a story about a prostitute , it's not one , it isn't moral enough , she isn't moral enough . . .
Oh my goodness ! If literature would be about good moral persons going about their dull perfect lives , I'd die of boredom . People aren't like that . They're complex , and never have I found in my hole life a saint or a complete demon .
And to get all morally snobby over a book ? Even if the book was about a prostitute , I feel no moral superiority towards them . I must guess no one does that for pleasure , but of need , of lack of money , or chance of education , or alternative . But this is another disscution already .
It transmits emotion , one really feels emersed in the story , and all through the day I've been thinking about her , about a character in a book , that I never do often . Her comparisons are so vivid , so amazingly simple but representative , I'd love to read it again , just for that . ( remember onion life - just beautiful )
Bad things - a little slow with the ending , a little to happy an ending , but since I consider it a story , I'll let that go . That's it .
054 4 I notice that many of the negative reviews center on two criticisms : One , it was written by a man , and two , that it's not Japanese . The first criticism is simply inane . That implies any man who ever wrote a female character , or vice versa , wrote beyond their sphere of experience and was by definition flawed . Of course Golden has the ability to understand and get into the mind of a Geisha . The simple act of writing a female character in first person does not make this a bad book , and anyone who thinks it does is foolish .
Second , as for criticisms about the research , it is important to remember this book is a novel . Foremost it's a vehicle to convey a story while exposing the reader to a short timeframe of an incredibly complicated lifestyle ; which itself is a tiny component of overall 1930 ' s Japanese society . It is not meant to be a history book , not meant to be a dissertation on Geisha lifestyle , and it certainly isn't an attempt to emulate Geisha in Japanese literature . Again , to think this is anything other than a novel is foolish .
Having said that , this IS a very well written and engaging novel . It's a page turner . Golden has a rare gift of prose - the reader is drawn in and kept in suspense . It's not complicated or deep - there are no hidden messages or deep revelations . This does not mean , however , that it is a sophomoric effort . Rather than being one dimensional , the characters are quite multifaceted , and I can only assume some of the negative reviewers didn't quite understand that . Hatsumomo is clearly a woman on top of her game , who is scared to death of her future and will use her intelligence and amoral conscience to protect herself . Sayuri is an intelligent and resourceful woman who , rather than being a submissive doll , is determined to find her own path to stand and succeed , as did her mentor Mameha . And yes , it was a sexist , degrading world they lived in with few options . Golden says this verbatim through his characters . To reviewers calling this a work of sexism , what exactly DO you think 1930 ' s Japan was like ?
This is no a stellar work of literature . Golden never had any illusions as such . It's a simple , easy , engaging novel ; a good story , with mildly complex characters in a well-researched setting .
055 4 With more than a thousand reader reviews already written about this remarkable novel , I'm sure there's nothing much more that I can add to it . But I'd still like to comment that this has got to be one of the best works of fiction that I have ever read . Being a Westerner , the author is highly commended for seeking out painstaking details on one aspect of Japanese culture that is sadly often misunderstood , and injecting so much life into his characters that you feel for each one of them tremendously .
Although I was never one of those people who thought of geishas as prostitutes nor mere paid escorts , this book still managed to teach me a lot of things about their lives that I never knew before .
While reading this book , it was quite hard to believe that it wasn't actually written by a real-life former geisha herself . I had to keep flipping to the author's acknowledgements at the end of the book to keep reminding myself of that fact !
If you're in the mood for a novel that would take you on a breathtaking ride to another place and time , try this one .
056 4 Arthur Golden's extraordinary novel , Memoirs of a Geisha , is quite a deceiving piece of literary work . After reading the book , the only thought in my head was my astonishment of how it could possibly be a work of fiction . Everything seems so real as Golden captures the essence of the the town of Kyoto pefectly through his amazing description , from the hem of a woman's kimono to the crash of the waves of the river against the bridge . The reader is magically transported into a new world of dancing , singing , and extravagant ceremonies o the most diligient of artisans : the geisha . Golden's extensive knowldege of the lifestyles of geisha allows the novel to flow easliy , as if spoken from the mouth of an actual geisha . It is the lifestyle that most do not get to taste , especially nowadays with its dying culture , but Golden opens a window and breaks the barrier of tongue , race , or sex , allowing one to learn the fascinating stories firsthand and walk behind the main character , Sayuri Sakamoto , through the entire novel . An amazing aspect of Memoirs of a Geisha was the wonderful selection of metaphors and similes that Golden had chosen to use . It seems as if each com parison was carefully selected , using the most interesting terms possible in order to create a vivid picture in the mind . The way Golden is able to capture a spectrum of different personalities , from her wistful childhood to her independent womanhood , within the same person also makes a lasting impact on the reader . As Sayuri grows and evolves , the reader feels as if he is as well , which has a remarkable effect ont he sense of attachment the reader feels to her . Almost anyone would thorougly enjoy this gem of a book , especially those readers that are searching for an original plot and want to experience a completely different kind of lifestyle . Through this one book alone , a person is able to transport themselves to Japan in the mid 1920 ' s and live the enthralliong life of a geisha in order to find the beauty of a lost culture .
057 4 I don't think I could say enough positive things about this book in the space allotted ! I decided to read it because I was curious what a geisha really was . I know most Westerners think them to be prostitutes but to me that didn't seem to be the whole of it . Indeed it's not . They are very skilled and cultured women who for the most part entertain men with stories , dances , and games . But that's not to say there isn't a little of the other involved in the job description . Namely in the ritual known as mizuage , the selling of their virginity .
We learn about the life of geishas through a young Japanese girl named Chiyo . She was born to a poor family who painfully sale her and her older sister in hopes they'll have a better life . Chiyo is bought by a geisha house in real-life geisha district , Gion . We witness her struggle from maid to an apprentice and finally an actual geisha named Sayuri . The only problem that I could have with the book is the ending . I can understand why she ended up where she did . . . how else would she feel free to tell her story ? But the build up was so great with wonderful tales and exquisite detail that the end seemed a little abrupt . On a whole the book is still good enough to make up for it .
Read this book because it tells an amazing story filled with splendid characters , remarkable descriptions that make you see the story in your mind , and because you can't help but pick up some of the Japanese culture .
059 4 Golden is a man and he is not Japanese but if there was a female , Japanese pseudonym on the cover you would never question it . He demonstrates a deep understanding of Japanese thinking and tradition in the values and personalities he assigns to his characters .
He writes as Sayuri - a woman from a small fishing village - recounting his life story . Shortly after the story opens , Sayuri starts training to become a geisha ( geisha translates into English as art-person or artisan not as prostitute as many people believe ) . The geisha were women skilled in the social arts who entertained their clients with witty conversation , music and dance among other things . As with many things in Japanese culture , these arts are very ritualistic and require rigorous training of the type the West normally associates with the martial arts .
Sayuri's story , as she undergoes hardships to become a geisha and later as she takes her place in the social hierarchy , will amaze and bewilder people unfamiliar with Japan . It may even strike some as unbelievable but , to steal the old adage , fact has always been stranger than fiction .
I found the book an enjoyable , easy read . The characterization was good and , through the characters ' actions , Golden does a reasonable job of showing us the existence of some Japanese social norms such as tatemae ( public face ) and gaman ( tolerance and perseverance ) .
060 4 This is a novel that should satisfy any reader's appetite for characters who live and places that are real . The protaganist is Sayuri whom we follow from her involuntary servitide to an ' okiya ' , a sort of boarding house for geisha , through her training as a geisha , to her position as one of the most adored in her profession . Through the author's simple prose and ample , but not overstated , use of detail , we are able to be in Sayuri's world ; we are in the Gion teahouses with her while she displays her subtle graces to her wealthy customers and we come to understand the often intricate relationships between customer and geisha . Sayuri is a strong character who has aspirations even in the midst of the hardships of her servitute , the depression of the 1930s , and WW2 . She is not perfect and I frequently thought her unlikeable ; she is not immune from jealousy and treachery . But one very easily admires her strengths and is able to empathize with her actions in the setting of another culture . The author , who is male , has done his research well . He has succeeded in placing the readers in another culture and letting them enjoy the trip .
061 4 Wow . From the moment read its first words , it was impossible to put this book down at all . It really took my breath away . I'm surprised how well a Western author could , in such amazing detail , give us a first-person view of Japanese attitudes , lifestyle , and culture . This book makes want to visit the country all the more . In addition , I was captivated the emotional ups and downs of Sayuri's bittersweet life , from her heartwrenching separation from her family to her transition to life in a foriegn land . A well-written masterpiece overall .
062 4 I have read lots of books that were said to be great but Memoirs of a Geisha is the first that has lived up to all of its lovely reviews . The story begins with a young girl Chiyo-Chan , growing up in a poor town until being taken away from her family to a new town where the core of the story is . Chiyo-Chan now seperated from her family goes into training to become a geisha but it is not a smooth or easy road getting there . I strongly encourage anyone to read this book who would love to wrapped in a wonderful story !
063 4 The second I heard the * title * of this book , I knew I was going to love it . I have a weakness for fiction regarding Asian women ( Kitchen God's Wife ! ) , but even if I didn't , I would find this book amazing . Arthur Golden can write a woman's voice as well as any woman author I've read , and his attention to visual detail is near-perfect . I read this book on a 24 - hour train ride , and I ignored most of the gorgeous Pennsylvania scenery in favor of Sayuri's world . I don't care who calls this book a treacly romance novel , I don't care if Sayuri's obsession with the Chairman is shallow , this is quite simply the best book I've read this year . I wish I could gather my words together and say exactly what I feel about _ Geisha _ , maybe I'll write another review when I can , I don't know . All I can say is that this story enchanted me and rooted itself so deeply in my mind that I was left disoriented upon finishing the book , thinking I could turn around , go back to New York , and find some way to meet Sayuri !
064 4 _ Memoirs of a Geisha _ , by Arthur Golden , is a gripping biographical novel about the geisha Sayuri . It chronicles Sayuri's life from when she was sold as a child , until the end of her life in New York City . _ Memoirs _ is a fictional account of a real geisha , but make no mistake : when you find people named Mr . Snowshowers or Doctor Crab they were real people , but their names were changed so as not to embarrass their families .
This book reveals to the reader the world of the geisha - a universe foreign to western civilization . Even though geisha are sometimes seen as Japanese prostitutes , this is not always the case ; geisha means artist , and they are trained in music , dance , and tea ceremonies . The complexities of the ritual , and ceremony associated with being a geisha is mind boggling . For instance : kimonos come in one size . Every time a geisha wears a kimono , it must be tied by a specially trained person , so that it looks as if it were custom tailored , and an ornamental - not to mention complex - knot must be tied with an obi ( a long strip of silk ) around the geisha to hold the kimono together .
The thing that makes this book most desirable to read , is the vividly written passages . The story is told in the first person - through the eyes of Sayuri . The voice is that of experience , but in no way condescends the reader . The narrator keeps a comfortable psychic distance from the reader and feeds a desire in the reader to learn more .
Nota Bene : A close psychic distance would be when the narrator talks as if to a friend , and provides an air of familiarity , while a farther psychic distance is when the narrator talks with an air of formality , as an observer outside of the story to a stranger .
065 4 I really enjoyed the plot of this book - but then again , I always enjoy different spins on classic tales . It's interesting from a cultural anthropological aspect , and at the same time , that is where some of the problems stem from . In terms of authorship , the voice of the protagonist is that of Sayuri - but Sayuri is a projection of Golden's Western perspective of geishas . I'm sure he did his research , but the way the story is structured , it makes it difficult to remember that Golden is not the sole authority of cultural accuracy . In fact , the former geisha he had exhaustively researched and interviewed was quite unhappy with the resulting novel . Oh - and the whole mizuage practice - according to the memoirs of an actual geisha ( Geisha , a Life - Mineko Iwasaki ) - turns out to be a word that stands for a geisha's total earnings over a year . The same word is used for a prostitution practice outside the world of geisha in which men bid for some girl's virginity . Exotification and cultural fascination / missteps aside , I found his prose a little distracting from the story . It's as though he's trying so hard to be poetically Japanese in English translation , that his passages often come off as forced and overly embellished with flowery metaphors . To put it simply , he comes off as a Poser . Lucky for him , he's got a great story to tell . Defnitely read it if you're into Cinderella stories dressed up in kimonos , but I wouldn't recommend buying it .
066 4 After seeing the preview for the upcoming movie , I was instantly hooked . The very next day , I bought this book frrom Barnes and Noble and read it in one day . I have never read a more interesting and captivating novel .
This novel , based on the true story of a famous Geisha of the past , yet twisted to make it a fictional read , is unlike any other . It tells of the story of a 9 - year-old girl ( Chiyo ) sold by her family to a Geisha house , where she works as a maid for a few years before she begins her own training as a Geisha . At the time , one of the famous Geisha ( Hatsumomo ) is determined to see Chiyo fail by accusing her of stealing , and various other acts that only increase her debt and decrease her chance of becoming a Geisha , which is really the only option for success in her life now .
One day , believing the world is filled with only hardship and cruelty , she meets a man ( the Chairman ) who stops and treats her with kindess . From that point on , she is determined to become a Geisha in order to meet him again .
Her struggle is absolutely captivating . She is trained by Hastumomo's rival and main enemy , Mameha , another very popular Geisha at the time . This novel describes , in detail , the life of a Geisha , destroying the idea that they are mere prostitutes ( as Westerner's tend to believe ) .
In Chiyo's ( now Sayuri , for that is her Geisha name ) Geisha-life , she is pushed by Mameha into a life with President Nobu of a famous company , while the Chairman is mere inches away as Nobu's business partner . It is not until the end of the novel , past her Mizuage , losing her only childhood friend , Geisha school , Hatsumomo , her first danna , the war , and her struggle to ultimately be with the Chairman , that she realizes the Chairman has known who she was from the first time he saw her again as a Geisha and has wanted to be close to her .
I wish I could go into more detail about the novel , but becaus of it's length , it would be very difficult . This novel takes the reader from the very first step - even before Chiyo is sold - to the very end of her life . I would suggest this novel to anyone who is fascinated by the Geisha , or Japanese culture in general . It's a novel that will be impossible to put-down , or ultimately forget about .
067 4 Memoirs of a Geisha , had to have been , for me , the most captivating book i could have ever read.I foud myself drawn into a world of sadness , happiness , jealousy and exotic surroundings all at the same time . Because I couldn't wait to see what would happen in the next chapter , i said up till 4 : 00 or so in the morning to finish it . This story follows the life of a girl named Chiyo-chan who was ripped from her family and way of life in a small , poor village , to be transported to a new and modern town . In this town she will learn to become a geisha and goes to live in a okiya ( a type of apartment ) . There she is tormented by an older geisha , and tries to run away , to no avail . She looses all hope as the mother ( or leader ) of the okiya fails to believe in her , and very soon , Chiyo believes she is doomed to be a maid the rest of her life . Till one day she meets a man , who would forever change her life . Chiyo was only 9 she was taken from her parents . i'm 13 , and the thought of living chiyo's life is terrible , and it makes me thankfull that i live in this time in this place . Memoirs of a Geisha will make you think , with its vivid imagry and the rich history , it will soon turn into a book you will not be able to put down .
068 4 I bought this book after seeing a middle-aged businessman devour the book on a flight to Chicago . He was so completely engrossed in the novel that he didn't acknowledge the stewardess prompting him for his meal . By the end of the flight , he had finished the novel . The constrast between the concinnity of subject matter and the bulky stature of the businessman in an awkward airplane set made me curious . What made him so enthralled ?
After I read it , I knew why . The novel was an absolute delight ! I read it in a single sitting despite my attempts to put it down so I could savor it . Mr . Golden delves deep into the character of a credulous child maturing into a woman jaded by the Machiavelistic ways of her lifestyle . He has an exquisite manner of depicting stirring detail and feeling so that you actually feel the high sash of the kimona digging into your ribcage . The book is sprinkled with jewel-like analogies such as as describing love as a stone dropping into a well .
If you like to be educated while you are entertained with elegant ( yet concise ) prose , this is the book for you . It reminds of Under the Tuscan Sun in a way , because you learn the culture of a society , while you befriend ( or at least emphatize with ) the main character . At the same time , you learn tasty bits of trivia ( whether it be ribolitta or waxed hair ) .
After reading the book , the character names ring familiar as if they were your own friends .
Gobbled up by me and a random American male businessman .
069 4 Memoirs of a Geisha is one of the best books that I have ever read , it is beautiful , very well written and realistic . It intrigued me so much , that I do not think I could put the book down once until I had finished it ! This is not one of those books which you have to read 100 pages to get into the story - it throws you into the tale of a country girl , who is sent off to become a geisha . It is so convincing , that it was hard for me to believe that it is not an auto-biography , but fictional . The descriptions of details amazed me ; the clothing , the tea houses , the clients , the other geishas , the environment , the places . . . it was as if I was there . I wanted more as soon as I had finished the book , I could not get enough of it . There are not words worthy to describe this masterpiece ! A recommendation for anyone with an interest for culture !
070 4 I am compelled to tell you right up front - this book is a visually evocative , rich and full of magnificent detail , such that you can feel the texture of the silk , almost smell the aroma of tea and sense the tightly ordered society . It was , in that regard simply one of the most transporting experiences a reader can have .
From the moment one begins , it is as if you can close your eyes and see the narrow streets , sense her fears and dreams . And then it all goes wrong . Early on , one sees what the protagonist must resolve . We know the issue , and it is in its resolution at the end that I take umbrage .
I came along for the ride , and found no satisfaction in the neat little happy circle of the book's ending . For all his work in creating a universe for us to live in , and based on all that had gone on , happy ever after should have been tempered - or at least distanced itself with at least some reality .
I enjoyed the book , I loved being ingratiated into its society , and culture . But alas at the end , I wish it closed better than in fact it had .
Read it , it's worth it , just take what moments of pleasure it provides . After you've put it down , you shall want something a little more than the denouement . Sip your tea - it will pass .
071 4 This book was brilliant , and beautifully written . I guess the main thing you should realize is that it is fiction , although Golden based some of it on his interviews with Mineko Iwasaki , one of the best-known Geisha of her time . When the book came out she sued him for breach of contract , he had named her when he said he would not and she said he misinterpreted Geisha - that they were not high class prostitutes as she felt they were portrayed in the novel .
Whatever the situation , this is a magnificent piece of writing , and highly recommended .
Sayuri's mother died when she was a child , and her father sold her into slavery - you get the impression this was done because he knew he would die soon too and wanted to make sure his daughters were looked after . They were sent to the Gion district in Kyoto and Sayuri taken in to an Okiyo ( Geisha House ) as a maid . Her sister was not so attractive and was sent to be a prostitute in a different district .
Sayuri nearly ruined her chances of becoming a Geisha by being rebellious and trying to run away . When she realized that ' outside ' there were very few opportunities for her , she decided she wanted to become a Geisha and was taken under the wing by an older ' sister ' - a well known Geisha .
From this she rose to become one of the most famous Geisha of all time . During this time she entertained many men - but not ina sexual way . The Geisha were entertainers but not prostitutes - they were kept women by a successful man who they would join with in a ceremony - although not marriage .
Through all this she is in love with a man who appears to not know she is alive .
The descriptions are wonderful , the writing colourful , I really felt I was there .
Highly recommended .
073 4 I started reading this book because of the movie that was being made of it . I also became interested in it because in a small way , I was part of this whole phenomenon . I was hired as an extra in a scene of the movie adaptation . I started reading this novel and it was apparent from the first few pages how deep the story was going to be . I lived through the eyes of Chiyo who became Sayuri in the process of becoming a geisha in Gion . As I read through the pages , I felt all the emotions and went through all the experiences , mostly painful ones , of a young Chiyo and the turbulant years of the prominent geisha Sayuri . It's amazing how Golden , who is a Caucasian male , can submerge the reader as a Japanese Geisha in a very convincing way . As if Golden himself was Sayuri . Golden in fact puts us in Sayuri's shoes feeling all the emotions , good and bad of her world . When I was reading the last pages of the book , I felt so much sadness for Sayuri that a few tears fell from my eyes . The book covers her whole life , from her childhood life in Yoroido up to the end of her life in New York . The book was written in the manner that Sayuri was telling her life story . The story touched me and has given me the conclusion that our memories and the people we know or have known before have impacted us in some way and the memories of them and our experiences with them will become bitter sweet in our final days . I'm not sure how the movie is , upon writing this review , I have yet to see it . But I do know the book is an excellent read and will also burn in your memory with a bitter sweetness .
074 4 But now I know that our world is no more permanent than a wave rising on an ocean . Whatever our struggles and triumphs , however we may suffer them , all too soon they bleed into wash , just like watery ink on paper .
And so ends this beautiful story of a woman , a time and a culture .
The story begins in a small fishing village where Chiyo lives with her stoic father and dying mother . Unbeknownst to her , her father sells her into slavery to a renowned Kyoto geisha house . There she transforms from the lost little girl with unique grey-blue eyes into the famed geisha , Sayuri . She trains from the age of nine in the arts of dancing , music and conversation for the sole purpose of pleasing men .
Based on historical fact and vividly written in the first person , this fictional woman tells of her life in beautiful kimonos at lavish parties with the rich and famous . But she also tells of virginity sold to the highest bidder , rivalry and treachery among geishas - - and lost love .
This first novel's strength is its ability to take the reader right into the private world of the geisha in 1930s , pre-war Japan . Readers from the West are introduced to this exotic setting where women appear as both pampered slaves and accomplished performers .
The author's attention to well-researched detail is richly enhanced by his elegant prose . The current version of this best seller is tied into the upcoming movie based on the book . This is a novel that will translate perfectly onto the screen .
Armchair Interviews says : Memoirs of a Geisha will touch you in an intimate way .
075 4 Golden transports you back to the 20 ' s to a time when the Japanese culture revered the women called Geisha . These are the memoirs of on such geisha Nitta Sayuri . These memoirs follow Sayuri from her sad youth were she is ripped away from her fracturing family to her being the proprietor of a tea house in New York in old age .
Sayuri , Chiyo in her youth , is adopted as her mother is on her death bed . She is sold to the Nitta Okiya , where she will one day train to be a geisha . Her sister is separated from her and sold into the red-light district on the other side of town . Chiyo must persevere the fracturing of her family , seemingly insurmountable debt to the okiyo , and the evil intentions of a geisha named Hatsumomo . With the help of a kind gesture , Chiyo finds the strength and courage to continue the path of being the geisha Sayuri . With the help of Mameha , Sayuri is able to do so successfully and to rid herself of Hatsumomo .
This is a great book that should help break the stereotypes that geisha were prostitutes . Not to say that they did not have sex . This book has enough sexual content that I would not recommend this book for children or teens . It is a great story and ultimately a love story . Golden has Sayuri describe things in such a poetic manner that you cannot help falling in love with her . The reader feels her every disappointment and revels in her every victory . Golden develops the plot in such a way that causes the reader to second guess Sayuri and for her to prove everyone wrong .
This is a great novel that I would suggest to any adult . Contains sexual content .
076 4 There are many great things I could say about this book , but what amazes me the most about Memoirs of a Geisha is that it's a work of fiction . Arthur Golden does a marvelous job of transporting the reader to 1920s Japan , where a young girl is sold to an okiya and overcomes numerous struggles to become one of the most prestigious geishas in all of Gion . We witness how young Chiyo transforms into Sayuri despite the greedy owners of her okiya and the antics of Hatsumomo , a sadistic geisha who does everything in her power to prevent Sayuri's success . Memoirs of a Geisha is also a love story of sorts : Chiyo's chance meeting with the Chairman when she is a young girl is an event that shapes her destiny . However , as Mameha says in the novel , women become geishas because they have no choice , and they are forced to make massive sacrifices because of it .
I absolutely loved this book . Parts of the story are heartbreaking , but Golden throws some great humorous bits into the mix for the reader's enjoyment . This is a novel that I couldn't put down : I stayed up until after 3 a.m . because I HAD to finish it before going to bed ! Everyone should make sure to read Memoirs of a Geisha before the much anticipated film adaptation is released this winter . . . I can't wait !
077 4 This novel gives an in-depth view of Japan through the eyes of a true Cinderella . Sayuri's saga gave me a new understanding of the ways and customs of traditional Japanese culture prior to , during , and after WWII , starting with her small village and following her to one of the grandest cities of her time . This true story left me with a sense of peace , that though the storm may rage fiercely and thunder against you , someday , the winds will calm , the clouds will part , and life will once again continue in the sunshine .
This narrative is given in first-person , so the reader can truly identify with Sayuri and put themselves in her shoes . . . or laquered zori , I suppose . The way in which she speaks has a certain poetic quality , and it made me enjoy it more . She tells the story in a way that allows even a reader without any education on the Japanese culture to understand .
This is certainly a good book for those with an interest in Japanese history and customs , or anybody who believes in Cinderella stories . Thisis not your typical girl growing up book ; it is the story of how a girl struggled against herself to become a reknowned geisha , from the most humble of beginings .
078 4 I found this book to be mesmerising . I never knew much about Japanese and Far Eastern culture , however this book , so articulate can take you into that worls without much effort . I don't know much about how truthful the details are of the story , but I couldn't leave it until it's finished . And when you're done reading you'll be overwhelmed with that slight sadness that now you have to hit realisitc grounds again . Fantastic story , and based on it I bought about another 4 - 5 Geisha books .
079 4 I have never read a book so quickly in my life , I just couldn't put it down . Arthur Golden has done a magnificent job really capturing the reader . I felt that Sayuri was right beside me telling me all about her life . I felt so many emotions from excitement to anger to happiness and sorrow . Japan is so rich with culture and history and I strongly recommend it if you are a woman who has an interest in Japan and its unique ways . This story takes you away into the streets of Gion , Kyoto in Japan growing up with Sayuri from childhood to the wonders of womanhood . This is an eye opener . I am keen to read more .
080 4 I have never read a book so quickly in my life , I just couldn't put it down . Arthur Golden has done a magnificent job really capturing the reader . I felt that Sayuri was right beside me telling me all about her life . I felt so many emotions from excitement to anger to happiness and sorrow . Japan is so rich with culture and history and I strongly recommend it if you are a woman who has an interest in Japan and its unique ways . This story takes you away into the streets of Gion , Kyoto in Japan growing up with Sayuri from childhood to the wonders of womanhood . This is an eye opener . I am keen to read more .
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
081 4 Memoirs of a Geisha caught my attention because I've always been very interested in Japanese culture . When I began reading , I had pretty much no background on this book , and , honestly , I had no idea it was fiction . The first half ( or maybe a little less than half ) of the novel was extremely believable . The characters were realistic , and I could feel the confusion of Chiyo as her life started to change . The story's delicate details , conveying elements of Japanese culture , only further convinced me that I was reading a factual account .
This was not the case throughout the entire novel . I began to wonder whether this story was fact or fiction around the time Hatsumomo was introduced . I suppose she is meant to represent the competitive , jealous nature that having to depend on others for success can bring out . She played a major role in the story , yet she was developed so poorly that I can only describe her as cartoon-like . Rather than be depicted as delicately as the details that Golden wove throughout the story , Hatsumomo was not a believable character . She wasn't human ; I was tempted to believe she was the devil incarnate . It was almost as if Golden thought the reader would be stupid to pick up on certain aspects of a geisha's life if he had been more subtle . This dissapointed me greatly .
Nonetheless , I was still very impressed with the details throughout the story - the details alone earned this story 4 stars . By carefully describing rituals ( the auctioning of virginity ) , types of makeup ( and even the lead makeup that geishas had formerly worn ) , hairstyles , kimono ( the intricate knot , the fabric , the people whose job it was to tie them ) , and even the business-like atmosphere that surrounded the seemingly magical geisha , Golden incorporates feeling into the novel . Using this detail , he powerfully illustrates that even though a geisha is taken care of , she belongs to other people . The pain that goes along with this reality is forcefully fed to the reader , and almost makes up for the cartoon-like Hatsumomo .
If you are interested in Japanese culture or geisha ( or want to become interested ) , you should read this book - you will most likely find it extremely captivating . However , do not read it solely for the plot , because there are many books with more devloped characters and stronger plot lines than this .
082 4 Of course I am not a Japanese geisha . But for being an Asian and exposed to the popular Japanese culture in Taiwan , we were ruled once by the Japanese and imagine how much Japanese culture has influenced our life past , and even now . Young people nowadays are very much crazy about Japanese dramas , the fashion , the music , and the food . Japanese Tv programmes are aired on TV 24 - 7 . I can say that I much understand how exquisite the auther had considered in the details . And the tones , and the way of thinking , that just so overwhelm me . I need not to tell the whole story again but to express how vivid that I saw thorughout the line of words that I can almost translate them right into Japanese and will accurately click . It's unreal ! ( Too real actually ) I would recomand anyone who is interested in finding out a path to the Japanese culture and the art of a geisha ( NOT a prostitute for those who have no ideas whatsoever ) , a story about grwoing up to strive for the untimate passage of one's life - - - searching for destiny and not giving up one's hope . But most of all , an affection so strong that changed the course of its own life . Using the forces of nature and observations of our lives to describe the very inner feeling of ourselves , no more words are needed . Just a gentle touch and all is understood . I love this book .
083 4 I reluctantly read this book , because I warily disdained it as a simple romance , but I would be dishonest if I didn't admit that I enjoyed it . The first third of the book , when Chiyo ( who eventually becomes the geisha Sayuri ) and her sister are sold into childhood slavery , was especially disturbing and powerful , and the historical and cultural details throughout are fascinating , although I found my interest flagging occasionally as the novel proceeded toward its somewhat predictable conclusion . Sure , the book is another Dickensian Cinderella story ( it's also like Claire Booth Luce ` s The Women at times ! ) , but its creative chutzpah , competent prose , and epic qualities ultimately won me over .
The book's naysayers ( few as they are ) often level two accusations . The first charge is that the story misrepresents geisha . The detractors often cite as evidence the lawsuit against the author by Mineko Iwasaki , a retired geisha whom Golden interviewed while researching his book . Of particular embarrassment to Mineko , for example , is the sale of Sayuri's adolescent virginity to the highest bidder - - a practice that has all but disappeared in Japan over the years . In Golden's defense , however , the novel is set in the 1930s and ' 40s - - well before Mineko was even born . Although he may have incorporated some of Mineko's experiences , Sayuri is clearly Golden's own creation . Ironically , Mineko's lawyer herself acknowledged at a press conference that the book succeeds , at least partially , in its attempt to represent a geisha's point of view . ( ' ' All the buzz about ' How could a man get so inside a woman's head ? ' Well , the answer is , it's her [ Mineko's ] story . ' ' )
A number of readers also denounce the book because a white man has dared to write from the point of view of a Japanese woman , or that the book is Westernized and therefore illegitimate . I do think this is a valid criticism : it irritates me , for example , that Golden gives Sayuri blue-gray eyes , as if this all-too-Western feature is needed to make her truly beautiful . ( Why not cinnamon eyes , for heaven's sake ? ) In addition , the book's dialogue is peppered with Americanisms ( Hey , Really , Heavens , no ! ) ; according to an Salon article , the translator of the book into Japanese had to rewrite much of the prose to make it seem more authentic .
Yet Golden himself seems to realize he must view this culture through a Western prism , so , with a wink to his reader , he Westernizes his character and adds an American intermediary . At the time she tells her story , Sayuri has lived over thirty years in New York ( almost twice as long as she spent in the Gion district of Kyoto ) , so that she and her memories are assimilated to some degree , and she dictates her story to an American translator , who then transcribes her memoirs for an American audience .
Overall , then , the fact that Golden has written a novel ( as another reader put it ) from the vantage of a person who is completely removed from himself in time , space , culture , and gender is not enough on its own to condemn it ; numerous authors - - from both East and West , from Shakespeare to Nabokov - - have succeeded doing exactly that . For a debut effort , Golden's novel is pretty impressive .
084 4 I had no idea what to expect from this book so it was a great surprise to find that I could not put the book down . And when I did have to put it down , I couldn't wait to find a few spare minutes to pick it back up . I learned about a way of life that I never even thought about and it was written in such an interesting way . The story of this geisha captivated my interest in a way that few books have ever done . I don't want to give any of the story away or tell you what it's about because you probably already know that . I just want to tell you that for me to read a 400 + book in a few days is highly unusual . I have picked up 4 books since this one and just cannot get into them because they don't even began to compare with memoirs . The author wrote in such a beautiful style . Just read it and you will know what I am talking about .
085 4 I don't know why it took me so long to finally get my hands on a copy of Memoirs of a Geisha but I am glad that I finally took the plunge and bought it . Once you open the book , you will find yourself absorbed in Sayuri's world ; a world full of decadence where men shower geisha with expensive gifts and engage in betting wars over a geisha's virginity . Besides the expensive gifts , Golden does not completey glorify the geisha profession , but also shows the dark underside of it : the beatings , harsh training , sexual harassment , and the objectification of women .
Memoirs of a Geisha is the ' memoir ' of a peasant girl Chiyo who trains to become a geisha in Japan during the Depression . However , the book does not just detail Chiyo's training and schooling , but her struggles to find her sister who was sold into prostitution and her assimilation into the geisha culture . There are also some pitfalls along the way as Chiyo must deal with her rival Hatsumomo , who tries to ruin Chiyo's chances to become a successful geisha .
I'll stop there with the plot because I do not want to give much of it away but I definitely think that this book is worth a read . I found it more engaging and beautiful than Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club , which is an excellent novel , but does not compare to the originality and brilliance of Golden's ability to write from the perspective of a nine year old girl as she matures into a woman . Memoirs of a Geisha is the type of novel that you wish would never end !
086 4 At first I was wary of reading this book because of its acclaim and because I was worried that a foreign treatment of the geisha might be biased or inaccurate . I still can't say whether this book had been an accurate portrait , but as a story , it is probably one of the best books I've read this year .
Memoirs is a well-written , plot - and character-driven story . It's written in a way that's reminiscent of Wally Lamb , but this is unique in its own way . Never was there a moment where the story sags or slow down . It's a rare and enlightening look at a secret culture that's both elusive and seductive .
The ending is always hard , especially for a book like this where you want to see everything wrapped up . There is no perfect ending , and given the bond that author Arthur Golden created for me , there would be no adequate ending that won't make me miss Sayuri .
088 4 This novel , about a female named Sayuri who becomes a geisha in the Gion District of Kyoto , Japan , will reach out and pull you in so tight that you can not put the book down . I have never read a book that allowed me to feel as though I was having a private conversation with the narrator while she told about her time as a geisha . The technique that is used creates a very real atmosphere because she alludes to both the past and the future . What is most amazing is that Sayuri isn't even a real person ! Sayuri's story is brilliantly told , outlining every detail of the life of a geisha . Even the way a geisha carefully applies her daily makeup and how she fastens the obi of her kimono . Memoirs of a Geisha will move you from the beginning to the end of the book with energy , stamina , and beauty .
089 4 Fascinating . Amazing . One of the best books I've ever read . As many other people , I had trouble believing the main character was not a real person . I have heard people complaining about how passiveness and petty dreams of the protagonist annoyed them . Yes , Sayuri might have a strange outlook on life and what happiness is all about - but that's strange only to a person of a western culture living in the 21st century . For a woman in that place and time , that sort of thinking was probably an accepted norm . Not only does Golden give great insight into a life and culture so totally alien to us westerners , he also paints it so colorfully and believably that it's hard to put this book down . Bravo .
090 4 As a half-Japanese woman who has always had that side of me sublimated by my Western culture , I seek out Asian books - - especially those about Japan and Japanese culture . After I took a class in the Japanese narrative , I thought I was very cultured and smart , and I thought , in all honesty , that this book would be trite and annoying ; I admit that I was a bit skeptical .
Well , I was proved wrong . Geisha transports the reader back to another time and place . It is mystical , magical , informative , controversial , well-written , touching and clumsy ( in a good way ) all at once . I was instantly drawn in by not only the characters but the setting and the plot . Even if you have no interest in Japanese culture , this book is outstanding . Highly recommended !
091 4 The only bad thing about this book is that it comes to an end . I was so enthralled in the story , that when it ended I felt a yearning so strong , like I was missing a part of my life . It is difficult to pick up another book after this because I want to have this experience again - but you never know when you will be lucky enough to find it .
092 4 A vibrant , picaresque novel from the very beginning ! I was moved , I was maddened , I was sad , I was nervous . The attention to deatil in every aspect is eye-opening ! Memoirs of a Geisha is an unforgetable story of a young girl sold by her father , her struggles with the truth , her acceptance of good fortune and her everlasting love for a man with true compasion . There really is much more ! Pick it up , read it and discover this poignant memoir .
093 4 What can I say bout this book but that it is amazing ! Simply one of the best books I have read in my life - and I've read a lot ! Compelling characters , intriguing plot , colorful people and places , not to mention the fact looking into the lives of Geisha - and all written by a man ! I find it very insightful ( a la Wally Lamb She's COme Undone ) . I could not put this book down , as the plot really draws you in . It encompasses so many human emotions - despair , jealousy , longing , triumph , betrayal , and love . I could go on . . . and on . . . Just read it and you'll see !
094 4 I hardly enjoy reading books these days . As a sophomore in high school , I'd rather watch Dawson's Creek or go shopping . But when my mom gave me this book to read , I was captivated by it . From the first page , I became engrossed in Sayuri's world and amazed by the life of a geisha . Golden's prose is unbelievably poetic and i loved the way he described every aspect of a geisha's life . This is not like the usual memoirs i have read ; I found myself staying up till 3 in the morning reading as much as i could until my eyes failed me .
095 4 Before I started reading this book , I was never really interested in the Japanesse culture . But once I started reading it , I was not able to put the book down . It simply introduced me to a world that is not common in Western Culture . I always thought a Geisha was japanesse for prostitute but they were more than that . Not only did they entertain men but they were hostesses , taught to be well-mannered ladies and educated in the arts . Not only did this book captivate me but introduced me into the world of Japanesse culture . I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about this culture .
096 4 I couldn't put this book down ! It's an intimate portrait of a way of life that is often closed off from Western view . Imaginative writing and strong characters keep you reading , dying to know more . As I read the other reviews , I notice that some people don't like the book because of the non-feminist geishas . They're missing the point . The book isn't judging geishas ; it's simply giving us an in-depth look at how they lived . The fact that the geishas sometimes hated each other and used men just makes it realistic . In fact , the author was able to take a woman from that strange world and make her likeable and knowable . Yes , it would have been perfect if the ending were more fleshed out , but all in all , it's a very interesting study of a fascinating people .
097 4 At my age , which is 15 , most people the same age as myself do not prefere to read books this many pages in length . To me , all those pages are like a candy bar beckoning me to have a taste of it's sweetness . With this book , I had a taste of the harsh cruel reality of what a Geisha's life must have been like , and it wasn't at all sweet . I can honestly say up until now I didn't have a clue to what a geisha was , only that they were very elegant and refined women . Golden's book made me get up and research this topic and I now have vast knowledge of this subject that I hope all of you will want to share the same passion I was so honored with . I want to thank Mr . Golden for writing this book and making me more interested in the cultures of these mysterious woman in Japan . Again , I think you Mr . Golden .
098 4 Memoirs is one of the most enjoyable and intelligent books I've read in some time . It is rare to find a novel which is a joy to follow , a page turning addiction and an education all in one . This is one of them . I've always been interested in Eastern cultures , and here I find one of the seemingly best researched books on a geisha . Not only does Golden's work clear up some misconceptions and stereotypes , but it provides an abundance of information about the life of a geisha . It's fiction , but reads much like an autobiography . Even in the earliest chapters , we can hear Sayuri telling us her story , and we try to cheer her and steer her through the trials and tribulations of her young life . The reader in me was quite fulfilled through a majority of the book . The characters , with the exception of the Chairman , are very well developed , and each possesses a strong personality . This book , aside from the story itself , taught me a lesson : that sometimes the way we want a book to end is not necessarily the best ending . Those of you who have finished it may agree . I was hoping for this particular ending from very early on , but for some reason , I think now that I've read it , it might have been a stronger finish had it taken another twist . That aside , this is a thoroughly entertaining and fulfilling read , which I've already recommended to three of my closest reader friends .
099 4 As I read Golden's very detailed descriptions of Kyoto I felt like I was transformed back to Kansai where I lived for some time . However , as much cultural and linguistic knowledge I had of Japan , I was like most Westerners in thinking that geisha were nothing more than high-class ladies of the night . Golden's novel and careful research completely dispels this image . His description of Sayuri and her life immediately drew me into the character and I felt that I completely understood her life and hardships in her quest to be come a geisha . The technical descriptions of kimono , mizuage , hairstyles , and the day-to-day life in the okiya are very accurate ( as confirmed by my Japanese roomates ) . Golden's only fallacy in his novel is the convenient storybook ending . For an atypical book , an ending which illustrated how much Sayuri had grown in character and fortitude would have been more powerful . Golden's novel is unique in that not many books have been written about geisha and their private world . More importantly , an American male undertook the task of writing this remarkable story .
100 4 I'm a rare voice of disappointment : Geisha intrigued me early on - I'm fascinated by Japanese culture . But I became bored with it's stiff documentary feel - it felt as if it was compiled from a wealth of information , but without a heart . The characters did not come alive , the scenes did not shine for me . Many times I retried reading it and at last gave up .
101 4 Everyone screams praise of Golden , but most of the Japanese women I know who have read this hated it , as do I . Golden may have researched and trained for ten years , but my own music and dance training by a geisha taught me that geishas take twice that to train . A Westerner who attempts to write about Easterners is fine , but do not claim you can ever understand the nuances of a culture or that you are an expert on something when its obvious you are not . I was so insulted and continue to be that such horrible indiscretions about my culture continue to exist and are pedalled to be true by so many uneducated people . Being half American I am so ashamed that we believe a work of FICTION as truth so desperately . Its not about political correctness , its about misunderstanding a people .
102 4 I am Japanese and I do not like Memories of Geisha much . Golden portrays our culture well , but this story really is a fairy tale and I hate its ending . He knows ( studied ) about Japan , but he does not really know how Japanese people really are . Considering the fact that this , after all , is an American novel , it perhaps does not matter how Japanese people think of this story . Yet , I do not accept his story , and I don't want Americans to consider it to be the truth about Geisha . My grandmother and her mother were geisha and I know the fact more than Golden does .
As a fairy tale , this story is well done .
103 4 Memoirs of a Geisha , a novel by Arthur Golden is a captivating look into the mysterious and often misunderstood world of the geisha . Through his eloquent narrative and vibrant characters , Golden is able to paint a picture of the multifaceted life of geisha , while at the same time giving an accurate historical depiction of geisha culture .
Golden's story showcases the life of a young Japanese girl that is sold into slavery during the Great Depression . At the age of nine , she is taken to Gion , which is the geisha district of Kyoto , and sold to a wealthy geisha house . Sayuri starts her life in Gion as servant in the Nitta Okiya where she is habitually tormented and abused by the powerful senior geisha , Hatsumomo . Just when Sayuri thinks that her life is hopeless , she is befriended by a beautiful geisha named Mamaha , who teaches her the art and tradition of geisha life . We watch as Sayuri grows into a successful geisha and encounters many trials and tribulations .
Not only does Golden give a mesmerizing account of geisha life , but also offers the reader a picturesque view into the beautiful scenery and traditions of Japan . Vivid descriptions are given of people , places , and events as to enhance the story's richness . Down to the last detail , Sayuri is able to describe these things in a way that makes you want to know more and more . In a description of her traditional geisha dress she says , Now I had to walk all around Gion in the shoes we call okobo . They're quite tall and made of wood , with lovely , lacquered thongs to hold the foot in place . Most people think it very elegant the way they taper down like a wedge , so that the footprint at the bottom is about half the size of the top . But I found it hard to walk delicately in them . I felt as if I had roof tiles strapped to the bottom of my feet .
But perhaps the most interesting part of Golden's novel is the comparison of attitudes toward geisha in Eastern and Western culture . Eastern thought regards geisha as well respected and beautiful , while western thought seems to view geisha as the equivalent of the American prostitute . By challenging this way of thinking , I believe that Golden successfully able to crush any stereotypical beliefs the reader may have had before reading this novel .
Through Sayuri's life , Arthur Golden offers the reader the opportunity to truly appreciate and respect the life of a geisha . This is a gripping coming of age tale of a geisha that will completely absorb the reader .
104 4 I read Memoirs of a Geisha because of the incredible acclaim of the book . Yet , I feel very unsatisfied with the story and also feel suspicious about the motives of the author . To this day I am not trully sure I know what a Geisha really is . I guess we all need to take this book as a work of fiction and realize that we are viewing the Japanese culture through the eyes of an American author . The book itself was entertaining and should be praised as such , but let's not consider ourselves more informed about the Japanese culture after reading it . . .
105 4 I'm convinced this book has gotten so much attention because it was written by a man about a woman ; not because it's a great book . I enjoyed reading about the details of life as a geisha . In fact , I think I would have enjoyed the book more if it had stopped there . I like love stories , but this tried and failed to be one . It's obvious throughout the book that Sayuri will end up with the Chairman , but why should we care ? The contortions the plot had to go through to bring it off were sometimes awkward and far-fetched , particularly Sayuri's method for ridding herself of Nobu , and the Chairman's explanation for why he'd never pursured her . Sayuri starts off as such an interesting person , but that fizzles once she becomes a geisha . It's understandable that her behavior would have become more conservative at that point , but she would have been a more interesting , and believable , character if her thinking had remained as full of spirit as it was in the beginning of the book . Read it if you want to know about the life of a geisha , but don't expect a believable plot .
106 4 I really liked this book for many reasons . First of all , for it's historic content . It is clear that the author did proper research and based the details of the life of the Geisha on fact . It was a good story and a fluent read , well written without rambling prose and irrelevant descriptions , which is so common with novels these days . However , Golden did manage a very delicate way to describe events and things that held one's attention . I loved reading about the artistry of the Geishas , not just their role as prostitutes . The only reason I was tempted to give four stars is because the end was weak . Sure we all like happy endings , but the way Sayuri was set up in New York by the Chairman ( hope I'm not ruining it for you ) , is a bit of a fairytale ending , but then , this is fiction . In all fairness , I do give five stars because of the way it was so eloqently written . It must be hard to know where to go with such a story . Would recommend this book to everyone .
107 4 Indeed it is fascinating to get a peek into another culture , and yes , I learnt something about geisha culture , although I am careful to remember it is not first-hand .
But the story isn't great . The fumbling Sayuri seems to lack intelligence or insight - while some may see it as simply a reaction to the constraints of her situation ( plenty as they are ) the protagonist does not kindle my sympathies .
She also seems to only understand the world through similies ( there are at least a hundred in the book ) . I find it funny how the similies are so ' exotisised ' somehow ( and I'm not referring just to the ' eel ' one which everyone is so enamoured of ! ) Is this how a Western author might think Asians think to themselves . . . ? As an Asian I just find it a little artificial , and I hope not everyone thinks geisha think that way ( that is a danger of such ' cultural ' books ) .
Character motivations could have been elucidated .
However , the book had some entertainment value ( much of it in the politics surrounding sex and the lush detailed descriptions of kimonos - an old trick of romance novels to focus on clothing ) and the research makes it interesting . Bestseller material , not necessarily classic - no where near Jane Austen !
109 4 I almost find it hard to believe that a man wrote this book . We are so realistically placed in Chiyo's mind , in her world . It is a very eloquent novel about faith and patience with life . Chiyo is said to be like water - put an obstacle in water's path and it will flow around ; but over time , water can carve stone . It also brings the reader through the transformation of Japan during the war - as the very culture , so perfectly constructed and tightly followed , was cracked open . A very beautiful and inspiring story .
110 4 I must say many factual parts were well-researched , and the author succeeded in portraying a life of geisha who survived in the early 20th century . Overall , the story is entertaining and enjoyable even to Japanese . I was very impressed by how well the author described beautiful kimonos and how Japanese people behave .
However , as a native of Japan , I found some awkward descriptions here and there . I found it hard to believe that so much use of poetic metaphors from someone like Sayuri , a geisha . My guess is that the author elaborated most metaphor parts based on the facts in order to make the story more romantic . Some elaboration was O.K . , but the author did too much of it and made the story less realistic . The author attempted to convince readers that all geisha are not prostitutes by explaining that there are classes of geisha ranging from lower class prostitutes to higher class successful geisha who had privilege of luxury and more freedom supported by their Danna . It was nice of the author that he makes efforts to correct many foreigners ' misconceptions about geisha to protect their dignity , but his novel failed to do it . Why mizuage was involved in exchange of money and the geisha's feelings are the least of concerns ? Owned by Danna , whom the geisya does not necessarily love , provided main source of income from him that allows luxurious life in exchange of her sexuality is no different from a definition of prostitute . Since it is a fictional story , I should not expect too much accuracy and understanding of Japanese from an American after all .
The movie was disappointing though I know many westerners loved it . I admit , the scenery and music was extraordinarily beautiful , but frankly , I was disgusted by Hollywoodization of the original . Ironically , the movie only strengthens my stereotypes of how western males think of Japan ( ; - P ) .
111 4 This book was the book that made me start to read .
So I hold this book very close to my heart .
This book actually had me crying like a little girl and I don't care because it's one of the best books I've ever read .
I think the only thing i would change about it would be the way it ended , it was like hitting a brick wall . I don't know there's no other way of explaining it .
But I would get two copies of this book because you're going to go back to read it many times more after .
112 4 It was an engrossing novel & I liked learning about details about the geisha . One could clearly see it was well researched . However , I found some of the characterization to be too much from a westener's point of view , & certainly not something an Asian female would do or say at times .
113 4 As a teenager i didnt read a lot . My mom suggested Memoirs of a Geisha to me . I couldn't put the book down . I would sit and read for hours . I finished it within 2 weeks . I was acutally sad when it ended . I've seen the movie and I loved it , but to me the book was a million times better ! ! I never knew something to be that good ! Now I am hooked on reading , I cant thank my mom enough !
114 4 This novel was a step out of my comfort zone , which is usually a mystery novel or crime thriller . So to read a novel like this , I was a little scared . I am so glad I did .
I picked this up because the movie was getting ready to come out and I wanted to read the book first . I was very pleased with the way the characters and places come to life with every detail . As I was reading , I could play a sort of movie in my head , because everything you needed to see was written down . This is a one of a kind story and I don't think any other novel about this culture would compare .
115 4 When my daughter decided to read Memoirs of a Geisha , I picked it up as well . I like to keep up with what she's exposed to , and perhaps I can add to the content , or explain difficult concepts . It's a good way to share a common interest as well . With that mindset I picked up this novel , hoping to keep up with her . That turned out to be impossible . She finished it in two days , and it took me a week .
There wasn't anything for me to explain , there weren't any loose ends to tie up , and there weren't any inconsistencies for me to analyze . Like Dickens and Austen , Golden knows how to tell an epic . An epic that tells the life story of one woman , Saruyi , the deaths of both a culture and a country , Imperial Japan , and the birth of two new nations , post-war Japan and America .
Saruyi is stolen from her home and forced to live a life she didn't choose . She comes to grips with circumstances forced upon her by rebelling and excelling in that order , but masterfully throughout this isolated story of an emerging Geisha celebrity Golden weaves the world events as an integral part of this life .
The major theme throughout this tomb is sacrifice . Saruyi sacrifices her feelings , her humanity , for the life she's forced to lead because to maintain that humanity she'd have failed at being a geisha . She sacrifices everything to be the best , yet at the same time Japan was sacrificing everything for its own dominant aspirations .
Without giving away any spoilers , Saruyi sacrifices everything many times over until she finally figures out that what she really wants , and that's what she lost so many years ago when she was sold away - her innocence and her free will . While the ending is a bit contrived , it works to redeem the storyline .
Here's to a story filled with great themes , amazing scenes , and a story arc worthy of the classics . Here's to great conversations with my daughter over a beautifully told story .
- CV Rick
116 4 So much has been said in praise of Memoirs of a Geisha that I'm not entirely sure what I can add . The story is enthralling from the very start ; Arthur Golden draws the reader in by vividly painting not only his main character , but everything around her . His attention to detail and surrounding pay off in a sumptuous novel that is hard to put down .
Memoirs of a Geisha , while fictional , reads like an autobiography , and indeed the author's research and use of interviews with a geisha are evident in the book . We meet the narrator Chiyo-chan when she is a young girl , daughter of a poor fisherman , whose mother is at death's door . Chiyo longs for a better life and secretly hopes that she will be adopted by a local , weatlhy businessman ; however , different plans are in place for Chiyo and her sisters Satsu , as they are sold into a world of virtual slavery . Torn apart from her sister , Chiyo finds herself in training to become a geisha in the Nitta okiya , but her stubborness costs her . With her training at an end , she is destined to become a maid . But her whole world changes once again , after a chance encounter with a wealthy man , known as the Chairman , who makes her long to become a geisha after all .
The rest of the novel is devoted to Chiyo's training in becoming the geisha known as Sayuri . And in everything she does , her focus is to gain attention from the Chairman . A long-held Western perspective is that ' geisha ' is equivalent to ' prostitute ' ; rather a geisha is more like a mistress or a kept woman . Their task is to beguile and entertain men who will become their patrons .
Memoirs of a Geisha is a captivating read - the vast majority of the characters are vividly drawn , but the narration can get restricted through the viewpoint of Chiyo / Sayuri . Readers wish that her main adversary , Hatsumomo , was given more background , and the Chairman seems to be the one character who is given the least attention . This is odd since he is the focus of Sayuri's entire life , but he remains flat and the ending of the novel , when Sayuri achieves everything she dreamed of , is rushed and somewhat unbelievable . The reader almost begins to root that things won't turn out how the narrator wants them to . In spite of that , Memoirs of a Geisha is a fascinating read that is a magical glimpse into a vanished world .
117 4 It's interesting that I tried to read this book several times , at the recommendation of friends who loved it , however I could never get into it . When I saw this audiobook , I jumped at the opportunity to try again . Having the story told to me by such an outstanding reader made all the difference in the world . I loved the vivid descriptions and the attention to detail . It's truly amazing that a male author could write such a clear picture into the geisha lifestyle with such intrigue , sensitivity and historical accuracy . It's obvious that a lot of research went into this story ! I realize that I missed some parts by listening to the abridged version , but now I feel inspired to go back and read the book someday , or at least see the film , which I heard was so visually stunning ! This is definitely a fine work that far exceeds all the hype surrounding it !
118 4 I was at first alittle apprehensive when purchasing this book because I wasn't sure if I would really like it or get into it . But I am extremely happy that I tried it out because this one of my top favorite books now . It tells the whole life story of this little girl named Chiyo who was taken from her poor little fishing village , Yoroido , to Gion to become a geisha . She encounters many hardships and challenges in her new life that could easily have destroyed her , but she strived to survive . This is a rags to riches kind of story , in that this poor , beaten down girl evolves into one of the most popular and successful geisha of Gion , all because of her perseverance . It was beautifully written , tieing in the exquisite culture of Japan with the life struggles of a rising geisha . If you are going to read any uplifting and motivating book any time soon , this is definetly the one to read . Although struggles accompany her almost to the very end , Chiyo - later renamed Sayuri - never gives up and takes her life into her own hands .
119 4 Memoirs Of A Geisha is an informative novel that will forever remain in the reader's mind . This novel tells the story of a young girl's childhood and continues on until she is an old woman . We see her ascent in Gion as one of the most sought after Geisha's of her time . Although this was a wonderful book in my opinion , it certainly wouldn't appeal to all audiences . A mature female would be most able to appreciate this story .
There are many reasons people enjoy books . Some people enjoy the thrill of being scared , others love crying over a heart wrenching Nicolas Sparks novel . However , what makes this book so likable is how relatable it is . The audience most likely has very little knowledge of Japenese culture and of the life of a Geisha ; this book is a wonderful introduction to that society . Although the audience may have never even heard of a Geisha , they will be able to relate to the emotions she is forced to deal with : homesickness , grief , loneliness , elation , sexuality , dealing with authority and love .
People that enjoyed Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah would also enjoy Memoirs of a Geisha . Although Chinese Cinderella doesn't deal with the life of a Geisha , or even Japanese culture , it does introduce the audience to the Oriental world and the differences in lifestyle .
The author wrote this novel in the first person . He focused on vivid description to help bring the audience into the setting . However , at times , he described some very disturbing images that stay with the reader . Also , he includes sporadic use of Japenese words which can be difficult to follow , especially since there is no glossary . Even so , Memoirs of a Geisha is a wonderfully informative story sure to captivate the hearts of its readers
120 4 I loved this book ! The simple , almost Zen-like imagery of pre-war Japan was hypnotic . The world of the Geisha is truly a world within a world - - one with many twists and unexpected turns . Truly , an education for any Western-born person .
121 4 When I first bought this book , I had pretty high hopes for it . The beautiful cover wasn't the reason - although it did help . It was because I was looking forward to a more sheroic novel , so maybe that's why I disliked it so : because I just had something else in mind .
The book seemed to go on and on . I couldn't quite figure out Sayuri's obsession with the Chairman . Not only was she around thirty years older than him ( I agree with her that age doesn't really matter in love - to a point ) , but she had only seen him once as a child , and she obsessed with him for the rest of the book .
The only time I enjoyed reading it was when she was learning to become a Geisha .
The book must have been well-researched , and the author obviously knew much about geisha and their lives , but the books was depressing most of the time , and it gave me a very helpless feeling .
And concerning the subject that a geisha is an artist , not a prostitute . . . Well , they certainly have to use their brains more than a prostitute . They have to go through training and learn instruments and how to dance . But , after reading this book , I'd call them high-class prostitutes who have more choice about whom they spend their time with . Just like the back of the book said , a geisha's virginity is auctioned off to the highest bidder .
Of course , the man she ends up with is already married ( they all are , so don't let this shock or spoil the book for you ) , so it makes the reader ( or at least , made this one ) feel cheated and disappointed . I guess it just demonstrated harsh Japanese culture , because Sayuri felt lucky and truly blessed to be a geisha - although I shudder and may agree a small amount when I think of her sister .
The book left me feeling disappointed in mankind in general , because there were no real characters in the book , besides perhaps Nobu . Sayuri was desperate and not incredibly smart ( although she wasn't dumb , I'll give her that ) .
The descriptions were rich ( either beautiful , or grim , gritty , and harsh ) and caused strong feelings , so the writing itself is good . It was also captivating ( although not because I was enthralled . It was mostly because I was waiting for it to get better ) .
In short , if you're looking for a happy , lovely novel about a dancing and exotic Japanese girl , don't think you're going to get any of that in this book . It was a good book , and certainly enlightening , but very sad and depressing .
122 4 MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA is a novel and the character of the geishas is only Arthur Golden's inventions . But the novel presents a seamless authenticity of a hidden world full of complex rituals , ruts , regulations , and machinations . Interwoven between first - and third person narratives , the novel is a geisha's reflection of her life that began in early twentieth century , in a remote fishing village Toroido . A little girl was sold to an okiya in Kyoto where she worked as a maid . Upon separation from her older sister and after the death of her parents , she lost all hope and her dream of seeing her family shattered . All that was left in her were confusion and confusion .
Since the outsiders have limited knowledge of a geisha's profession , even though the geisha might be in a less favored position to observe incidents around her , Sayuri might have left a record of herself that is far more complete , more accurate , and more compelling than any previous account . Arthur Golden has presented a character , a geisha from the 1920s , to deliver a powerful account that reconstructs nuances of a mysterious profession .
The incessant chores , the acrimonious okiya mother ( headmistress ) , the constant bullying from the jealous geisha in the house made the little girl's life more difficult . It strengthened her determination to run away . Her futile attempts to escape enraged the mistress and forfeited her opportunity to get the training to become a geisha . Chiyo ( Sayuri was her geisha's name later ) ineluctably faced a bleak prospect as her debts to the okiya stacked high . Since nobody made a decision to become a geisha , her only choice was to at least complete apprenticeshipand hopefully made enough money as a mediocre geisha to pay back for her living expenses and lessons . One can see that being a geisha is no more than a total surrender of self and will .
Chiyo's road to become a geisha was thorny . She was constant the target of bullying from a senior geisha who hated anyone more successful than she was and who thrived to rid of all prospective rivals . Even though the senior geisha had falsely accused her , faulted her , and rendered her debut a standstill , her determination to become a geisha did not spring from the inventive to revenge on her enemy . The driving force was to attract a man who was as gentlemanly as the one who gave her a coin when she first arrived in Kyoto . This is the heart of the novel : in the geisha's world where appearances are paramount and where love is scorned as illusion , our little heroine has steered her whole life toward winning the affection of one man whom she admired .
The geisha world was about putting on the most impeccable appearance in order to attract a long-term patron ( danna ) who would sustain a relationship like a business deal . In other word , a true geisha would never risk to blemish her reputation by making herself available to men on a nightly basis . Even though she would not pretend she never gave in to a man she found attractive , she had to be extremely careful and discreet about any serious romantic relationship that would jeopardize her relationship with beneficiaries . A geisha , like our heroine , was advised against any circumstances that would diminish the chance of anchoring to a powerful danna . A geisha was to put on the best show to fish for a sponsor . Therefore , on the account of the exquisite fabrics that draped a geisha and the strict ceremonial measures , the most severe rebuke a young geisha was likely to receive probably wouldn't be for performing poorly , but rather for having dirty fingernails , tousled hair or having poor manner . Every aspect of a geisha's life is used to secure an affluent tutelage , is programmed to success , which is gauged by money . Behind the impeccable beauty was painful melancholy .
In a world where a girl's virginity was auctioned to the highest bidder , MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA illuminates how inexorably a geisha must comply to the complicated ruts in order to sustain popularity . It beguiles the reader as much as the geishas beguiled the most powerful men ; and immerses the reader in an exotic territory with its nuanced portraits of lives in the okiya and the gion ( geisha district in Kyoto ) . The novel spans over sixty years encompassing the Great Depression and the Second World War , following which sees the downhill of the geisha industry .
125 4 I never would have picked up this book and read it but a friend loaned me this book and urged me to read it . I thought I'd have to force my way through it but found it to be very captivating and difficult to put down . I never knew exactly what a Geisha was but I guess I had some of my own ideas . Turns out their life was completely different from what I had thought . This book shares the difficulties and hardships of a young girl torn from her family and all she knew in life . You felt her pain and struggles through Mr . Golden's writings . The characters are so bold and well described . Several times while reading the book , I was shocked at how well a man could convey what a young girl must've been feeling . You honestly forget that this wasn't a woman writing about her own difficult life . I would encourage anyone to read this book .
126 4 Memoirs of a Geisha are a fictional account of a real geisha , but make no mistake : when you find someone named Mr . Snowshowers or Doctor Crab they were real people , but their names were changed so as not to embarrass their families .
I thought the idea of a fictional Memoir was terrific - and I actually thought the Translator's Notes added to the whole . Many great authors of the past have done such things in an attempt to draw the reader deeper into a chosen world ( for example , the foreword to Lolita , where Nabokov says the book could not have been written were the protagonists still alive ) . Clearly , this is a work of fiction - I mean , where did you find it on the shelf ? So get over your idea that this somehow belittles real memoirs and enjoy the artifice , just another detail in a richly layered narrative .
This book reveals to the reader the world of the geisha - a universe foreign to western civilization . For instance : kimonos come in one size . Every time a geisha wears a kimono , it must be tied by a specially trained person , so that it looks as if it were custom tailored , and an ornamental - not to mention complex - knot must be tied with an obi ( a long strip of silk ) around the geisha to hold the kimono together .
The thing that makes this book most desirable to read is the vividly written passages . The story is told in the first person - through the eyes of Sayuri . The voice is that of experience , but in no way condescends the reader . The narrator keeps a comfortable psychic distance from the reader and feeds a desire in the reader to learn more . This is not my usual style of book at all , and in fact I've never been interested in Japanese culture . But I was so swept away by this book and the lifestyle depicted that I couldn't put it down I truly enjoyed reading the book in part because of the author's genuine interest in Japanese culture and the effort to transmit the culture to English readers . Highly recommend for those who enjoys a good read on world culture .
127 4 This review is from :
Memoirs of a Geisha : A Novel ( Paperback )
I was totally disappointed by the Disney-style happy-ever-after ending of the book , which I found to be totally out-of-place and ridiculously unrealistic . Perhaps that was what attracted the movie makers . But the book ( excluding the ending ) has lots of merits . It is a striking parallel to the movie and book Raise the Red Lantern , set in China . When women are reduced to slaves and prostitutes ( geisha in this case and concubine in Raise the Red Lantern ) in a male-dominated society , when their livelihood depends solely on appeasing the other sex , they will turn upon each other , trying all means to destroy one another so that they will be the only one holding men's favor . Women can be as poisonous and merciless as you can imagine when it is a matter of survival . I think that's a very relevant point to make and the author certainly succeeded in bringing it out lively for most part of the novel .
128 4 I was totally disappointed by the Disney-style happy-ever-after ending of the book , which I found to be totally out-of-place and ridiculously unrealistic . Perhaps that was what attracted the movie makers . But the book ( excluding the ending ) has lots of merits . It is a striking parallel to the movie and book Raise the Red Lantern , set in China . When women are reduced to slaves and prostitutes ( geisha in this case and concubine in Raise the Red Lantern ) in a male-dominated society , when their livelihood depends solely on appeasing the other sex , they will turn upon each other , trying all means to destroy one another so that they will be the only one holding men's favor . Women can be as poisonous and merciless as you can imagine when it is a matter of survival . I think that's a very relevant point to make and the author certainly succeeded in bringing it out lively for most part of the novel .
129 4 . . . memories that never actually existed for me ! But the writing of Mr . Golden was so vivid and imaginary - I felt I lived everyone of Sayuri's lives . . . from her innocent childhood as a fisherman's daughter to a geisha-in-training maid and finally . . . an exquisite geisha with her destiny cruelly within reach - yet untouchable .
I read this book before the movie , in complete order and without any spoilers and was shocked to Golden's concluding claims that the stories of Sayuri were all fiction . It wouldn't have matter nonetheless because many true memoirs are dull lifeless claims and I suppose that some fictions can have contrasting effects . M.o.a . Geisha was definitely one of these as I'm sure Golden intended with the beginning translator's notes and his in depth research and interviews of several geishas . It was obvious that not only did he lived through their lives in telling this story , but he was entirely familiar with early Japanese culture and the effects of WWII . And for an American man to portray a Japanese woman so precisely - that alone required extraordinary talent .
As far as the narrator , Nitta Sayuri , she lost a lot of modesty towards the end and perhaps it was the training of composure and confidence in geisha school , but I felt more compassionate towards her longing for something other than a man . Which goes to say that Golden did a terrific job with the speed and position of the climax since Sayuri's humility lingered on just enough so she can finally and deservingly glow with vanity .
Not that I would score it any less than 5 stars but I was also a little ( just a tad bit ) disappointed with the Cinderella effect towards the end . Golden told the story without any modern opinions of what true love and Western marriages should be and although it would seem to a geisha like a happily ever after ending , we 21st century women very well know that her glass slipper was a little too tight . Thus , the irony in Sayuri's lifelong happiness is perfectly fitting for a geisha in that you can have everything you've ever wanted in life , yet it still remains empty .
130 4 This became one of my favorite books . Very well-written and captivating . I found it very difficult to put down . From the very first chapter you will be captured by an outstanding and interesting story . Highly recommend to anyone .
131 4 I hadn't wanted to read Memoirs , but saw the ad for the movie , and it peaked my interest . It has been one of the best books I've read in a long time . Intense , beautiful and very human . Read it !
132 4 First , allow me to say that this is not my typical book to read . I tend to drift more to fantasy and horror and only picked it up as a curiosity . What I found was one of the most beutiful pieces of fiction that I have ever read . Seeing and experiancing the japanese culture through this characters eyes provoced emotions that very few books have ever evoked . How do I summerize it , beautiful , tragic , somber at times , or perhaps simply acknowlege it as what it is : a work of art that I will ask my friends to experiance because it defies even these words .
133 4 I anxiously await both the film version of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code and Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha , due to be released this December 9th . Golden took years to organize his research on the life of the modern 20th century Geisha . An expert in Japanese culture akin to James Clavell , Golden weaves a tale of realistic immediacy and we are genuinely concerned for the plight of this particular Geisha , loosely based on one of Japan's most renowned Geishas . Upon reading this novel , one learns the kind of life that geishas live and this is significant as a work of social study because geishas are still around today . The geisha in this novel was brought up in a poor home , thea daughter of a fisherman , and was sold to the highest bidder to give up her virginity . She is a fascinating woman , with an intellect and soul that even the men in the novel lack . She is ABOVE them , she is pulling the strings , albeit using her feminine charms and beauty as a weapon . And what a weapon ! She becomes the mistress of several wealthy patrons and finds the man of her dreams in what appears to be genuine romantic love . A Geisha is the equivalent of the Western courtesan , a mistress , the lover of wealthy and powerful figures , namely royalty . Very few Geishas ever found real love and never married , though marriage was not forbidden . It was just that few of them even cared to marry for love . Most of the patrons they were paired with were normally married anyhow . This Geisha is sympathetic and her very human condition makes us care for her . Every detail , every glance , every phrase is so utterly perfect . The only weak link is the villain / rival whose motives don't seem to be anything other than jealousy of her beauty and how she attracts more men . I hope the film does this book justice . It is perfect Book Club material and even a book to be read in high school or college . Probably more suited for college if the class is on Japanese studies .
134 4 This novel gives us a wonderful insight in the world of real Geisha's , that already belongs the past . . . Most people very unfairly consider Geishas as courtesans or exclusive prostitutes . The truth is , they were ( and some still are , but very few nowadays ) true artists who's lives were filled with sophistication and beauty , but , on the other hand , they were totally devoted to improving their artistic skills ( singing , dancing , playing shamisen , the tea ceremony etc . ) for a price of their personal lives and happiness . Golden's story amazingly delivers unique atmosphere of Japanese tradition and the smart plot twists keep us fascinated throughout the whole novel . Highly recommended .
135 4 Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden is a novel based on the life of a young , confused Japanese girl named Chiyo . Born into a poor family , Chiyo knows life can be very difficult . However , she does not realize how much of the world lies beyond her ` tipsy house ' and Yoroido , the small fishing village she has lived in all her life .
She does not come face to face with the reality of how cruel the world can be until she is torn apart from her family and sold into geisha training .
From the novel , you are taught about Japanese culture before and during WW2 . From the moment I picked up the book , I was compelled to read on . The story grips the reader with its romantic theme and competitive plot line .
The story is told in a first person narrative by a girl about my age ( I am 14 ) . By reading this novel , I was bewildered by what the average young girl my age would go through . The culture of the Japanese truly shocked me . I had no idea of all the customs and traditions they have . I consider myself lucky to have been born into the 20th century . I don't have to worry about the stress that comes with being a young apprentice geisha .
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is ready to be captivated by yet another heart warming story . Memoirs of a Geisha is truly unique and unforgettable .
136 4 This is a monumental book about a girl who is trying to find what life will keep for her , and in this desperate seeking she loses her parents , and then is selled to a Okiya . . . And this is the real history begins .
This book leave us a beautiful message of resignation and sumission that in our western and modern lives we cannot appreciate . I've changed my mind about how to face my problems with a new point of view , Sayuri leave us her compassion in this history that will keep your whole attention if you open your mind to get into a trip that will show you values that are very close to vanish .
137 4 A friend of mine recommended this book to me . I love the ability to discuss books intelligently with friends so I took her recommendation and was very happy I did .
While this book is fiction , it's presented as a factual memoir . There may be some discrepancies at times with Japanese lifestyles , geography and the era in which it takes place , but I didn't really notice . I don't know much about Japan , especially during the period between the 30 ' s and 50 ' s . I really enjoyed the imagery and the way the author made me feel like I was the main character at times , feeling the same feelings she would have felt at various parts of the book .
When an author can make the reader feel something , especially if it isn't an emotion we let loose freely , I see that as success . At times I was so absorbed in this story that I had to remind myself that this was a work of fiction based on the author's research .
I thank Arthur Golden for writing such an interesting novel . My time reading this book was very well spent .
138 4 I currently live in Japan and picked up this book on a whim to further educate myself in japanese culture , and because I needed some entertainment . You can read all the other reviews about what the book is about . I just wanted to pay homage to this book , because I haven't read a book of this caliber in years . I won't say I'm the most educated man on the planet or well versed in great works of literature so that I might be able to better indentify great works . This book leaves you with a bitter sweet feeling of awe . I'm glad the author wrote this book , and I hope others will take the same satisfaction as I did . I write this review now , only because I was soo taken by this book and felt compelled to somehow repay the author . All and all , this is a great book that washed out that befuddled feeling that I had after The DVC . Great book . . .
139 4 Memoirs of a Geisha is a fictitious , rags-to-riches story about a girl who is separated from her family and sold into slavery at an early age . Having been plucked from her humble hometown of Yoroido , protagonist Sayuri is taken to Kyoto , where she suffers several agonizing years as a maid , before eventually becoming a successful Geisha . Sayuri is a courageous heroine , that harbours romantic ideals and great hopes .
Author , Arthur Golden , sheds light on Japanese culture , traditions and superstitions , while informing the reader about the Great Depression as it affected Japan . Golden brings this bygone era to life with great insight as well as imagination , and his meticulous research shows , to great effect . Memoirs of a Geisha is vivid to the point of pain , it is sometimes harrowing , but the conclusion is ultimately life-affirming . Sayuri's courage and triumph over her losses is both admirable and inspiring . Arthur Golden's use of descriptive language is beautiful , and is as effective as the storyline itself , in compelling the reader to eagerly turn the page and read on .
Memoirs of a Geisha is every bit as good as readers and critics say it is . It's enchanting , and convincing as it bares the truth about Geisha-life , while telling one Geisha's unique life story .
140 4 First of all , I am a pure Russian that has grown up in Japan and moved to America . So I know how the Japanese customs and its culture and nature . This book ingulfs your soul and spits you out in the Japanese scenary . I couldn't help but smell the blossoms and see all the nature surround me while reading this book .
This book is excellent in many ways . It is truly amasing how a man ( the author ) can enter a woman's mind that easily . The whole book is stated from a geisha's mind and for me to accept that a male author , an AMERICAN male author , wrote this mind of a female Japanese woman is simply breathtaking . I recommend this book to EVERYBODY it is my favorite book , and can be yours = ) .
141 4 Great book - light and delicate language , good humor , an interesting insight into a woman psychology and . . . such a frustrating ending ! I was horrified when the beautiful world created by Mr . Golden suddenly started to turn into something you can see only on a soap-opera channel ! Perhaps if I havent read the last pages of the book I would have given it all 5 stars . Maybe it still deserves more than three , but I'm just so angry . .
142 4 Overall , I really enjoyed this book . It is among my favorites . I found myself being introduced to a foreign culture , and Arthur Golden does an excellent job of relating the reader to the characters . I learned so much about Japanese culture and the life of a geisha . The author's beautiful prose took me back to a time and place of hanging lanterns , and of course , geisha . This book does a good job of showing that geisha are not prostitutes , like so many people think , but are rather dignified entertainers ( Sanchez 2003 , 1 ) . I agree with this quote . The author definitely has beautiful , and yet simple and easily comprehensible , prose . His detailed writing helps to bring the foreign culture alive for the reader . Also , he does dispel many common misconceptions about geisha , including the thought that they are prostitutes . He shows us the many aspects of a geisha's life . I felt very connected to Sayuri's trials , successes and experiences . The ending , while disappointing , could have been worse . The main disappointment is that the ending came off without a hitch , unlike most of Sayuri's other experiences . I expected some sort of hitch , and I was disappointed that the ending seemed a bit fairy-tale like . It amazes me that a forty-year old American male can put himself into the heart , soul and mind of a young , Japanese female and make her thoughts and emotions seem so real to the reader . I felt throughout the book as though I was reading the writings of a female .
143 4 This morning I finished Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden . It is a phenomenal book . I don't think I can summon the words to describe how I feel about the book now that it's pages I can no longer turn .
I will share how I felt about the book when I realized I was five chapters from the end . I almost cried . Never has a book unearthed a desire for me to long to know it's characters . This book was a mystical fantasy that danced rain drops of brilliance on my days making them glisten with anticipation .
As each page turned I anticipated what would become of Sayuri . I anticipated what her day would weave . I became caught up in the colors of her journeys and the pains of her misfortunes .
This book cheated me into believing that there was a Sayuri as it spoke of real life places and World War facts . Golden's writing had me believing , wanting and wishing . His descriptive narration had me spellbound . I want to know Sayuri . The cheat was a good cheat .
144 4 I am able to give this novel a three because of the author's ability in historical fiction . The descriptions of Japan and the general workings of Geisha were quite enjoyable . The storyline , however , was very predictable and reminiscent of a V.C . Andrews novel , entertaining and suspenseful for a twelve-year-old , but boring for a more mature audience .
145 4 I took 2 days to read the entire book and I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the Japanese culture .
This book deals with the life of Sayuri , a popular , in-demand Geisha and how she had overcome her obstacles to be with the man of her dream . However , I'm a little disappointed that she did not accept Nobu , the man who had waited for her for 15 years . Even though he may not be the dream guy , I think she at least owe it to him to repay for all the things he had done for her .
But of course , this is a matter of opinion and overall , I think this is a very interesting book as it gives us insight into the daily life of a Geisha , and not just the surface information that everyone know . I always imagine that in order to be a Geisha , all you need to do is to look and act pretty . But I was very wrong . The author did a fine job of telling his readers the different stages a girl has to go through to become a Geisha . It was also interesting to read the difficulty they had to go through in their training , the competition among themselves and on top of it all , they didn't have any choice . Like the book said You don't learn to become a Geisha , you learn to be a Geisha .
This book also gives me an understanding on the Japanese culture . One reviewer summarize it all . . . . This book is written by a MAN ! You have to read the book to understand what I mean .
146 4 I was hesitant to read this book , mainly because I'm a man who doesn't like ' girly , touchy-feely ' books . My girlfriend had read it and then said , you have to read this book . I trust her judgement so I cautiously opened up the book and began to read . Am I glad I did . It is a remarkably well rounded novel with characters that are EXTREMELY well developed . You come to care about the main people in the novel very much . It delves into pre-world war II Japan and continues on to present day . I absolutely loved the story . Expectations while I read were not left in the void , like some novelists tend to do . Highly recommended . It will remain on my bookshelf to be read and re-read by me and mine . Enjoy !
P.S . This was written by a MAN ! Can you believe that !
148 4 That's a good question . I absolutely enjoyed this book , and was amazed at times with the writing and the detail of it . At other times , however , I felt the author sacrificed the story for style .
Golden sets up a strong , consistent character in the heroine Sayuri , and in doing so , also gives us a clear vision of the city of Gion , and Japan in general , during the time period . Though I was impressed with the detail , clearly well researched to be as true as possible , I still had the nagging feeling that the view of Japan presented was based on many stereotypes . Just when I began to think I was getting a glimpse of a world few people had ever seen , I realized that it was exactly how I would've imagined it . Beautiful , but sometimes predictable .
Another problem I had was the over abundance of metaphors that seemed typically Asian . In the beginning these were well-placed and clever , but as the story went on I wished that Sayuri could see something just once without comparing it to leaves or butterflies . This is the manner in which I think the author failed the story - - he didn't let Sayuri's voice change along with her character .
The bottom line is that this was a wonderful subject to take on , and a great feat of the imagination to conjure this story . The writing of it is done less than perfectly , but admirably nonetheless .
149 4 With his obvious expertise in the subject , Mr . Golden will immerse you in the exotic society of the Geisha . Against this backdrop the author draws you into the heroines struggle first for bare survival , then for her place in this circle and her self image and finally for fulfillment and success . The prose matches the mood of the subject and the pace is just slow enough to dwell on the details that fill the images with color , scent and sound .
If there is one minor annoyance , it is Sayuri's infatuation with the chairman . It is barely motivated and not supported by any deeper analysis of his character . The ending too seems a bit abrupt and unrefined in comparison to the rest of the novel . Nevertheless , this book is enchanting and a promising debut for the author .
150 4 I came across this book when I traveled Australia.After I read this book completely , I understood why this book was published only in English , oversea . I am age 39 , but even I , could found out names of customors of Sayuri and they were well-known people in Japan , we can easily see their names at primary text book . Especially , Sayuri's danna was famous man . My american friend doubted it was a fake story but I know it is a true story .
151 4 This book provided a fascinating account of a very unique part of the Japanese culture - that of the Geisha . It provided vivid detail about lives of Geishas that were hard , peculiar , manipulative ( to the extreme ) , bazaar , exotic and stunningly beautiful at the same time . It certainly sparked a keen interest in me about the rich and contrived Japanese culture .
I was partly intrigued and partly disappointed at the author's almost stereotypical treatment of some of the material . This characteristic is particularly apparent in the author's depiction of men . The men in this book were either God-like figures with heavenly appearances that spark affection or strange looking creatures whose peculiar physical treats and personalities invoked disgust . The portrayals of many of the geishas in this book were less apparent but equally simplistic . They were either stunningly exquisite or ugly in some ways to the extent of grotesque . To me , such drastic depiction of most of the characters in the book borders on exaggeration and compromises believability of the work . I cannot help but wondering whether there were hidden messages in such treatment that eluded me .
The vast account of the details of the main character , Sayuri's life as a geisha revealed the extensive research behind the work . It is remarkable for a Western scholar to amass such rich and in-depth material about any aspect of a foreign culture , let along that of the highly secretive lives of geishas . But the construction of the characters in this book also was plagued by simplicity and stereotype . The author spent most effort to create the inner world of the Character Sayuri . But even this character felt , thought , and behaved almost the same when she was about nine or ten as when she became an adult . You cannot really tell how she progressed psychologically throughout the book . The rest of the characters turned out as contrived as puppet in a puppet show . Hustumomo was depicted as the master of menace , cruelty and manipulation . Mameha , a near saint with all the right connections . Mother , the Japanese version of a shrewd miser with all the typical heartlessness and gross looks . Every character carried a message without any depiction of a matching inner-world in this book . As a result , these characters turned out to be merely two-dimensional and had a hard time to convince me that they were actual real people that lived as geishas . Without constructing their complexity as human beings , the book failed to bring them alive . They appeared just like the geishas when they put on their mask . You cannot tell what they were , how they looked . They were fakes .
Maybe that is exactly what the author tried to convey . Maybe that is the hidden message that I missed . But as a person who was raised in another Asian culture , I expect a lot more subtlety and complexity than the book was able to deliver .
