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Lisa of Troy's Reviews > Memoirs of a Geisha
Memoirs of a Geisha
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Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha is set in Japan from The Great Depression through just after World War II. A young girl named Chiyo moves from her small town in Yoroido to the big city to become a geisha. However, Chiyo misses her family, and an older geisha is determined to destroy her. One day, a man notices Chiyo crying in the streets, inspiring Chiyo to become Sayuri, a remarkable geisha. Will Sayuri have a happy ending?
Memoirs of a Geisha is this month’s May Readalong, and I have mixed feelings about this book. First, the pace is really slow. Usually, this is a detriment, but it is perfect for reading this over a month and having in-depth discussions.
The most enjoyable part of the book is the gamesmanship between the warring geisha, Mameha and Sayuri against Hatsumomo. Mameha knows how to perfectly extract herself from situations gracefully, and she is a true chess player, always thinking a few steps ahead.
I also enjoyed learning more about geisha. The women are entertainers, skilled in conversation, singing, dancing, and playing a musical instrument called the samisen. There are also certain hairstyles and clothing indicating different stages in the life of a geisha.
Now for the bad……
Memoirs of a Geisha has one of the most disappointing endings. It doesn’t even make sense, and for dragging on for ages, the ending is extremely rushed.
At the end of the book, I have more questions than when I started. Each of the geisha could have had their own book, and I felt that some of the characters were left a bit unfinished such as Sayuri’s sister.
And for the really bad….
I wanted to know if Memoirs of a Geisha was based on a true story. In the acknowledgements, Arthur Golden thanks Mineko Iwasaki, who is a real geisha. However, Iwasaki spoke to Golden on the condition of anonymity. She alleges that the book is her life’s story except that Golden falsely sexualized the book. Two years later, an out-of-court settlement was reached.
Overall, this book is great for discussion, but it made me feel sick. Thank to everyone who participated in the Readalong! See you in June for Little Women!
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
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Memoirs of a Geisha is this month’s May Readalong, and I have mixed feelings about this book. First, the pace is really slow. Usually, this is a detriment, but it is perfect for reading this over a month and having in-depth discussions.
The most enjoyable part of the book is the gamesmanship between the warring geisha, Mameha and Sayuri against Hatsumomo. Mameha knows how to perfectly extract herself from situations gracefully, and she is a true chess player, always thinking a few steps ahead.
I also enjoyed learning more about geisha. The women are entertainers, skilled in conversation, singing, dancing, and playing a musical instrument called the samisen. There are also certain hairstyles and clothing indicating different stages in the life of a geisha.
Now for the bad……
Memoirs of a Geisha has one of the most disappointing endings. It doesn’t even make sense, and for dragging on for ages, the ending is extremely rushed.
At the end of the book, I have more questions than when I started. Each of the geisha could have had their own book, and I felt that some of the characters were left a bit unfinished such as Sayuri’s sister.
And for the really bad….
I wanted to know if Memoirs of a Geisha was based on a true story. In the acknowledgements, Arthur Golden thanks Mineko Iwasaki, who is a real geisha. However, Iwasaki spoke to Golden on the condition of anonymity. She alleges that the book is her life’s story except that Golden falsely sexualized the book. Two years later, an out-of-court settlement was reached.
Overall, this book is great for discussion, but it made me feel sick. Thank to everyone who participated in the Readalong! See you in June for Little Women!
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
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Reading Progress
November 1, 2021
– Shelved
May 1, 2022
–
Started Reading
May 31, 2022
–
Finished Reading
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HBalikov
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May 10, 2022 01:30PM
Very interested in your take on Golden's approach, Lisa
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I have questions about why a Caucasian man wrote this book, not because I think men can't write female characters or write in a woman's voice, but I'm wondering if Golden objectified them or was operating under some geisha fetish here. Based on your review, I have little interest in finding out.Excellent book report, Lisa, but you write nothing but.
I'm planning a trip to Japan. Some travel bloggers do make a big deal out of the traditional culture in Kyoto and your opportunity to spot a geisha on the sidewalk. I don't really see the attraction. I'd rather spot a punk rocker with purple hair racing around on a motorcycle.
Great review Lisa. I was given a copy of this by a friend when it first came out and must admit to having not so much as cracked the cover. Now I probably never will. Thanks for your thoughtful and honest review. ❤📚
Excellent review Lisa 💜
Amazing review Lisa!
Thank you for your notes on Mineko, I appreciate that insight… mark.
An interesting take on this book. Also the bit about the out of court settlement. I quite enjoyed the book with tensions keeping the story going and there were no killings to create that tension. The cinematography of the movie was superb but the girls seemed more like American teenagers than Japanese heroines.
I've just started reading this book, I've just finished chapter 2 and feel uninspired. It's very descriptive eg smells and although I like a bit of description it seems over the top. I'll give it a few more chapters, but I don't know if I'll be able to get through it. Life's to short to read bad books.
Funnily enough, although I agree with most of the points you made, they didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book when I read it before. I read this in highschool and loved it. The vague ending only made it more realistic to me back then. I don't know if I'll feel the same now but it will always live on in my memory as one of my favorites. Incidentally, the geisha, Mineko Iwasaki, wrote her own version of this book called Geisha, a Life. It's not as riveting as this but it definitely tells a more accurate picture of the story.
