Reviews

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

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dnandrews797's review against another edition

2.0

For me, this book was very mid. The story was just interesting enough to keep me going, but reminds me of a meringue: much fluff and little substance. It seems most of the novel is just rampant orientalism to enthrall the reader with how different Japanese culture is. I found most of the characters bland and unlikeable with 2 dimensional personalities and motivations. The fact that an old white American man thinks he can write passionately and with objectivity the lifestyle of geisha is laughable to me. This is also perhaps what spoiled Sayuri for me since she seems to just flutter melancholic on a breeze from one old white man to the next whole pining after a nan she met once as an eight year old. Seemed vaguely pedophiliac when viewing it as a thirty year old white man writing about that same demographic having sex with children and paying exorbitant amounts to do so. Overall it was indulgent and unfulfilling as a novel and not at all the depth and delicacy of how I hoped the story would be handled

amarettto's review against another edition

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5.0

This was a breathtaking work, and has left me with a feeling of obsession with the narrative so strong that I'm currently renting the movie to watch and relive it. I'm so surprised that it's entirely a work of fiction and think it's actually the first time I've read a fictional memoir. There are just some details that make you think that it's too raw to have been made up.

**Stop reading here if you have not read the book**

I am entirely relieved that there was little to no eroticism in this novel because my original impression was that it would be a horrific account of a former sex worker. I couldn't have been more wrong, primarily because I think I had a deep misconception about what a geisha was, as I imagine most people do. The story is instead about beauty, endurance, and pain. These things individually sound boring, but I guess it's one of those stories that somehow bring a story like that to life without you ever losing interest, and just itching to know what life brought to someone's life next.

I am glad that Sayuri's story was tied together in the end and for the most part she kind of got everything she wanted, but there are some things that still leave me a bit confused. The first thing is that I don't actually get the role geishas play in the lives of their dannas. If they already have wives, then is it understood that the geisha is the mistress? Do the wives know about this and is it just accepted tradition? I was actually really disappointed that the Chairman had a wife. His and Sayuri's passion for one another being revealed just lost its punch because it did not feel ... whole.
The second confusing thing was that the relationship between Sayuri and Nobu almost made me see Nobu as some kind of father-figure. His actions and words made it come off that way too, which made his proposition of being her danna kind of awkward. I'm assuming that is why she did everything in her power to stop it (aside from wanting it to be someone else), but it's funny because up until that point in her life, she never actively dreaded any of the other men taking on that role even though they were all described as repulsive. It is sad that at the end of it all, that friendship was not salvageable; I suppose a story with such a strong melancholic element could not have ended with a completely 'happily ever after' scenario.

Two thumbs up from me on this book. I definitely no longer think that the word 'page-turner' is only applicable to novels of the suspense and thriller genres.

baileyrando's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

4.0

mpaigetet's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

evipefi's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

harrisonarachel's review against another edition

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5.0

Incredible read. I can't believe I haven't read this book before.
I'm glad that I hadn't seen the movie before I read the book. I just can't believe it wasn't written by an actual Geisha. The detail was so extreme, it was so easy to imagine these events unfolding before me. So easy to get immersed into this world.

Such a fascinating time to read about, how different the world once was. The customs, how girls were made to work, just snatched from their homes and put to work. If you had that look about you, you were made to become a Geisha, if you didn't then you would be put to work in worse ways, like her sister Satsu was. Heartbreaking, thinking about the abandonment they must have both felt. (Even though it is fiction I still feel like it was so real). No matter how glorious the life of a Geisha sounds, they are trapped, they are slaves too. They can't make choices, they have someone always making them.

I have been to Tokyo, and I found a photo I had taken of 2 Geisha walking across a bridge, and just thought they looked so interesting, and this was a normal way for some people to dress. Now I think, wow, could they have been on their way to entertain men? Is this still something that is around? Do they still have a 'mother' that dictates their life, do they choose to go to where they want to go? Are there still many men who would pay a lot of money for Geisha's to continuously pour them Sake and get them drunk with drinking games?

I will definitely be doing some research on this. Such an old custom might still be ongoing. Blows my mind.