3.89 AVERAGE

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced
challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced
emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Not a bad book at all. If you enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha, then you will also enjoy this.

I had given the Gion Kobu everything I had and it was no longer giving me what I needed. I had no regrets.


I'm not going to lie: I started this book after learning that [b:Memoirs of a Geisha|930|Memoirs of a Geisha|Arthur Golden|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388367666i/930._SY75_.jpg|1558965] was based on Mineko Iwasaki's life and that she had not been happy with was written about her; therefore I started this book looking for a real, accurate depiction of a geisha (or geiko, what I learnt later). Indeed, that was what I found: a proper and detailed retail of Mineko Iwasaki's life in her way to becoming a geiko and her years working as one. It was historically and culturally delightful but, otherwise, a monotonous read and I had to push myself to keep reading. But it leaves me with two important messages: the first one about the importance of learning about the culture, respectfully but still critically, and the second one about how important it is to learn about as many perspectives as I can about different topics. Everybody has their story to tell.

Overall, a great lecture for anybody that is interested in geikos and their world!
emotional informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

Chociaż wolno się zaczynała i nie została napisana przez pisarkę z zawodu, nauczyła mnie wiele na temat Japoni i gejsz  a właściwie to Geiko i Maiko. Sposób w jaki opisywała swoje życie był przejrzysty. 
Najbardziej jednak przypadł mi do gustu i nieźle na początku zaskoczył fakt, że już po kilku rozdziałach byłam w stanie stwierdzić z narastającą pewnością, że jest ona osobą autystyczną, na dodatek w wielu malutkich aspektach podobną do mnie. Sprawiło mi to niemałą radość, mogąc doświadczyć tak dosadnie, perspektywę autystycznej kobiety. Dodało mi to zapewne również otuchy w tym, że mogłam zobaczyć mój świat w jej oczach.
emotional informative reflective medium-paced

A fascinating story that gives us a view into a world surrounded by mystery and misconceptions. Some of the writing was a bit redundant but it held my attention the whole way through. I only wish there was a way to see footage of her dances and performances! I doubt that level of skill in her specific area of craft will ever exist again. I found this book after having loved the book and movie Memoirs of a Geisha and doing research to find out how accurate a story it was and wanting to know more about traditional Japanese and Geisha culture. I'm glad to have more insight into the truth about Geisha, and I wish more retired Geisha would share their stories since I'm sure many of them had very unique experiences.
informative reflective slow-paced