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oceanday8's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this story even though it's not a true or accurate account of the life of a geisha as the translators note led me to believe. I started getting suspicious when things were just too perfectly wrong or right-if that makes sense.
I watched the movie afterwards and thought it was truly a missed opportunity. The movie could've been so much better. If you hadn't read the book, nothing would really make sense without the detailed backstory that the book gives you.
I watched the movie afterwards and thought it was truly a missed opportunity. The movie could've been so much better. If you hadn't read the book, nothing would really make sense without the detailed backstory that the book gives you.
tiggerser's review against another edition
4.0
This book was the perfect thing to read during the holidays. It transports you completely into the land of naïve yet conniving geisha. It vividly describes kimonos, teahouses, and life during peace and war. Love, loss, and friendship are shared in this book through a series of highly relate-able characters with unique and interesting characteristics. Thank you, Arthur for doing such intense research in your writing so as to adequately tell an engaging story.
book_concierge's review against another edition
5.0
5 ***** and a ❤
An engrossing story - a window into another world, another culture, another time. Sayuri is so passive, she infuriates me at times. Yet I am deeply disappointed in her for the way she treats Nabu - her one aggressive act.
I first read it in March 1998. A year later one of my book discussion groups chose it and I read it again. When the movie came out my husband surprised me by saying he wanted to see it (he had been in international business and spent a lot of time in Japan). Because of his experience / knowledge of Japan he had no trouble following the movie, but I have heard from people who saw the movie without reading the book that they didn't fully understand what was happening.
An engrossing story - a window into another world, another culture, another time. Sayuri is so passive, she infuriates me at times. Yet I am deeply disappointed in her for the way she treats Nabu - her one aggressive act.
I first read it in March 1998. A year later one of my book discussion groups chose it and I read it again. When the movie came out my husband surprised me by saying he wanted to see it (he had been in international business and spent a lot of time in Japan). Because of his experience / knowledge of Japan he had no trouble following the movie, but I have heard from people who saw the movie without reading the book that they didn't fully understand what was happening.
galacticturnip's review
3.0
It disturbs me that so much about this story is inaccurate, because I did enjoy the pacing and pull of the writing. I'd much rather read something well written by a Japanese woman that was or was related to a Geisha.
rayarriz's review against another edition
5.0
I haven't I've enjoyed a book this much in long time. I stayed up straight through the night reading this. All. Night. Long. I was still reading at 8 AM and the sunlight was streaming through my windows. My mind couldn't release melatonin when Golden's writing was so beautiful and the story so captivating.
It was a Saturday and I had nothing to do, so after I got dressed I read the book all day. I read it eating. I read it sitting up in bed. I read it even though my sister wondered why was I shut up in my room all day. The only other books I've ever been so caught up in were [b:Twice Freed|543494|Twice Freed|Patricia St. John|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355913735s/543494.jpg|530794] and [b:The Picture of Dorian Gray|5297|The Picture of Dorian Gray|Oscar Wilde|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1424596966s/5297.jpg|1858012].
Well so much for the rant. But you know how we book lovers are. We tend to be a bit longwinded about the books we read. Now a little on the story. Chiyo is the narrator. Her story begins when she is nine years old and her mother is dying of cancer. Chiyo lives by the sea in a little dingy town. After a list of events, she finds herself sold to an okiya, a place where geisha train. Here we met the characters Granny, Auntie, Mother and Hatsumomo. Hastumomo's rivalry with Chiyo and her "older sister" Mameha made the story. After all, what's a book without conflict and a nasty antagonist?
It's a clever book. The language is great. Right on the first page, these lines grab attention: "Suppose that you and I were sitting in a quiet room overlooking a garden, chatting and sipping at our cups of green tea while we talked about something that had happened a long while ago, and I said to you, 'That afternoon when I met so-and-so...was the very best afternoon of my life, and also the very worst afternoon.'"
And there's the compulsion to keep reading. Then the characters are so well developed. And the description is a picture. When I finished the book I thought, Well, I just got back from Kyoto district in Japan.
It was a Saturday and I had nothing to do, so after I got dressed I read the book all day. I read it eating. I read it sitting up in bed. I read it even though my sister wondered why was I shut up in my room all day. The only other books I've ever been so caught up in were [b:Twice Freed|543494|Twice Freed|Patricia St. John|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355913735s/543494.jpg|530794] and [b:The Picture of Dorian Gray|5297|The Picture of Dorian Gray|Oscar Wilde|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1424596966s/5297.jpg|1858012].
Well so much for the rant. But you know how we book lovers are. We tend to be a bit longwinded about the books we read. Now a little on the story. Chiyo is the narrator. Her story begins when she is nine years old and her mother is dying of cancer. Chiyo lives by the sea in a little dingy town. After a list of events, she finds herself sold to an okiya, a place where geisha train. Here we met the characters Granny, Auntie, Mother and Hatsumomo. Hastumomo's rivalry with Chiyo and her "older sister" Mameha made the story. After all, what's a book without conflict and a nasty antagonist?
It's a clever book. The language is great. Right on the first page, these lines grab attention: "Suppose that you and I were sitting in a quiet room overlooking a garden, chatting and sipping at our cups of green tea while we talked about something that had happened a long while ago, and I said to you, 'That afternoon when I met so-and-so...was the very best afternoon of my life, and also the very worst afternoon.'"
And there's the compulsion to keep reading. Then the characters are so well developed. And the description is a picture. When I finished the book I thought, Well, I just got back from Kyoto district in Japan.
theemolibrocubicularist's review against another edition
5.0
A very touching story that brought me to the world of a geisha in a different time. I didn't know what to expect since I didn't know a thing about what a geisha was but I ended up loving it and now it's my favorite. I was definitely touched when Chiyo and Pumpkin, who I thought would be friends forever, ended up as enemies because of the competition getting in the way of their friendship. I was absolutely satisfied with the ending with Chiyo getting her happy ending.
alkruger_readinglibrary96's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
currentlyreading_'s review against another edition
4.0
I understand that this book was written, highly influenced by the fact that the author was a Harvard graduate majoring in something that regards Japanese. It would be a great manifestation of his education of course to write something as Memoirs of a Geisha.
The narration of the story normally I would find boring, but this one was engaging. Perhaps I was brought to different worlds I have never been and that made me certainly interested. The character development was amazing; since the character began from being as young nine years old, there was no doubt I would see change. I absolutely was attached to this character. I felt pain where she did, felt joy when she got the simple vengeance that she wanted in life. The people around her were very instrumental into turning her into something she really was.
She stuck to her character of being flowy and watery, and so I have never seen her actively trying to gain momentum of the world that was spinning around her.
As for genuineness and accuracy of the Japanese culture, I am not the one to be the judge of that since I have zero idea as to how it really was back then (no background/history on the subject whatsoever). So I decided to simply judge the book of its story and the plot and how "sound" the events were that transpired throughout the whole story.
All I know is that the transitions were amazing, the emotions were a roller coaster and it was really hard to put down! Dialogue and interactions between the characters was quite effective, especially in intense scenes where I catch myself holding my breath.
Also, I learned that geishas are not prostitutes and that their art is a very delicate one.
I learned that life will hit you once but it will get back to you eventually. It's never a completely good story. There will always be sad times but that doesn't mean you can't hope and wait for the best.
This book taught me patience.
Well this seemed more of rambling than reviewing! But yeah good job Mr. Golden for bringing me where I expected myself to be brought.
The narration of the story normally I would find boring, but this one was engaging. Perhaps I was brought to different worlds I have never been and that made me certainly interested. The character development was amazing; since the character began from being as young nine years old, there was no doubt I would see change. I absolutely was attached to this character. I felt pain where she did, felt joy when she got the simple vengeance that she wanted in life. The people around her were very instrumental into turning her into something she really was.
She stuck to her character of being flowy and watery, and so I have never seen her actively trying to gain momentum of the world that was spinning around her.
As for genuineness and accuracy of the Japanese culture, I am not the one to be the judge of that since I have zero idea as to how it really was back then (no background/history on the subject whatsoever). So I decided to simply judge the book of its story and the plot and how "sound" the events were that transpired throughout the whole story.
All I know is that the transitions were amazing, the emotions were a roller coaster and it was really hard to put down! Dialogue and interactions between the characters was quite effective, especially in intense scenes where I catch myself holding my breath.
Also, I learned that geishas are not prostitutes and that their art is a very delicate one.
I learned that life will hit you once but it will get back to you eventually. It's never a completely good story. There will always be sad times but that doesn't mean you can't hope and wait for the best.
This book taught me patience.
Well this seemed more of rambling than reviewing! But yeah good job Mr. Golden for bringing me where I expected myself to be brought.
lilyrose245's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0