Memoirs of a Geisha

Rating:
Summary: Heavily impressed and awed by this book.
Review: I love the opening of a little pocket of the world that is so remote from my understanding of the world and seems removed and unimportant to me -- and is so much a part of someone else's world -- it is all that they know. I have experienced this feeling many times having moved so often in my life. You break into a new place, learn a new place and people (every region of the US has proven distinct to me) then you move away and it is sad at first and then so far away its hard to remember the sadness, but it's there and it makes itself a part of experience.

The language inside the book kept my eyes running at (happily) with its beauty and escriptiveness. I felt very sad during many "scenes" in this story. Had a hard time putting the book down, so I finished it faster than my normal pace.

Steven Spielberg has the movie rights to "Memoirs of a Geisha" and the film is slated for December of 2000. He has pursued in excellent detail other social pieces and I hope this is one - I'll be in line for it if so.

Rating:
Summary: Mixed feelings
Review: Although I had the thought of "Memoirs," as being a true story while I was reading, I kept doubting it each time I read a section. This book may of disappointed a lot of people, but overall I think it was quite enjoyable for the most part. I've read so many reviews, but I think people aren't giving it enough credit. It was surprising that Arthur Golden could write from a girl's to a woman's point of view so well. I thought it almost unbelievable, but that's what you would call a regular writer. I loved the metaphors and descriptions. I truly believed I was there. Maybe people with a more understanding of Japanese culture didn't exactly think everything was true, but who is Golden trying to gain attention from? The Japanese culture majors or the regular reading people. You have to understand that's why its been on the best book reading lists for a long time. But the reason I'm giving it four stars isn't because how well the book was written but how disappointed I was at the end. I was made to believe that this woman, Sayuri had a totally different purpose and would understand that life wasn't always perfect, however her life was made to be exactly that. It seemed like a fairytale at some point because everthing that happened to her was "perfect." I don't know if this was his intention of writing to the readers to make them believe that there are happy endings and fairytale stories in this world, but this was part of the reason I knew it was false. The end did make you want to say, "this is it," because it truly didn't sum up the book if you ask me. To sum up my review I thought this book was good and I do suggest people read it and gain their own opinion of it.

Rating:
Summary: not great literature, but a fascinating read
Review: I must admit that I had many preconceived notions about this book before I ever picked it up. My mother has a copy, so I skimmed the first few pages of it out of curiosity. I could not put the book down, and read it in three evenings. Is it great literature? Probably not. Is it a very compelling story containing its share of poetry? Definitely yes. If you have lived and worked in Japan for years and years, you will undoubtedly pick this book apart and beat it senseless until you have assured yourself that you know more about Japanese culture than the author could ever hope to. However if, like me, you know next to nothing about Japanese culture, and even less about the geisha arts (all these years, I thought that geishas were merely prostitutes), then this book will give you not only a good story but a bit of knowledge as well. Some of the other criticisms of the book are laughable. Only an American living on the eve of the 21st century could make them. Don't read this book unless you approach it with a rather open mind and the knowledge that women did not always and everywhere live as freely and with as many options as in the USA of 1999. Loving the Chairman was one of the few willing actions of Chiyo/Sayuri's life. Isn't it interesting that many of the other reviewers would have liked to see her deprived of this?

Rating:
Summary: Could not put this book down.
Review: I am amazed that the (white, male, jewish) author was able to so convincingly portray a geisha of that era! The details are rich, the characters convincing, and the plot holds you. I felt like I was part of this distant world. So far the best book I've read this year.

Rating:
Summary: Dissapointing view of life of a geisha in japan
Review: The subject matter of this novel is extremely intriguing. Therefore, it is all the more dissappointing in the telling. The author can't capture the voice of his title character. She is precious and undeveloped. There is very little tension or psychological revelation in the telling. This is an overhyped book, ripe for the Steven Spielberg treatment.

Rating:
Summary: Be advised this book is FICTIONAL!!
Review: This book is very easy reading. I could not help but laugh at some of the remarks only a Yank woman would say. As if the author had no idea about their language. I have read other Geisha books, studied Japanese and know people who live in Kyoto. This book is very American it's no wonder all the mindless Yanks love it!! It is a wonderful story no doubt of the struggle of a young "Geisha" woman. I read it in 5 days. It was a nice change. It's almost the same as if a Geisha would read "Hollywood Wives". It's almost laughable. The whole Chairman ordeal was very tiring. And Hautsumono's character was eliminated too easily and without a boom. In fact the story was not even about Geisha at all. Only about 2 women trying to bring another down for treating one of them so badly. Sounds like elementary reading.

Rating:
Summary: Overrated fodder
Review: It's impressive what Arthur Golden has done with this book. I wouldn't have believed that a middle-aged white man could actually write convincingly through an adolescent japanese girl's point of view. The intricate details of the geisha life described by Golden is impressive, along with his knowledge on the subject matter. However, it almost seems superfluous at times, almost to the point of pretentiousness. The story is simplistic with predictable plot turns. The heroine is a modern feminists' nightmare. I kept expecting to see the girl grow up to see herself, and the people around her, for who they really are. But then again, maybe that was Mr. Golden's point. Overall, I think the book is good for wasting time. It's akin to one of those feel-good summer blockbusters which leaves you with nothing but a few, somewhat memorable images and an overall feeling of dissatisfaction. If you're looking for substance, this isn't it. If you decide to read Memoirs, skip the last chapter.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing Ending
Review: This book was a breeze to read--fun, informative, and entertaining. My biggest complaint is with Sayuri's unrealistic and, frankly, stupid yearning for the chairman. I kept waiting for her to grow up and give him up. About 75% of the way through the book, I lost interest. I finished it, though, and was disappointed in the trite ending. Ugh.

Rating:
Summary: Overrated!
Review: Don't believe the hype! The effort that went into creating this book is admirable, but this is a shallow exploration of a geisha's profession and of a woman's mind. It's crammed with details, but they don't add up to much. After finishing the book, I felt I had learned very little about the geisha arts. What was Sayuri learning in that school all day long? The narrative contains an abundance of cheesy metaphors and at times reads like bad haiku. The central romance of the book is implausible -- Nobu is a much more compelling love interest than the two-dimensional Chairman, and any woman as "clever" as Sayuri supposedly is would recognize this. To see a male novelist writing from a woman's point of view successfully, try She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb -- not Memoirs of a Geisha.

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful, beautiful book-- inside & out
Review: A beautiful book. From page one this book grabs you, this is the only book that's been able to do that. Delicate prose, beautiful. Just beautiful. BEAUTIFUL!