Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating story, well-written, with striking imagery
Review: This riveting novel is the story of a young peasant girl who becomes one of Kyoto's most prominent geisha. The tale begins in a Japanese fishing village during the Great Depression, and ends in current-era New York. The author brings a wealth of knowledge of Japanese culture and of the geisha culture in particular. But what I found most striking, what will stay with me the longest, is the freshness of the imagery in this novel. The sea is described as looking like "chipped flint", giving a feel for the coldness and harshness of the ocean. The face of an angry geisha in a crowd of happy people is likened to a bruise on an otherwise perfect piece of fruit. This wonderful novel is filled with such revelations, and is a delight to read. What may be mosy astonishing is that this novel of Japan and of the world of the geisha was written by an American man. Arthur Golden has achieved what we expect of our best writers: to bring to life something new (why do you think we call them "novels"?) and different; to allow us, if only for a short time, to visit another world; and to leave us with a fresh way of looking at our own world
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Summary: This book gives a candid glimpse into a geisha's world.
Review: "We don't become geisha so our lives will be satisfying. We become geisha because we have no other choice." These are the words of an experienced geisha, Mameha, to her apprentice, Sayuri. They expose the truth behind the seeming glamour of a geisha's life in early 20th century Japan. Arthur Golden's, Memoirs of a Geisha, is a candid view into the private life, thoughts, and dreams of a successful geisha based on his interviews with former geisha, Nitta Sayuri. Memoirs of a Geisha is a fictional account of Sayuri's life told in the first person. Golden allows Sayuri to tell her own story using an intricate blend of her thoughts and feelings and what happens to and around her. She describes in great detail how she was sold and forced into the closed world of a geisha. The irony of her success is fully developed and ends with her eventual escape from it. In many instances, in lieu of using the names of those she was involved with, she gives them names that describe their most striking physical traits. Such designations include Dr. Crab and Mr. Snowshowers. Golden does justice to the exclusive sect be meticulously defining, through the eyes of a girl, exactly what being a geisha means and entails. He brings clarity to an occupation clouded with misgivings. Through the story of Sayuri, readers come to understand that the terms geisha and prostitute are not interchangeable. Even the designation of "courtesan" is not entirely accurate. True, a geisha's "virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder" and it is common for them to become a man's mistress for fees similar to a salary, but these aside, geisha society and responsibilities are far more involved. A geisha can best be described as a peculiar type of artist. They painstakingly perfect their skills in music and dance while forever taking on their famous "china doll" exteriors to entertain at parties with little more than conversation. Image and presentation are critical and captivating the men they entertain is crucial. Yet, these are still the outward traits of geisha that have been apparent all along. Golden truly shines as an author in his portrayal of the secret desires and aspirations of geisha that are so human, and yet, within their circumstances, so unattainable. Golden paints his eduring portrait of a geisha's life through the eyes and thoughts of innocent, naive Sayuri. Through her words and Golden's vivid descriptions, the reader is immersed in a society where a girl, a potential geisha, is owned and exploited in a manner which is comparable to slavery. Young girls are chosen and sold to okiyas, female households supported by geisha, and are trained to become geisha. They are expected to obey, succeed, and even one day support their okiya through the sale of their appearances at social events and, in specific instances, their bodies. They are taught to entice and seduce even the most distinguished men, all for little more than financial gain. Love is considered a fantasy, something to shirk. For geisha, falling in love is an impossible dream whose pursuit leads to self-destruction. Geisha are the property of their okiya, their duty being to obey their "mother." For all but the most fortunate, this means that they must entertain the most affluent men possible, and become the mistress of whomever would benefit the okiya most. Simply put, a geisha is compelled to set aside her personal feelings unless she is foolish enough to follow them an risk certain discovery, embarrassment, and all too often, expulsion from her okiya to a cruel life on the streets. During World War II, geisha districts were shut down, and most inhabitants were forced to join the futile war efforts of a desperate Japan. After the was, geisha slowly filtered back to their okiyas and reestablished their connections, but geisha as a whole had diminished in number and had lost some of their former grandeur. It was in this time of uncertainty that some geisha left this way of life and ventured into the world, but Sayuri did not. She, like so many others, were bound by their senses of duty, loyalty, and honor, which made them feel obligated to return to their okiyas and continue their lives as geisha. Golden shows his mastery as a writer in his ability to display how desire brings unrest to the human spirit. He unveils the turmoil behind the makeup of a geisha who must choose between what is expected of her, however undesirable yet certain and a desperate plan meant to free herself from one man because of a passion for another. Such is the tale of all geisha. Obedience leads to security in a financial and social sense, but requires ambitions and dreams to be forsaken. Pursuing one's emotions and desires has but one guarantee; there are none. These are the reasons that geisha behave the way they do, like docile lambs following their shepherd without question. They submit to decisions made for them, thereby assuring their safety rather than risking the even less desirable existence of a common prostitute on the streets for attempting to follow their heart. This novel is especially gripping because of its incomprehensible nature. Few people in this country, or the industrialized world for that matter, can begin to fathom a life where someone has such complete control of your life. A life in which not only is your profession is forced upon you, but so is your lover. This was the tragic, hopeless realm of the geisha, a realm that has thankfully. for all intents and purposes, faded with the sunset of Japan's past.
Rating: 
Summary: enthralling
Review: I really enjoyed this book. Only flaw is the ending seemed a little to contrived/happy. In life things don't always work out the way you want them to.
As a whole, good story.
Rating:
Summary: Well-Structured and Well-Informed
Review: Although I have to admit that I felt the story heading was often more than a little predictable, this book has a extraordinarily well-structured storyline and the information on Japanese history & Geisha life is spectacularly enlightening! (I actually had little interest or knowledge in Japanese lifestyle before this book, but am now fairly intrigued by the country & cultural mentality.) Some invented details were even difficult to tell from fact [the existence of artist Uchida Kosaburo, is the example I know of], the story was so well interwoven!
I rate this book with four stars because I found I greatly enjoyed the comprehensable structure of the story & the very well-explained details of the culture. However, I must personally deny the final star mostly because of either one of the following two reasons: I was often disappointed in many simple/cliche descriptions in which I believe--though fine to do in everyday speech I guess (as this story was being told, I do realize)--a 5-star rated book should not have done so. AND/OR I may someday read this book again for the information, but if I should read it later in my life--As I've done with many books I've read in the past.--I don't feel I will learn anything new or perceive it any differently. In the end: It's a rather good book to read(!), but I know I'll re-read many other books of mine before desiring to read it again.
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Summary: A day in the life
Review: Like other reviewers, I read this book quickly. It is definitely a page turner, despite its length. One of the reasons I kept reading was that, when I wasn't reading the novel, I was wondering what was going to happen next! The plot moves quickly, driven by the personalities and the foibles of the various characters. The story Golden weaves definitely draws the reader in.
Unlike other reviewers, however, I certainly don't believe that the novel is thin regarding character development, and I definitely do not think that the protagonist, Sayuri, has "everything handed to her on a silver platter"! Nothing could be further from the truth! Golden, the author, takes great pains to show the reader the harshness of Sayuri's upbringing, and he frequently comments on how difficult the life of a working geisha could be, both before, during, and after World War II.
One of the novel's primary strengths is the window into the life of a geisha that it offers. For me, this world was both foreign and fascinating. To learn about the details of dress, hair, custom, and daily life of a geisha in the context of an entertaining story was a welcome part of my experience reading the novel.
Several reviewers have also noted that the end of the novel seems contrived or phony. I'll admit that I felt similarly, too, at first. However, I think that the ending in no way diminishes the power of the story. In fact, with the way much of contemporary fiction ends these days, it can be refreshing to hear a "happily ever after" once in a while.
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Summary: An amazingly beautiful book...
Review: I can't believe that it took me this long to read Memoirs of a Geisha, but I am so very glad I did. If you are like me and have waited this long, please wait no more. This book captured me immedietly and kept me enthralled throughout the entire piece. I fell in love with Chiyo/Sayuri and her world. Extremely well written and impeccably well informed on the history of Geisha and the Japanese Geisha district of Gion, this book is a MUST READ for anyone and everyone.
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Summary: I liked this book a lot.
Review: Whether accurate or not, I have no idea. The story is very good, though, and it is very easy to get caught up in this book. There is so much more to this world, and perhaps to the characters in the book, but it was an excellent read and a great story. I enjoyed it and would higly recommend it for its entertainment and excellent story-telling, if nothing else.
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Summary: thoughts on Memoirs
Review: I could not put this book down. I was so taken with Suriya and her story, that I just kept reading until my eyes blurred. After the first few chapters, I resigned myself to the fact that I was reading an entertaining and well-told story, not a excellent piece of literature, but I loved it anyway.
Until the end.
What a horribly disappointing ending to a good book. I had gotten used to the fairytale that was Suriya's life.Really, she was an entertaining character, but not strong or deep. And darn lucky, if you ask me. So to have luck swoop in again in the last few chapters is such an unbelievable manner... ugh.
I won't read it again, but I sure am glad I read it once.
Rating:
Summary: One Excellent Novel!
Review: Memoirs of a Geisha is an extraordinary and lovely novel. It tells the story of Sayuri, a geisha from Kyoto's golden age. It is written as a memoir dictated to a friend of hers who begins by telling us how he came to know this woman.
The main portion of the book begins with Sayuri's childhood, at a time when she lives not in Kyoto, but in a small fishing village called Yoroido. At the time, her name is not Sayuri, but Chiyo. As a child, her mother becomes terminally ill. When she finally succumbs, Chiyo and her older sister end up being sent off to Kyoto. In Kyoto, they are sent to separate places. Her sister is sent to a brothel. She is sent to a geisha house.
Up til this point, the book has been fairly ordinary, but at this point, it becomes extraordinary. Here, we begin to view the day to day life in the world of the Kyoto geishas. In here we see the training school, the daily life and the work that the geishas do. We also see the political intrigues and the duplicity that was inherent in the world of the Kyoto geishas. Chiyo herself is both on the receiving end and trapped in the middle of much of what happens. In her house is a very successful geisha named Hatsumomo. She sees Chiyo's beauty as a threat and works against her. Eventually, a rival of Hatsumomo's named Mameha takes Chiyo under her wing and helps her.
Chiyo begins as a maid while the "mother" of the geisha house tries out her ability to work. She is then promoted to a student and begins her training in the geisha school. In the school, we see the discipline required of the geishas as they study dance, singing, musical instruments and tea ceremonies.
Chiyo finally does become a geisha and takes on the name Sayuri. Of course, the world of the geisha is not separated from the rest of the world. When World War II comes around, life changes for the geishas. The normal things of life become scarce. After the World War, Americans come to visit. They do not know the traditions of geisha, but they become major customers to the geishas then.
The stories told here are very interesting.Author Arthur Golden paints a rich picture of an exotic age long gone, inhabited by characters who seem real. As I began to read this book, I knew little about the real world of the geisha. If this book is accurate in its portrayal of geisha's golden age, I cannot judge. However, the picture Golden paints is detailed enough to allow us to picture it well.
Furthermore, these are characters with depth who we actually care about. Before I was done, I felt Ireally knew Chiyo/Sayuri and the residents of the house where she lived: Mother, Hatsumomo, Auntie, and Pumpkin. I also grew to know the people outside the house and to care about them: Mameha, the chairman, the baron and all the others.
If you enjoy biographies, this novel will probably appeal to you as it feels like a genuine biography. There is no violence in this book, and only the most minimal sexual discussions. However, there is intrigue and betrayal and plotting and planning here to spare. I loved the exotic local and people. I highly recommend Memoirs of a Geisha the next time you need something new to read. Along with Geisha, another Amazon pick I highly recommend -- although completely different -- is The Losers Club by Richard Perez, a wonderful, odd, entertaining "romance" of sorts.
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Summary: Ex-geisha takes objection to "Memoirs of a Geisha"
Review: Just thought that readers will find it interesting to see what a JAPANESE person thinks about the authenticity of this book. Who would have thought? All those reviewers on the back of this book are caucasian. Not one is Japanese. Oh, yes, and the JAPANESE person with her opinion below is the woman that this book is written about. If YOU REALLY want to find out about the world of the GEISHA from a GEISHA, why don't you read her book? "Geish, A LIFE" by Mineko Iwasaki.
In Mainichi Daily News
By Keisuke Hirano
Mainichi Shimbun
"Ex-geisha takes objection to "Memoirs of a Geisha" "
November 30, 2001
"Geishas are professionals who make a living by using their artistic skills, but many people have a mistaken image of the world of mystery and shadows," says Mineko Iwasaki. Arthur Golden's "Memoirs of a Geisha" (translated in Japan as "Sayuri") was published in 1997 and has sold 4 million copies in the United States.
Iwasaki agreed to an interview by the author because she thought she could help dispel "the Fujiyama-geisha image of a woman who sells herself to her customers." She was shocked when Golden's novel turned out to be a narrative that contradicted her very intentions.
"I want people to have a true understanding of the Karyukai ("the flower and willow world" of the geisha) of Kyoto's Gion quarter." This is why Iwasaki published her own memoirs, "Iwasaki Mineko no hana ikusa - honma no koi wa ippen dosu" (The flower wars of geiko Mineko -- True love happens only once). In the book, Iwasaki writes without reservations about the personal relationships and complex give-and-take that go on between the women behind the ornate scenery of the "flower and willow world." She also writes about the pride these women take in their artistic skills.
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