Memoirs of a Geisha : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Something different but quite a drag
Review: The plot is refereshing. However, besides the scheming Geishas who all want to reach the top, there is not much more in the story. After reading near 2/3 of the book, it becomes a kind of drag and you'd wish it would end quickly. A good book to skim through. Definitely not one of my favourites.

Rating:
Summary: Deep thinking about life's dreams vs. reality
Review: I bought this book just because Amazon.com customers rated it so highly; I was a little embarrassed to order it, but figured, why not? This book turned out to be such a pleasureable read. In fact, it's the kind of book you are still thinking about days later. I would recommend it highly! The characters are highly developed by the author. I will buy anything this author writes.

Rating:
Summary: that's it?
Review: This book was really great in the beginning, but I was very frustrated towards the end. I have to agree with a lot of the other reviews on how the chairman part was dragged out and annoying. Golden took his time in the first 2/3 of the book and rushed through the last third. Maybe the publisher said it was too long, so he cut out the whole big climax of the book's end. I liked it, though. It passed the time like I needed it to. People might as well read it to see what all the hype is about!

Rating:
Summary: Liked the novel. Not literature.
Review: This is indeed an impressive first novel -- as many have already stated. The reason it didn't earn five stars from this demanding reviewer is because Arthur Golden missed many chances to write a book that was more than simply entertaining. Hatsumomo, for instance, is a cardboard villain. The novel would have been literature if Artie had explored -- even hinted -- at why Hatsomomo was the she was. Instead of portraying her as the villain, he could have created a character that was simply honestly reacting to the intense and established sexism that women were accepted to honor. Artie, baby, you missed a huge chance. You coulda been great.

Rating:
Summary: Engaging...
Review: This book starts out well, but in the later stages, it starts to decline. Instead of satisfaction at the end, I felt hollow about Sayuri's being together with the Chairman at last. Nonetheless, Chiyo's first meeting with the Chairman was totally enchanting and signifies what she was to be in her life. Plus, the book was really rich in Japanese culture. It was also at once horrifying and expected when Pumpkin eventually becomes the heir apparent to Hatsumomo's cruelty. Not to forget, all the memorable characters: our protagonist, Mameha, Hatsumomo, Nobu, Dr.Crab, Pumpkin and of course, the Chairman. Overall, a worthy read with rich details.

Rating:
Summary: WOW!!
Review: I couldn't put this book down! I was fascinated by every detail of the main character's life.

Rating:
Summary: SUPER SUPER SUPER!!!!
Review: This book was superbly written. The author actually made you feel like you were right there in every scene. Beautiful job on the factual information on Japan. Anyone who doesn't know a lot about there culture will indeed learn more about it. Excellent read!!!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, except for the end.
Review: I loved Memoirs of a Geisha. The book truly transports the reader to the time and place. I'd write a different ending however (stop here if you haven't read the book)... one where Nobu does become Sayuri's danna, and sets her free somehow. As an american woman I got frustrated (as Nobu was) with the Geisha idea of a woman's value being based on her ability to attract a powerful old man, even if it was culturally accurate. The Chairman nonsense was tiring, and in the end proves that beauty IS only skin-deep. I couldn't buy the notion that she was so enamored for so long without so much as a ten minute conversation between them. Nobu was a more noble and worthy man, as far as the entire cast of male characters went.

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable!!!!!
Review: I couldn't bring myself to put it down! What a poignant, real, wonderful story!! One of the best I've ever read.

Rating:
Summary: A rather enjoyable, 'easy' read, but ultimately unsatisfying
Review: A resounding, unanimous...3 Stars. A rather enjoyable, easy read that imparted a wealth of interesting cultural information. One learns the details and history of a Japanese sub-culture that shed some light, to the Western eye, on the Japanese mind. But does it really? Golden effortlessly takes the reader to Kyoto and we willingly go along. It's like a free vacation (of the virtual variety) that passes the time pleasantly enough but in the end is unsatisfying, forgettable and leaves us curiously ...unfulfilled. Did we see all the "must see" spots, and missed the "real" Japan? This is a book that we begin to resent, having asked too much of it. Things like, why this book? Why now? The deficiencies in plot and character development (and their disappearance), the 'Romance' ending, lead us to ask: Why did we come here in the first place? Thanks for the tour but - time to get back to the "real" world.