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Summary: whole new world
Review: This book takes you into this world where you see what you are reading. The characters will make you cry and the villan will upset you. You fall in love all over again.
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Summary: Like a scroll painting or a haiku....
Review: Arthur Golden's "Memoirs of a Geisha" is an intriguing insider's look at a world we Westerners have only (and crudely) made assumptions about. Golden masks himself as an NYU Japanese history professor whom the now-elderly geisha, Sayuri, has chosen to tell of her long, successful career as one of the last and most-renowned geisha of the 20th century. As such, the narrative is told in first person, this voice being that of a sensitive woman who has lived a harrowing orphan's life during the momentous decades before and during WW II in the geisha village of Gion. Momentous global events are muffled and distant in her highly stylized and ritualistic existence.The rich detail, varied characters (clients and rival geisha,) chronological sweep of time and place, plus hidden schemes and revelations all combine masterfully to make this an ideal "lose-yourself-in" read. It became my haven when 9/11 was casting its darkest cloud over us all. Pick it up to be swept away.
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Summary: Memoirs of a Geisha
Review: Wonderful! Captivating from the very start.
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Summary: Wonderful
Review: A fascinating book. I had no idea what Geishas really were. This book is very well written. Hard to put down- just a great story.
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Summary: Beautiful
Review: What a story--and a history leson to boot!
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Summary: Beautifully Written Historical Novel
Review: "Memoirs of a Geisha" profiles the last gasp of an essential element of Japanese culture. Though most Americans think of "geisha" as synonmous with "prostitute," nothing could be farther from the truth. The women who lived the life of a "Geisha" were well-educated and highly sophisticated, a rarity for "average" woman in the stifiling confines of Japan's male dominated society. The story of this real-life Geisha and her mentor is both touching and historically insightful. From her birth at the height of Geisha glory, through Japan's painful defeat in World War II, this story is a peek not only into the secret world of Geisha culture but also a look at what it means to be Japanese--something few Americans truly understand. This beautifully-written book is a joy to read!
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Summary: This is a completely enthralling book!
Review: This book is amazing. What makes it so interesting is its vivid character development and cultural/historical accuracy. Although the descriptions of Geisha life are enthralling, the book also has an important message about inner and outer strength, communicated through the development of the heroine.
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Summary: One of my favorite books
Review: I LOVED this book. I have elevated it to one of my favorites. I loved the way the author showed Sayuri overcoming obstacle after obstacle. I have been through obstacles in my life that I thought I wouldn't survive. I always did. I believe this books shows that we, as humans, can survive anything. We just need to give it time and never give up.
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Summary: Real Woman, Real Feelings
Review: Sayuri - as her name makes her who she is - is a phenomonal character! Whether she is Chiyo, the ignorant child,or Sayuri, the all too mature adult, I felt as though she was telling her story to me in the privacy of her own tea room. This is a fantastic read for anyone who wants to escape the pressures of "the real world" for Sayuri's challenging world of geishas.
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Summary: Disappointing
Review: I am able to give this novel a three because of the author's ability in historical fiction. The descriptions of Japan and the general workings of Geisha were quite enjoyable. The storyline, however, was very predictable and reminiscent of a V.C. Andrews novel, entertaining and suspenseful for a twelve-year-old, but boring for a more mature audience.
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