Rating: 
Summary: Need it in hardcopy!
Review: I loved this book so much that I am ordering it today in hardcopy! It is truly an amazing story. I recommend it to everyone I know...male and female. It's a book that I will never forget and will read again and again.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad, but nothing to write home about
Review: Hmmm...wish I enjoyed this one as much as everyone else did. The pacing is captivating and the characterizations superb throughout the book. The beginning is quite enthralling and momentum is built nicely. The level and attention to detail is exquisite.BUT As is the case with most literature it's the ending that spoils everything. Or in this case not even the novel's ending (which is fair) but the epilogue. You see the author would have us believe from the prologue of the book that the story is non-fictional. But it is entirely fictional. So you as the reader have read this story believing that this could really happen, only to be swindled by the author at the end. The book is a fascinating look at Eastern Culture, and most people will enjoy it immensely. If you are like most people bully for you. Buy this book and enjoy to your hearts content. But alas, the beaten path is not for all, and if you are like me, then skip this one.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting story, but that's all it is.
Review: When I first read this book, I was captivated by the story. A young girl who grows up in an impoverished family, sold as a slave to a new "family" who raises her to be a geisha. The book has a well-developed storyline and plot, with twists and turns comparable to the best novels. The themes of sex, power, slavery and freedom are all intertwined to produce a moving story about the geisha. But those who read this book in order to get an insight into Japanese or Asian culture are sadly mistaken - this book is not representative of Asian culture any more than a book about white prostitutes is representative of Caucasian culture. Cultural issues aside, the book is well written and so full of details that it is hard to believe it is fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Memoirs of a Geisha
Review: This book was great! It kept me interested the whole time, and I've even recommended it to my friends to read!
Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable
Review: I really enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha. I found it easy to read and informative. I knew very little about Geisha and found the book to be fascinating. I felt close to the character Sayuri and hated to see the book end. I found it believeable and would recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: A memior with an impact
Review: Memiors of a Geisha is a highly outstanding book, combining historical facts, and a graceful writing style. Reading this book, I was amazed throughout the entire process that an American male author could imatate the feelings and thoughts of a Japanese female, starting from childhood and stopping with death so well. While reading this book, Golden creates such a vivid scenery for you, right in Japan, and with each further reading you grow fonder of the main character Sayuri. Reading this book is like stepping inside the life of a child, and being able to watch it grow, to everything you hoped it would turn out to be, and more.
Rating:
Summary: One Captivating Read!
Review: From page one, I felt like if I looked beside me I would see Sayuri standing there. Mr. Golden writes in such a way that you immediately feel a part of the story. This book was captivating from its beginning until its end. I even found my self making comments out loud in an empty house and I shouted my rage, hurt, surprise and other emotions along with Sayuri. Memoirs of a Geisha is one of my all time favorite books!
Rating:
Summary: Enlightening and Memorable!
Review: This book opened up a world to me that I knew absolutely nothing about. It is a fictional story based on certain facts about a geisha's life, yet it's writing style so draws you in that you are convinced it's a true story and shocked by the atrocities the young girls endure. I thought this was an absolutely fascinating book, although I didn't feel the main character was held responsible for her irresponsible actions at the end. The too happy of an ending was a stain on what could have been a near perfect true to life story of how life is unfair. But then again, I guess that's why we read, to get away from life for a while! I really felt I learned a lot through this story. Even now, weeks after I've finished it, I find myself thinking about it. I have never found a book as memorable as this.
Rating: 
Summary: Good read, not fantasic.
Review: This is the story of Sayuri, a geisha in the first half of the 20th century. It details her life from a moment when she is sold as a young girl well into old age. It documents hardships, love, and spiritual triumphs. A beautiful story, really. For the most part, Arthur Golden's style seems smooth and thorough. There are spots in the book, however, that simply seemed to deserve more attentioon than was given. This especially applies to the ending. For such a complex and emotional book, Golden seemed to be in quite a hurry to get the ending over with. It left me unsatisfied, but the book still shines for a first novel. Hopefully, his writing will continue to blossom.
Rating:
Summary: A Heart for Japan
Review: If you have a heart for Japan, this is a good read. Having lived in Japan 1996, I came to appreciate the beauty of this culture. Kyoto, the setting of the book, is a remarkable place. The author, Golden knows his stuff and presents it in a gentle, thoughtful way. He narrates well and makes you want to be there. On my last trip to Japan, I included Kyoto on my itinerary. It was a good decision.
| 
