Book Review: Memoirs of a Geisha

by Arthur Golden

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was a little leery to read this book because I knew there would be a lot of sex in it just because of the topic. I watched the movie, which I thought was good but it left me a little confused and wanting more information, so then of course I had to read the book. I really enjoyed the book, which was a nice surprise. Yes, there were a few parts where I had to skip, but for the most part the author does a very good job of describing the life of a Geisha without getting too hot and heavy. That being said you should be aware that a lot of sexual things are discussed but I didn't think of them so much as inappropriate but rather historically accurate. I think it's sad that a nine year old girl could be sold into slavery and made into an object for man's enjoyment. I should probably say, for those of you wondering, that a Geisha is not a prostitute, but more of a human made into a work of art.

Anyways, even though the story had the happiest ending it could possibly have, it was still a sad book just because of the situation this girl finds herself in. The story was entertaining though. It was interesting to read about a culture I was unfamiliar with. And what I enjoyed the most about the book was how the author wrote it. The narrator was the Geisha as an old woman telling her story to someone who was researching about Geisha. So the story is told from her point of view as she remembers it, which I thought gave the book an authentic feel. Also, the author used metaphors in such a good way. They feel natural to read and they help draw a picture in your mind of what's going on. I gave the book only three stars because it wasn't one of my all time favorites. A good read, entertaining, well written, but not in the top ten. But I recommend it.

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