I am so glad to have re-read this masterpiece.Arthur Golden's exquisite writing effortlessly transports readers to the mesmerizing world of Kyoto's geisha culture. Golden's meticulous attention to detail and seamless interweaving of historical elements into the narrative are commendable. Hatsumomo stands out as one of the most compelling literary villains, embodying pure malevolence. Chiyo’s journey becomes a shared odyssey as she grapples with the hardships of life, tradition, and rivalry. At its core, the narrative is a poignant tale of survival, hope in the face of great adversity, and resilience.
Such beautiful writing! Sheer joy to read.

“Adversity is like a strong wind. I don't mean just that it holds us back from places we might otherwise go. It also tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that afterward we see ourselves as we really are, and not merely as we might like to be.”

Allowing for the author's creativity, this book is a brilliant telling of Chio's life in her own words. I was immediately drawn into her story to make a moving thought-provoking memoir. Told in such a way as you the reader can almost palpably feel every emotion. From overwhelming sadness, fear, to tears of joy and elation. I loved everything about this book. The characters are interesting and well developed and the plot is riveting.

I first read this book in high school, and although I remember liking it, I don't think I was paying very much attention because I seriously thought the book was just about a bunch of Japanese hookers. But I reread it a few weeks ago, and I loved the story. Memoirs is about the life of this peasanth girl, Sayuri, in pre and post-WW2 Japan who is sold into life as an apprentive Geisha, and then ultimately, an actual Geisha.

The novel is full of these really great, vivid details of a variety of characters: gorgeous but evil rivals, the heinous older ladies who run the Geisha houses and practically enslave these girls, and the Geishas' patrons. Readers discover the world of the Geisha through the eyes of Sayuri, as she struggles to find her place in this society and at the same time, follow her heart
(very cliche, I know, but I don't want to give away the story!).

So the Geisha are women in Japan who are trained in the arts - playing music, dancing, acting, performing tea ceremonies, etc. They make their living entertaining wealthy Japanese men (business men, doctors, political figures), usually in large groups, in tea houses. In pretty rare cases, some of the most popular Geisha undergo a binding ceremony where the geisha is hooked up for life with a Dannah- a very wealthy man who supports her and takes care of her, in exchange for intimacy with her. There are some pretty disgusting scenarios in the book where they just come off like highly-paid prostitutes, but for the most part, the girls in the book are very colorful, strong-willed, and interesting. It's just a very fascinating look into old Japanese culture.

Loved the book and the writing but there was something about it that I passionately disliked as well.
I can’t explain it as I myself don’t understand it but it definitely hindered my enjoyment to the full.

I was also somewhat take aback by my sheer dislike for Sayuri. I feel like I’m the only one who actively disliked her to this extent but there were moments where I felt so infuriated by her, by her selfishness, her utter lack of loyalty, her self-importance... I just couldn’t stand her.

Non si diventa geishe per piacere ma per necessità. Queste poche parole, pronunciate da una delle protagoniste, sembrano racchiudere il senso di questo romanzo, la condizione di una donna-oggetto destinata al puro piacere dell'uomo, che, nella propria condizione di prigionia, si sforza di cercare brandelli della libertà perduta e negata e, nei giochi di potere con le altre geishe, l'opportunità di esprimersi e farsi valere che non ha più. Illusione e auto-inganno necessarie a vivere una vita che potrebbe solo condurre alla disperazione. Tentativi più o meno riusciti di far proprio uno stile di vita inaccettabile e illudersi di poter ancora vantare un'esistenza degna di tal nome.

American author Arthur Golden studied Japanese art and history at Harvard and Columbia and did extensive research to write this fictional account of the life of a geisha in Kyoto before, during and after WW II. And it shows: The story offers a lot of information about the time and the profession, and the storyline, though rather conventionally crafted, unfolds wonderfully. At the same time, the text is clearly targeted at a Western audience that also wants to be enchanted and entertained, and this aspect of exoticism combined with a certain degree of kitsch is a little questionable. Our protagonist and first-person narrator is Sayuri who, as a 9-year-old child, is sold into slavery and forced to become a geisha - but her dream is not to be free, but to be loved by the so-called chairman, a powerful, married businessman. Maybe it is unfair to frame the story like that, because Sayuri grows up and has to survive in a world where the idea of a woman living on her own terms would be fantastical, but still, there is a degree of romanticization of the "Pretty Woman" variety, Eastern style.

Then again, "Pretty Woman" is great fun and a classic, and so is this book. And it's certainly not without its literary merits: Golden does a great job illustrating the life in Kyoto's geisha district, the dependence and fear that comes with the job, the focus on reputation and superficial traits - but the novel never gets gritty, and even when Sayuri's virginity is auctioned off, the sex scene does not make it seem like this is a woman undergoing trauma because she has to give her body to the highest bidder to get rid of her debt and because custom requires it. While the chairman is portrayed as a real romantic interest, he is de facto more of a fantasy than a real-life character, a man Sayuri hardly knows and onto whom she projects her love (the ending makes the whole thing even more surreal). This always remains a comfortable read, which isn't necessarily a plus considering what Sayuri has to undergo.

We accompany Sayuri from her childhood in a fishing village through her training in Kyoto, we learn about the occupation of a geisha and the course of history and often, it's utterly fascinating to read. Golden interviewed several geisha for this novel, among them Mineko Iwasaki who later sued him for defamation and using confidential information (they settled out of court). The movie version of the book looks stunning and won three Oscars for Cinematography, Art Direction and Costume Design.

So all in all, this has the flaws of a popular book explaining complex cultural phenomena while aiming at a broad audience, but it is still intelligent and just very fun to read.

4.5 stars
This novel is very rich and full of diverse characters and shows a big deal of the classic Japanese tradition.

-Every character represents an aspect and an attitude of humans

-Although it is lengthy but I don't find it boring,the length of the book helped in building up the anticipation for the end,thus more satisfaction.

-some people find it insulting to women,well it is a novel not the author's belief.

-I kinda liked Hatsumomo and felt bad for her end,she was the salt of the book.

-the age of the characters along the novel is a little peculiar,and the age difference between Sauyri and the chairman is huge if left to the readers calculations.

-The writing style of the author is nice,and it seems to be affected by the meticulosity of the Japanese.

I wish i have read it before watching the movie,which i will watch again after finishing it.

Ce carte interesantă! Eu nu am avut tangențe cu cărți despre culturi asiatice până acum, iar pe aceasta am ajuns să o citesc ca propunere pentru un club de carte. Și pot spune că am rămas plăcut impresionată.

Povestea este despre gheișa Sayuri, care, ani mai târziu, alege să își spun�� povestea de viață unui prieten bun, scriitor. Își deapănă trecutul, încă din copilărie, când era o simplă fetiță ce locuia într-un sat de pescari. Din cauza problemelor financiare, dar și familiale, fata și sora sa vor ajunge în Kyoto. Dar, pentru că frumusețea le deosebește, una din fete va ajunge în zonele rău famate ale orașului, în vreme ce Chiyo va avea șansa să devină gheișă. O vom însoți pe parcursul acestei transformări, aflând câteva dintre secretele frumoaselor gheișe.

Primele 200 de pagini au mers incredibil de ușor, am fost fascinată de poveste, efectiv. Însă, încet, povestea a început să mi se pară problematică, judecând cu mintea unui european al secolului nostru. Îmi este greu să văd obiectiv unele aspecte și să trec peste faptul că fetele acelea ajungeau să întrețină bărbați care le puteau fi tați, ele fiind minore... A fost o bătălie morală pentru mine să trec peste niște pasaje.

Din păcate, am simțit că am fost dezamăgită de final. A fost surprinzător, dar grăbit și, aș îndrăzni să zic ca nedorit. Aș fi vrut un altul, mi se părea mai cinstit, după câte am îndurat timp de 500 de pagini. Totuși, cum spuneam, fiind prima carte despre obiceiurile asiatice pe care o citesc, a fost o surpriză cu adevărat plăcută. (Am devenit curioasă și de film acuma

If words can come off a page and stun you senseless, this is the book to read. When Chiyo a young peasant girl was sold to the Nitta okiya in Kyoto to one day become a geisha. She could not imagine the depths of the water in the sea her life would embark. From the harsh treatment from Hatsumomo, the primary geisha of the house; to apprentice geisha Mameha as her big sister; to the shamisens; to the tea houses; to the Japanese dances; to the hands of Nobu-san the cold kind business man; and finally to the chairman a man of great compassion and understanding. She will lead you thru the great depression and World War II seen thru the eyes of someone who experienced great wealth, kindness, longing, pain of suffering, loss, friendship, betrayal, and extreme poverty. As you read you will meet Sayuri (formally called Chiyo). An excellent read.

Quotes:

I knew he noticed the trees, and the mud, and the children in the street, but I had no reason to believe he'd ever noticed me.

She may have been cruel as a spider, but she was more lovely chewing on her fingernail than most geisha looked posing for a photograph.

"Never forgot them, Chiyo-chan," she said. "They're all that's left of your childhood."

This is why dreams can be such dangerous things: they smolder on like a fire does, and sometimes consume us completely.

"I'd like to be as cooperative as I can." Mameha replied, " but I'd have difficulty arranging such a thing, since you haven't yet agreed to be Sayuri's mizuage patron. If her integrity is in doubt..........well, Sayuri will be presenting ekubo to a great many men. I'm sure most will be skeptical of stories they hear from Hatsumomo."

"I never seek to defeat the man I am fighting," he explained. "I seek to defeat his confidence. A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory. Two men are equals - true equals - only when they both have equal confidence."

Memoirs of a geisha is what I'm talking about! the type of historical fiction I like. I'm so very glad I read it. I really enjoyed learning about Japan culture during WW2. Not sure its a favorite read but very enjoyable.

We start off following a young girl named chiyo who is poor and from a fishing village. Her mother is sick and about to die and her father is old and unable to take care of chiyo and her sister. They both are sold the pretty chiyo to be a geisha and her older sister to be a whore. The sister runs away from her whorehouses and chiyo never hears from her again. One immediately thought was how mean everyone was to chiyo. Most notably the houses main geisha hatzamomo. She was horrid along with mother and granny the owner of the house. The only bright spot is another young girl her age nicknamed pumpkin and a failed geisha know as aunty. Memoirs of a geisha is a love story despite all the strife chiyo who's name changes to Sayuri after becoming a geisha goes through. I as always don't want to give to much away so I'll stop the synopsis here. Sayuri survives WW2 which isn't as easy as you would think and moves to New York. All in all I think she had a great life compared to other geishas.

I'm not sure how true the story is but geishas being entertainers, I will once again state I was fully entertained. I was enthralled by every detail because if a story is told well you will most likely enjoy it even if it's about kimonos and keeping disgusting men company!

I got tricked into thinking this actually was Chiyo's biography. I read the preface by the imaginary professor matter of factly, not giving much thought to it. Of course the idea of reading an autobiography sparked my excitement. I liked the prose, the part of the book in which Chiyo was not yet abducted stood out and "felt" Japanese. What quickly brought me back on the right track again, was the formulaic style. Chiyo's life consisted of a little too many Cinderella ingredients to not make me doubt her existence.

For example, her brief encounter as a child with the  Chairman and the way this affected her for the rest of her life didn't seem very likable, and appeared purely added for romantic 'it's fate' impact. Then there was Hatsumoto's limitless - evil stepmother! - hatred for what was in the beginning hardly more than a poor little girl from the countryside.You'd think a woman in her position would choose her battles in the snake pit that comes with the profession more wisely.

It was the ending though that bothered me most. Golden either became bored or felt his publisher breathing in his neck and thus tried to wrap up the story quickly. It showed. The final pages were hardly worth reading. Also, this book could've been so much more intense if Golden had avoided that sugary Hollywood ending. .

But then...despite its flaws this was one of those 'hard to put away' books. Geisha's in general are a intriguing - and dying - subgroup of Japanese culture, so it was interesting to read about their world: their habits, ceremonies and make up rituals. Despite me being in no position to comment on the veracity of his research, the author offers nicely detailed descriptions that showcase a lot of research.

Absolutely beautiful! This story was so rich and vivid. With attention to personal details, you could almost think this is a real memoir.
from her childhood as Chiyo, her days as a maid and finally her transformation into Sayuri and her life as a geisha. It was a remarkable, heartfelt journey. She goes through so many hardships to obtain the best life possible and make her dream come true. It is a show of how life does not always go as we want. That others actions can affect our own.

The glimpse we get for the secrets of geisha are incredible to read about. Even just the lifestyle for the time period in general. From the make=up and dressing, to their training. How they entertain, what process they have to go through to get ready for an event, the different stages ans so much more.

***This review is not complete but these are my basic thoughts. More to come...***
I will admit the big downfall to me was the odd obsessive romance for a 12 year old girl toward a 45 year old man as it continues through the years. Admiration is one thing, but she really does go too far.

A great cultural eye-opener. I would love to read other historical novels by this author!