Book Review! Memoirs of a Geisha

Have you ever read a story that entrapped you so thoroughly that you were not only shocked when it came to an end, but also saddened because the characters had become part of your daily life?   That is exactly what Arthur Golden did with this work of art.  He obviously had done a LOT of homework on the lifestyles and culture of Geisha in the early twentieth century prior to writing this masterpiece.

I feel like I’ve read an in depth history book or a diary of a woman who grew up in Japan.  The girl with the blue-gray eyes, Sayuri, was able to teach me about customary Geisha clothing, make up, and even give me lessons on how a Geisha must carry herself.  I discovered the Japanese caste system and realized that the practice of selling your daughter into slavery to become a Geisha or a prostitute wasn’t entirely unusual during this time.   I learned about traditional Japanese gender customs: women weren’t chattel in this culture, but they were different from men in that they could become escorts or entertainers in being chosen for this prestigious profession.  To become a Geisha was incredibly challenging and only a few lucky women became really successful.

This book provided me so much insight to the Japanese culture.  I loved every chapter, and would be thrilled to have a copy of this book as my own.  Sadly, I returned the audio book to the library, but will one day add the hardback to my library.