It was an emotional roller coaster as far as the character’s lives as I read through the book. The world of a geisha is full of elaborate ceremonies which I found very interesting. Mainly this is because of being sold into the geisha life, but also dealing with society’s standards at that time, becoming a woman, falling into love, and learning how to be her own person.Īlong the years we see Sayuri learn from mistakes and develop her personality. Sayuri lives a troubled life from childhood to adulthood. It’s also been a while since I read it (I read this book sometime in high school). This book is fantastic! I usually don’t read historical novels too much, but I was really intrigued to read this book because of my interest in Japanese culture. We witness her transformation as she learns the rigorous arts of the geisha: dance and music wearing kimono, elaborate makeup, and hair pouring sake to reveal just a touch of inner wrist competing with a jealous rival for men’s solicitude and the money that goes with it. It begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year-old girl with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house. Speaking to us with the wisdom of age and in a voice at once haunting and startlingly immediate, Nitta Sayuri tells the story of her life as a geisha. the film version directed by Rob Marshall (2005).Įven though the story is somewhat incorrect about Geisha life (I’ve studied up on this topic a little bit being a Japanese minor in college) and the author was sued ( see here), it’s still a pretty good story. Movie is on one of my favorite historical novels: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (1997) vs. Thanks for being patient and sticking with me 🙂 I’m in the middle of reading some books to review, and plus school and work are pretty hectic. I’m back! Again, I apologize for the lack of posting this week.

Geisha novel