Memoirs of a Geisha is not a new book, it was written by American author Arthur Golden and was published in 1997. The book was adapted into a movie released in 2005. It has been a long time since 1997 but I think this book is still worth the read in this day and age.
Memoirs of a Geisha is a fictional memoir of a geisha named Nitta Sayuri. In the book, Sayuri goes way back into her childhood as Chiyo when her mother started getting ill and poverty was just dawning on their lives.
She was acquainted by whom she thought was an honourable man named Mr. Tanaka who convinced their father to sell her and her sister off to Kyoto. They were sold in an okiya (geisha house) and a brothel.
It is worth noting that the book contains depictions of verbal, emotional and physical abu$3 so be sure to consider that especially if you are triggered by those.
Sayuri did not live an easy life. She was too young to understand that Mr. Tanaka was not a very good man and this world was more cruel than we could ever hope. She came to Kyoto only to be more abu$3d by the geisha in the okiya named Hatsumumo who was incredibly jealous of her bluish grey eyes. Even in the early parts of the book, Hatsumumo just spent a great deal of her time being cruel to Sayuri.
Just when she thought her life was hopeless, she met a much older man whom they called Chairman who at the time not only gave her money and shaved ice but also a life purpose. It was the Chairman's kindness that planted the dream of being a geisha within Sayuri with the hopes that one day, she will be by his side. (She was only a teenager when she met the 45-year-old Chairman which I must admit was a little bit disturbing.)
The book then continues to tell the story of how the young and naive Chiyo turned into the most sought after geisha named Sayuri.
Book or movie?
I honestly do not like the idea of choosing over books or movies because they're two different things even if they're based on either one and we all have different preferences.
Anyway, if you have seen the movie but have not yet read the book, I think you will still be able to appreciate the book a lot. There are differences to the story and it is easier to understand the whys behind the events with all the details.
I have seen the movie and though it's a lot more fast-paced than the book (obviously), it is still a very phenomenal work. The actors, the cinematography, the storyline - they're just all so perfect.
Therefore, if you like to read and watch films, I think you should go for both the book and the movie on this one.
In conclusion...
When reading this book, don't expect much rollercoaster of emotions but it does have its own fair share of intense moments. It is a bit of a lengthy read and it does take a bit of patience but I suggest look into how the traditional life of a geisha is.
I am a huge fan of historical novels and this one surely did not disappoint. Although I imagined this book could have been much richer if written by a local, I still think Arthur Golden gave the storyline some good justice.
I didn’t like that it is lengthy to a fault and there are many times that the pacing of the events just seemed very slow.
I would not recommend this to young children because of some content that may be inappropriate to some age groups.
If you haven't read Memoirs of a Geisha yet, I think this is definitely a book that you should pick up next time you are in a hunt for some good historical fiction.
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