Book Review

Recently I have read “Memoirs of a geisha’’ a historical fiction novel written by

Arthur Golden. The book tells the exotic yet breathlessly elegant story of one of
Japan’s most celebrated geisha, Nitta Sayuri.
Like many fairy tales, the story of Sayuri begins in a remote village by the sea.
Chiyo, as she is then called, is the daughter of an aged fisherman and his ailing wife.
Unlike her dimwitted sister, Chiyo is a bright, sensitive girl, distinguished by her
unusual gray eyes. When Chiyo is 9, she catches the attention of a local businessman,
who offers to ''adopt'' her and her sister, and ease their family's financial burden.Those
dreams are quickly smashed when she and her sister Satsu are separated and taken
away to an okiya by the bidding of Mr. Tanaka. Torn from every comfort she has ever
known, Sayuri begins her search for self-purpose, identity, and dignity in the midst of
a place “as unstable as a stream, changing in every way.”
After its publication, “Memoirs of a Geisha’’
received a huge reception, many praised Golden’s
abilities to create stunningly authentic characters.
Readers were left awe-struck, stuck in the enchanted
Gion of the 1930s. I myself, as a reader, believed every
single part of it. I truly did. It was written so sincerely
and delicately, that after finishing the novel, I had to
pull myself out of the past and into the present, to
research more about the “famed geisha” Sayuri. It was
a vain attempt; everything led to empty websites and
pages. Nothing existed, and my heart was truly
crushed, for the book allowed for some of my most
raw emotions to be invested in Sayuri.
While there was a tremendous amount of praise,
there was also a number of readers upset over the
portrayal of women throughout the book. Many Japanese claimed that the life of a
geisha told through Sayuri was inaccurate and disgraceful, while others criticized the
over-sexualized and objectifying way women were viewed within the book. As to the
latter half, I will say that the women were indeed written in a more objectifying and
submissive manner, however I believe it was with the intent to capture the traditional
culture of Japan at the time.
In conclusion I can say that despite the criticisms, the author's lyricism throughout
his first novel captures the mystical and complex nature of a geisha. Though entirely
fiction, Golden creates a breathtakingly authentic and believable world that bristles
with vibrancy.
I would give this book 3.9 out of 5.0