The Geisha with the Blue-Grey Eyes: A Review of Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha is not a biography, nor is it a ghost-written novel. When my best friend Dionne recommended I read this book, we both were under the impression that it was. That's how convincing it is.

PLOT
Sayuri and Satsu are taken from their fisherman father and tipsy house, and sold into slavery by Mr. Tanaka. Satsu ends up at at a brothel, while Sayuri (thanks to her unusual blue-gray eyes) is send to learn to become a Geisha. The story is told in the voice of Sayuri in retrospect, as she discusses all of the trials and tribulations she faced as a Geisha. Her virginity was auctioned off, she's adopted, she falls in love with one man but is promised to another, and finally must face the tragedies of war.

AUTHOR
Arthur Golden is a genius. He must have done so much work and research to write this incredible novel. Golden overlooks no detail, and makes the reader believe they are truly reading a biography. Perhaps this is because it is based on the memoirs of his friend, Nitta Sayuri, as well as extensive information about geishas.

CHARACTERS
The characters in this book are amazingly deep and multi-faceted. They are all so different from one another, too. Golden does an incredible job of making his readers care about the characters and the outcomes in their "lives."

SETTING
Memoirs of a Geisha is set in New York City, Kyoto, Gion and Yoroido. The time of the book spans a woman's life, from childhood on. Because of this, women will relate more to the book than men might because of the feminine themes. Men, on the other hand, may be interested in the war aspect and what it is like to be with a geisha.

OVERALL
Memoirs of a Geisha is an excellent book. It is, however, slow in a few places. However, you will learn a great deal from this, especially about the Geisha world and Japanese culture. As you read certain parts, you'll be dying to skip ahead. I highly recommend Memoirs of a Geisha to anyone that enjoys a good, solid book, and especially to women.