Geisha Girls (Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden)

Member Name: Katy_roberts85

Product:	Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
Date:	14/09/09 (6 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy and compelling read

Disadvantages: Not actually true life (writing is deceptively accurate!)

A novel by Arthur Golden, published in 1997.

I read this book about 8 years ago whilst in 6th form as I was recommended to read it by a close friend. I was never that interested as it seemed a bit 'chic-lit' but am so glad I gave it a go. When I started it could not put it down and read it obsessively until I finished it about 2 days later.

It is written as though it is a real account of a girl's life as a Geisha working in Kyoto during World War II.

Soon after her mother died, Chiyo (the protagonist of the novel) and her older sister are taken away from their small village and split up. Her sister is sold to a brothel and Chiyo is sold to an okiya, a house for geisha.

Through the course of the novel we see Chiyo develop from what can be described as no more than a slave a servant in the Geisha house to an apprentice Geisha under the influence of Kyoto'smost sucessful Geisha into a fully fledged succesful working woman.

The novel is accurate in the representation of the Geisha lifestyle. How the Geisha's virginity becomes a commodity, up for sale for men to bid for and buy. How even though they are known as entertainers in reality they are little more than glorified prostitues although sex is not their main trade. Their purpose is to entertain men and only be seen and heard when summond.

I was suprised after reading this that is was not a true life account but fiction, a novel based on the acocunts of women who had been geisha.

It wa an eye opener on a world I had never really thought about and I now recommend it to all of my friends. A really good read.

Summary: Emotive novel depicting trials and tribulations of women sold into slavery as Geisha.