Rating: 
Summary: Memoirs of a Geisha
Review: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden is an extraordinary novel that discusses the journey of a young girl in a quest to become an honorable geisha. Golden describes the main character, Sayuri, which is her geisha name, her trials and tribulations from childhood to adulthood that help shape the kind of person she is in the present time. During Sayuri's adventures she learns many priceless lessons that cannot be found anywhere else. This fascinating novel that describes Sayuri's strong will and determinations to become a respectable geisha are characteristics that make this story worthwhile.
Sayuri is the main character of this novel who learns she must go through rough times in order to become successful. Along with Golden's brilliant writing techniques, Sayuri's situation in the novel is intriguing. A quote from the end of this novel that proves these two aspects are, "Whatever our struggles and triumphs, however we may suffer them, all too soon they bleed and wash, just like watery ink on paper," (428). By reading this quote and expecting many others as these makes the reader want more. This quote, just like many others, also makes you feel the character as well.
The story brings a description of Sayuri's life through her obstacles. Golden's writing techniques are very intriguing and interesting to the reader as well. His commentary and descriptions in the novel pulls you into the story line. I am impressed by how well written this novel turned out to be. Golden uses his vivid imagination to bring his character to life. While Sayuri is talking about her fascination with Mr. Tanaka, a man she has encountered, Golden writes, "The difference between the life here at the Tanakas' house and life in Yoroido was as great as the difference between the odor of something cooking and a mouthful of delicious food," (27). Golden's writing wants to pull you into his story. With his creative descriptions of his character in his writing, it makes you not want to put down this book. Trust, when you read this book, you will like it so much you will not want to put it down.
The author also uses many similes throughout the novel that are impressing to the reader. By using these it makes the reader imagine how the comparisons relate to each other. These certainly brought me into the book even more. When Sayuri describes some pain that she experiences during her training to be a geisha, she says, "I felt as sore as a rock must feel when the waterfall has pounded on it all day long," (34). Reading this one line made me imagine that actual scene. It was very descriptive, but vague. This is why I admire Golden's writing style. There are many other lines such as these in the book that are as descriptive as this.
This novel is definitely a novel that I would recommend for any reader. Not only does this book contain many intriguing phrases, but it also has a good story line. If you are the type of person that enjoys novels about overcoming obstacles, then you will love this book. Also, considering this novel was written by a man, and described the narrator as a woman is very impressing. I believe that that is something hard to do. Memoirs of a Geisha is a great novel that you will never want to put down.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating at first
Review: Golden's prose is outstanding and he managed to write believably from the point of view of somebody of a different gender, from a different culture and a different generation. Quite impressive. I took off one star because after a while, I found the prose to be over-the-top. Research has shown that when people lie they add a bunch of extra details to make their lies appear true -- Golden's book struck me in this way with his exaggerated descriptions of the "crab-like" doctor and disfigured love interest as well as the protagonists own emotions and experiences. Also because the second half was a let-down compared to the first half. The first half dealt with a fairly believable account of life growing up in the okiya and the tension she had dealing with an older, rival geisha. The second half was simply about a sort-of love triangle and semi-titillating escapades during which I got more and more disinterested. I took off another star because he is spreading disinformation by claiming that geisha auction off their virginity which, according to his primary source Mineko Iwasaki, is not true. Yes I know this book is fiction but it still does a disservice to Japan and geisha to portray them in this way. After reading this, I soon read Liza Dalby's Geisha and Mineko Iwasaki's Geisha: A Life. I liked these books immeasurably more but then I am the type that prefers real stories of real people and events over flowery prose in a fictitious world. For prose and just a "good read," Golden's book is something that most will enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning! Absolutely Amazing
Review: This is an absolutely fabulous book. It is IMPOSSIBLE to put down even from the very beginning. It is the captivating and interesting story of a young girl who is sold to an "okiya" by her father where she learns to become a geisha. This story takes you deep into the very misunderstood and secretive world of the Japanese art of the geisha. Golden seems as if he is the geisha himself, the book is beautifully written and absolutely fascinating. Very, very good. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: The emperess is not wearing any clothes
Review: Note to self: never ever read a book about a woman coming of age - written by a man. The story (was there a story?) plodded along like a sea tortoise - yes, that's the type of lyrical imagery one can expect from Golden. The characters are two-dimensional, stereotypical, and completely uninteresting. I've read romance novels better written than this. The true crime is that Golden has taken a potentially fascinating woman, situation, and era - and rendered it as dry as parchment paper. If it's true Steven Spielberg has optioned this book for the big screen, I predict major rewrites. Read "The Red Tent" instead.
Rating:
Summary: It pulls you in
Review: Numerous friends had recommended this book to me. I'm so glad I finally read it. This book is beautifully written and contains a poignant story. I felt like I had spent days chatting with a real-life geisha by the time I finished. Arthur Golden really pulls you in. You should definitely read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: A Really Good Book!
Review: As far as an age group goes, I would recommend that no one under the age of 15 or 16 should read this. The author goes deep into detail about the girl losing her virginity, and some of it may make the reader uncomfortable. Other than that, it was a well-written, and good story about how geisha live their life.
Rating:
Summary: IT IS SO HARD NOT TO TURN THE PAGE!
Review: Beautiful work.. Golden has really made to start the book in a slow yet intriguing manner and the characters are both switching from a realistic athmosphere since not many of us are aware of what geisha societies are like, I don't think. And at the same time.. the rush of Chiyo's life as a maid.. the planning of Mameha and the tangle between the Chairman and Nobu is beautifully executed. You will feel like the character. grammar is beautiful as well, and the description of the details is averagely subtle. Beautiful work, get this!
Rating:
Summary: A book that resurrects the Japanese geisha from the 1930s.
Review: I loved this book because it makes you feel like you are in Gion with the beautiful Sayuri. Arthur Golden has done a great job describing in detail the geisha world of elegant kimonos, extravagent hairstyles, exotic makeup, and the geisha's busy schedule, moving from teahouse to teahouse. The silly lives of these materialistic, splenetic, yet, heroic geisha. Many westerners believe that these women are prostitutes, but in reality they are artists. They regale the men at business parties by dancing, serving saki, and engaging in conversation. Women did not choose to be geisha, but they had no other choice. During the 1930s, there were on average 80,000 geisha; today, about 10,000 due to the westernization of the Japanese culture. Today, women choose to be geisha. Golden allows you to learn about these artisans by introducing Chiyo Sakamoto at age nine. Chiyo later is Sayuri Nitta after she becomes an apprentice geisha and the adopted daughter of the Nitta okiya. After reading this book, you learn to respect these artisans.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down!
Review: This book was so capitivating. I lost myself in Sayuri's beautiful and interesting world. The author made me forget that it was a man writing this book and I felt in touch with the main character, a young geisha in pre-WWII times.
I loved the poetic descriptions of the areas & events that occurred in this book. I had pictures in my mind of a bridge mentioned in it and when I looked on-line to see actual photos, they were the same as my mind had made them to be. Sayuri is a wonderful character, her emotions were so real to me. When it was over, I felt sad that I could no longer be in her world. Excellent!
Rating:
Summary: An insight to a mystical world
Review: When I read this particular book there were some preconceived ideals in my mind pertaining to geishas. I always thought geishas were prostitutes, but I was so wrong. I discovered geishas were much more dedicated to the arts and that they have to actually attend school in order to become a geisha. However, the story of Chiyo (Sayuri) and her sister Satsu, being sold from their fishing village in order to become geishas. I never thought of Sayuri as a prostitute, but rather as a slave pretty similiar to plesage realationships in New Orleans. Yes Sayuri did not have to cook and clean once she became a geisha, but she had to surpress her feelings for the man whom she truly loved and could not really express her feelings. I hated and cared for the character Hatsumomo who was basically jealous of Sayuri and made Sayuri's life at the Okyia pure hell. What really bothered me was the rivalary that was placed between Sayuri and Pumpkin which cost both of these young girls a very valuable frienship. This book had so many twists and turns in it that I became engrossed and learned so much about geisha. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about geishas, but I also know that the author of this book has been sued by the geisha in which gave him this particular memoirs. So the geisha that sued Arthur Golden has decided to tell her side of the story which I will read in the next couple of months. I would like to discover what a real geisha has to say as opposed to an American giving us a second hand story of something he may never fully understand.
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