Rating: 
Summary: An Amazing Book!
Review: Wow! I couldn't put this book down - it positively enveloped me in geisha culture. I was fascinated, appalled, intrigued ... Golden, a male author, did a convincing and personally intimate job narrating in the first person through a female (Sayuri) voice. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys being transported into another "world." I would have given Memoirs 5 stars, except for two minor factors: a completely hokey romance thread that weaved throughout the novel and a rather lackluster ending. Those aside, a fascinating storyline, well-drawn characters, and realistic dialogue set this book apart from most books offered today....
Rating: 
Summary: Fiction - NOT Fact....
Review: First and foremost, I would like to say that Memoirs of a Geisha is a work of fiction and should NOT be taken as actual historical or factual account into the geisha culture.I read this book when it first came and found myself enjoying reading it but, eventually when I finished reading it, I found myself feeling disappointed. Memoirs of a Geisha has been written in a way that is very descriptive which you will find evokes your imagination and transports you to another time and another place. But despite this...there is something lacking to the story - depth. Many of the characters seemed rather "hollow" and I felt that they had been left grossly undeveloped. Also, the look at the "flower and willow world" seems superficial and only barely scratching the surface of this intriguing and complex society. It is interesting to note that many geisha themselves are not happy with this book, claiming that it is full of flaws ranging from minor inaccuracies to major betrayals. I feel that this is very important to keep in mind whilst reading it. Essentially, this book is just a western "romance" story that has been given a "Japanese" face. Although it is evident that Golden has put the time and effort into researching the elusive world of geisha, there are many discrepancies throughout this book, hence why it should only be taken as a work of fiction. For those who like a good story to read, I recommend this book. For those who wish to do serious research into the "flower and willow world", this is not the book to read.
Rating: 
Summary: Best book I've read
Review: I loved this book. Learning about this culture was facinating to me and done so tastfully. Even though it was about Geisha, there was less talk of sex than in most books I've read. All about the struggle to survive and overcome lifes obstacles. I must say that the best part was seeing Hatsummomo get what she deserved after learning to dislike her so much through the course of the story.
Rating:
Summary: I didn't want it to end.
Review: Golden's fictional account of the Geisha culture in pre- and post-WWII Japan is so well-written, you will find yourself checking the cover again and again to make sure it's fiction. After her mother's death, nine-year old Sayuri's distraught father sends her away from her poor fishing village with a wealthy man who promises to look after her. They travel to the city of Gion, where Sayuri is sold as an apprentice Geisha. As Sayuri grows, we follow her from one teahouse to another as she emerges from a clumsy child into a beautiful, much sought after Geisha. I couldn't put this book down. My only complaint is with the hurried ending. It didn't seem to fit with the rest of the story. Other than that, it was one of the best book's I've read in a long, long time.
Rating:
Summary: not based on fact; enjoyable nonetheless
Review: A good story; well-written and filled with great imagery, symbolism, and metaphors. To be taken with a grain of salt: although the title may imply a true story, it is a work of fiction. This was written for sheer entertainment and not as a basis of fact (despite what Golden says in the intro). Who can really know what the life of a geisha was like - it was all shrouded in mystery (to the Western world, at least). One error I noticed: towards the end of the story, the heroine, Sayuri, states that she will not reveal the father of her child. Yet, a few pages after, she says she remained in New York and did not return to Japan since the Chairman's daughter's fiance-to-be would not marry the daughter of a man who has an illegitimate child. Nevertheless, it is enjoyable reading and I recommmend it.
Rating:
Summary: Descriptive Talent
Review: Arthur Golden's ability to describe emotions amazes me, and the fact that he is describing a woman's emotions so strikingly is even more surprising. I underlined some sentences because they are so true to life -- he is extremely perceptive, and able to express feelings very clearly.
Rating:
Summary: Orientalist academic memoirs of a geisha
Review: The generally rave reviews about this book are a little misleading. Many people will try to sell you on its authenticity. I would have prefered reading about the culture of the geisha from the perspective of a Japanese writer rather than an American academic ( the author is a professor in E. Asian studies.) The book doesn't breathe under the western fascination with the minutia of every fold of every garment of the geisha wardrobe. I have a hard time believing that we couldnt wait for a Japanese told chronicle of the same story.
Rating:
Summary: Japanese Jane Eyre
Review: I had mixed feelings about this book. Golden has created a very nice story. He depicts a little understood group of Japanese women, providing a detailed insight into their mysterious society. As a way to view a culture one may be curious about, the book is very good. I know little about Japanese or geisha culture, so I cannot vouch for the story's authenticity, but Golden seems have a solid background in the area, and although a reader should probably, as many warn, be careful to avoid generalizing to Japanese populations as a whole, the view into the life of a typical geisha seems reliable. This is the main way I liked the book-an vivid picture of a fascinating group of people. As for the story itself, there are probably better books written on the same subject. Although it read fairly fast, I couldn't stop comparing the sometimes over-flowery language to Jane Eyre. The story, with the beloved heroine being wronged by everyone around her, but eventually coming out on top, was also similar. Towards the end, the book fell apart. Golden doesn't seem to have planned an ending; rather, it seems like around page 420 he decided he wanted to stop writing, and ended the story as quickly as he could, leaving loose ends, and an improbable and unfitting conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: A book you wish never ended
Review: I felt this book was wonderful. Coming from an Asian background, I really loved the way the character was depicted. I tell all my friends that this is a MUST read. From the first line to the last page..I was captivated by the character. It is a book about everything, family, love and life.
Rating:
Summary: The Story Of All Stories
Review: When I was a little girl I lived for the "stories" told by my great-grandmother, grandmother, and great aunts. It was always such a treat and a virtual history lesson to hear of their experiences as youngsters. This book parallels those stories for me because it is of a bygone era told from a woman who has since aged. What a wonderful tale and what great lessons we can learn from our elders. Chiyo, or Sayuri as we later come to know her, tells the story of her life from childhood on the seacoast of Japan where she grew-up, through the time when she was sold by her father into what would now be considered slavery, and then into adolescence, adulthood and beyond. This is a story that envelops you in a way that makes you feel as if you are there, and more, that you want to be there. This story is about the story. Not the beginning, not the middle, nor the end. The whole story. I developed a deep interest in Asian culture after reading this novel as I am sure many other people have. This was an eye-opening literary experience for me.
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