I finished this book about a week ago. Great book. I will be watching the movie this weekend.

It is very sad. Covers the life a a young Geisha growing up in Japan before, during and after World War II.

Very captivating and hard to put down. It is interesting to see the life of a geisha. Good research was conducted to complete the novel. Golden did a great job writing the book. Clearly, written by a man but did fairly well writing in first person as a woman.

Great book there was a few disturbing parts in the book but overall I am glad that I read this book.

Emilee, I agree-its very captivating! I loooove all the rich descriptions of the setting and details, they are fabulous.

I think the ending was disappointing, but the wonderful writing more then made up for it.

I loved this book, and it was a surprise for me too as I didn't think I would to begin with. I'd had no previous interest in Japan but my sister sent me the book and so I read it... and adored it!

The end could have been better especially since the majority of the book was so amazing.

I agree with you ladies, it was a great read, we read it as part of a book club and there were tons of things to discuss and little gems everyone had highlighted.

I loved the movie too, although it was very different from the book, the relationships are not the same; however the wardrobe, the sets, the gardens everything is just breathtaking.

This is another books that I loved. I read this book many years ago and truly loved it. I never did see the movie.

The movie is really good, a lot like the book although obviously not perfect... but when are they? I think it captures the novel perfectly and was like walking into my imagination.

And the soundtrack was absolutely beautiful.

Fiona wrote: "The movie is really good, a lot like the book although obviously not perfect... but when are they? I think it captures the novel perfectly and was like walking into my imagination."

Good to know, maybe I'll rent it then. Thanks :)

I'll have to get the soundtrack. I loved the movie too!

We read this several years ago for bookclub. I thought it was an excellent book. The characters were well developed and the history of geishas were very interesting.

I loved this book too. I'm always fascinated when an author writes something from the perspective of the opposite gender and a completely different culture. What a feat to achieve, and Arthur Golden did a fantastic job.

As for the movie, I thought it was exceptionally done, especially the soundtrack, which is one of my favorite John Williams movie soundtracks. And many of the actors didn't know English yet still had to pull off the language on camera. Plus it was beautiful. :)

loved the book and movie! i was totally captivated by the book that i reread it again after 2 weeks. I have also watched the movie many times...

Saw the movie first then read the book and was so glad I did. The movie was beautiful and very faithful to the book but there is never enough time in a movie to really explore the motivations of the characters. I loved the way the book ended!

Ok, I am not going to read any of the posts because I just bought the book yesterday. I can't wait to read it, I heard it's a great book and it's good that I haven't seen the movie. :-)

Oh I bought the movie at walmart over the weekend $5.00!

i watched the movie...maybe i will read the book

Something interesting about the book: Arthur Golden based the book on his extensive interviews with the leading geisha of her time, Mineko Iwasaki (now a nightclub owner). She made him promise that he would not sexualise the geisha's role. Which he did. So she sued him and lost - Memoirs of a Geisha is, after all, fiction. So she wrote her own book Geisha: A Life 0743444299 which is much better, less sensational but much more detailed.

I am going to have to read Geisha: A Life. Sounds like it would be a good read.

Thanks Petra X! I just added that to my "to-read" shelf!

Petra X wrote: "Something interesting about the book: Arthur Golden based the book on his extensive interviews with the leading geisha of her time, Mineko Iwasaki (now a nightclub owner). She made him promise th..."

I remember this slightly differently -- that she sued him because she had been assured that her identity would be kept private, and that the suit was settled out of court. I could be wrong. It was several year ago now, right?

I read Memoirs of a Geisha almost two years ago, but what an excellent novel! I thought Arthur Golden did a great job writing from a female POV.

I love the book & the movie wasn't bad but the book was way better I think...