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Memoirs of a Geisha

Arthur Golden

Start date: February 1, 2018

Finish date: February 28, 2018

Discussion: Monthly Group Reads

Why we're reading this: February's Group Read is Classism
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden…more
[close] February's Group Read is Classism
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

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What Members Thought

Sep 07, 2017 Alana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: educational, books-to-film, historical-fiction, foreign-culture, boxall-s-1001-books

I'm torn. I really liked reading the book and enjoyed the story and was fully engaged in it the whole time. There were scenes that were disturbing, the ones that were more human-trafficking related (view spoiler) I'm torn. I really liked reading the book and enjoyed the story and was fully engaged in it the whole time. There were scenes that were disturbing, the ones that were more human-trafficking related (view spoiler) although most of it just felt like a story. I have heard varying opinions about the historical veracity of the culture portrayed, so I can't really see it as too much of a true glimpse into that culture, but hopefully I have a little more understanding than I did before. However, and some would disagree with me on this, there were moments I could almost forget that at its heart, though the author made certain to show the differences between geisha and traditional prostitutes very distinctly, that it's a book about human trafficking and forced prostitution of a young girl and then a woman. Her whole life is bought and sold for the benefit of others, and regardless of how she resigns herself to it in the end, she's still never been free to pursue her own dreams and desires, but literally always has to be at the whim of someone else (mostly "Mother").

I was very disappointed in the ending. The rest of the story was really engaging and entirely held my interest, but I thought (view spoiler)

I liked it a lot, but I didn't like it a lot, if that makes sense? As a story, as a novel, I mostly liked it, aside from the end, but as a cultural/historical piece, I just don't know. I also felt the maleness of the author peek through, but not so much that it became distracting. As an engaging tale, 4 stars. ...more

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