Hey readers,
This is another book that has been sat on my shelf for awhile and now I've finished it, I'm once again wondering why it's taken me so long to read it. I can't remember who recommended this one to me, or if I just found it by myself, but it was so worth the read. I am a fan of Japan in general and it is there their culture and style of writing that I find most fascinating. So, even though this book was written by an American with a rich background in Japanese culture and literature, the actual way it is written makes you believe that you are in the heart of Japan. Just like how Haruki Murakami is able to transport you in his novels.
I was keen to read some more books by Arthur Golden, but it appears that Geisha is his only novel. Which I think is a shame, because he is a great writer and I'd love to read something else by him. I understand that he interviewed Mineko Iwasaki, a famous geisha, who wrote an autobiography about her life, (which contradicted some of the things in Geisha) for the detailed information he used throughout his novel. Thus is why the story has a really realistic feel to it and adding to this is that the novel is styled like a memoir.
The front cover of my copy, which is actually the 2005 reprint as the book was published in 1997, has a striking image of an geisha's face. It seems for a few seconds that this an actual face because it is wonderfully framed by moving black hair. She is wearing the white make up which geisha are well known for and because of this you're draw straight to the bright red lips and piercing blue/grey eyes. It is a cover that works to draw you in, because you want to know more about this person and the reasons behind her sadness that seem to reflect off her eyes.
The novel starts off with a Translator's Note by Arnold Rusoff, who is a friend of Golden and its this that makes the reader start to believe that Geisha maybe an actual autobiography or else based on one. The note gives some background to Rusoff's interested in Japan and the nature of memoirs. Then it sets out to make the novel's main character, Sayuri, appear real. It does this by stating that she told him about her life and he documented it for her and then turned it in the novel you are holding.
The novel is written in the first person narrative of Sayuri, making it seem more memoir like, and we really do get her whole life contained within the 493 pages. The story opens with Sayuri getting the reader to picture that they are having tea and talking together, when she says something about the best and worst afternoon of her life. On questioning her, she begins the actual story. Thus the life of Sayrui and a geisha unfolds and runs across the pages.
The plot of the story is long and complicated due to the style of the memoirs. However, everything does stay linear and there is a real sense of time and movement. I didn't have a problem with the plot because I was hooked from the first few pages and really got in to it. But I did noticed how in depth it actual was. There's so much detail about Japanese history and culture, also being slowly revealed is the life and nature of geishas. All together though this just brings so much life to the novel and adds to that real feel.
The plot basically goes like this;
As a child, Sayrui, who's actual name is Chiyo, is taken from her fishing village and sold to an geisha boarding house, an okiya. She shares the house with five other woman; a girl close to her own age nicknamed Pumpkin, Granny, Mother, Auntie and Hatsumomo, who being a famous geisha feels that Chiyo is a rival and sets out to get rid of her. Chiyo is made to be a servant and must work her way up to earn her geisha training. After years of being a slave and many mishaps, she finally gets to start her training and joins Pumpkin at the school. She is then taken under the wing of another geisha, Mameha and is given her new name, Sayrui. She progresses through her training and becomes an actual geisha. She has relationships with a number of men, most of which don't work out has she has her sights on one particular man. The Second World War breaks out and she survives it by moving in with a kimono maker and his family. A few years afterwards, she moves to America and the story ends with her reflection on her life.
The characters are really well written and complexed. There are many that appear and disappear due to the time scale and nature of the story. Sayrui herself grows up and develops within the pages, changing from a young naive girl into a worldly, intelligent woman. This is wonderfully written and I started to feel like I was becoming a part of Sayrui's life because I knew so much about her. The other main geisha characters- Pumpkin, Hatsumomo and Mameha- all have great development and it's through the last two that the reader gets to understand the competitive nature of being a geisha. This is due to them being rivals and they use whatever they can to try and put each other down. Pumpkin and Sayrui have friendship develop from their time as servants, this becomes a sub-plot and takes an interesting twist towards the end of the book. As for the other main female characters they have good back stories which appear and they also have their own roles to play in Sayrui's life.
The male characters are also very interesting and it would have been good to have seen some parts of this novel from a man's point of view. Maybe there's a book out there in this style or else someone should write one, because that'd give a different view of geisha life. All the main male characters come across well and some development can be seen. It seems that the competitive attitudes of the women are reflected in the men as they go against each other for a certain geisha attention.
The language used in this book is perfect to the plot, characters and over all nature of the subject and genre. I was swept away by the poetic tone that comes across in most parts and I loved the little Japanese sayings that popped up throughout. This adds that Japan feel to the text and its hard to believe that the writer is American as he seems to have captured everything so perfectly. The description of everything is just great, but I love the details of the kimonos and could never get tried of reading about them. I was just gripped by it and found myself more interested in reading the book just to study the use of the language!
The book was turned into a movie in 2005 and I haven't seen it. I'd be interested to watch it, though I don't think it'll be as good or as complicated as the book. Whilst the movie might be able to capture more of the Japanese landscapes and scenery, the book excellently does this too. Plus you get a great insight into the characters.
Overall, I would so recommend this book to anyone as it's a great story and also has a very fascinating setting. The characters feel so realistic that it's hard to admit it's fiction and it's beautifully written. It has got me more interested in Japanese writing and settings now and I can't wait to get my hands on some more!
Images from:
http://www.g-pop.net/MemoirsofaGeisha.htm
http://asiabeam.com/v/films/geisha/Geisha_wallpaper_10
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