Memoirs of a Geisha : Book Review

Note: This is an article written for my Desktop project (class magazine).

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA: BOOK REVIEW

By Claudine Claudio

It was about 2:30 in the morning when I finally got to finish this intriguing novel by Arthur Golden. And the first statement that popped in my head after reading the last pages of Memoirs of a Geisha was, “He (Golden) tricked me!” I would not want to spoil the surprise but since it has nothing to do with the flow of the story (who knows? I might be the only one who sees it as a big deal) I will reveal it anyway. Golden’s novel is purely fictional! (No!!! I still can’t get over it until now.) Initially, you would assume that the novel is an autobiography because there’s a space described as the “Translator’s Note” before the first chapter of the novel. The “translator” named Jakob Haarhuis shared his own personal encounter with the old Nitta Sayuri in New York. He mentioned how Sayuri transformed her penthouse in Waldorf-Astoria into a teahouse, her excuse why she didn’t want to write her story herself, his intimate description of her alluring voice, how he still plays his recorder to hear her speak to him and of course, how could I forget that poignant final statement of how he still could not believe that she’s gone?

Anyway, enough about my personal bitterness towards Golden. I just feel betrayed. The novel is a typical rags-to-riches kind of story. But what’s wonderful about this book is that it opens up divergent ways to perceive Japan’s “moving work of art”, geishas. Its message actually falls upon the conversion of our pre-conceived notions about geishas from prostitutes to artists. This novel unlocks the fascinating world of geishas in early Japan where endless dancing, conversation, tea-serving and shamisen playing are considered as great art. The wearing of kimonos was given a great deal of emphasis too as if it was a sacred and artistic ritual (which, I believe, in their time was). But the novel itself is a great work of art. Golden was very metaphorical and the humor within is a plus. He created the kinds of characters who mark not only the mind but also the hearts of its readers. The names, Sayuri, Mameha and Hatsumomo will be encrypted in your head for quite some time. And he’s fond of using analogies to compare feelings and situations which give the readers the power to adapt the scenes in their imaginations effectively. If you start reading this book trusting Haarhuis note that Sayuri truly existed, you would find it rather unusual for an old woman to remember much of her childhood. It wasn’t mentioned that Chiyo (birth name of Sayuri) kept a diary in her time so the vivid detailing of her childhood was quite mind-boggling. Despite these personal queries of mine, I must admit that I enjoyed every leaf of this novel. Especially, the Mameha/Sayuri-Hatsumomo/Pumpkin teahouse encounters. It is fast-paced and it lacks the quality of a boring novel.

Memoirs of a Geisha is the kind of novel that has its own way of marking itself to the readers’ hearts. It is a novel you won’t soon forget and discard after a long time. Being simple and at the same time spectacular, it is worth the effort, time and price.

/ingenue07