Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Aileen

Memoirs of a Geisha is one of the best books I have read in a long, long time. I am not normally a fan of this genre, prefering fantasy and science fiction books usually. But the book was recommended to me by a friend and I don't regret for a minute picking it up.


The book is centered around a young girl named Chiyo, who has to go through many challenges just to have the opportunity to become a geisha. The book is vivid and descriptive, portraying a foreign culture with flair and style. It is so well written, in fact, that I did not realize that the book had been written by a man until I had gotten to the very last page and read the author's biography. I could honestly not put the book down, because I was so engaged.


This novel is thought-provoking, and I think that is its best quality. It made me consider things that I never had before, to explore a culture I never had much interest in, and gave me a new respect for it.