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Sarawak State Library

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Memoirs of a geisha

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Call no.
: EF813.54/GOL
Author
: Arthur Golden 1957- author.
Contributor
: Charlene Bernadette anak David Dunit
Summary
Memoirs Of A Geisha is a fictional story, set in Kyoto, Japan, before and after World War II. The story portrays the life of a girl which was known as Chiyo Sakamoto and then had her renamed as Sayuri when she was eligible to be a geisha. Chiyo was raise in the fisherman village where the family of four; mother, father, herself and sister lived in a hut by the hill. Although it was not a grand life, Chiyo was happy but an unfortunate incident happened and she and her sister was then sold into slavery which then turn her life completely. Despite her appearance, Chiyo life met a lot of unfortunate events, even so she still have the lucky star shine upon and she is a strong and a brave girl. She and her sister got separated. While she is a bit lucky to be sold to an “okiya”, her sister was sold to a prostitution brothel. At the lodging house or “okiya” she lived with other 4 person which include her cruel and envious rival Hatsumomo. Having to lived with her rival, she led a miserable life. But lucky for her, the rival of her rival Mameha noticed her potential when she was younger and so interested of her. Mameha is the famous or well known international as a successful geisha close to her is Hatsumomo. When Chiyo was eligible to be a geisha, she was taken under the wing Mameha. Even so, there was a contract between Mameha and the owner of the okiya which Chiyo lived in which force Chiyo to stay at the “okiya” and not with Mameha instead. The story progression is beautifully done it really capture readers attention, like you really wanted to find out how it ends. It does not have a fairy tale kinda ending for Chiyo Sakamoto. However it is not bad at all. Chiyo grew up to be a beautiful lady and she is enchanted by the manner of the chairman which won her heart. She is always on the move to get to the chairman side however there is a twist to it. Readers would actually follows the story of Chiyo started from the village, her misery life in the “okiya” or how she even got there in the first place and to the moment that she is then well known and highly requested by people in Japan. I love it how a bit of history of geisha in Japan inserted in the story. The kind of school they went to, the kind of music and dance that they practice, their make up, their kimono. These are well describe in the novel and I think these detail are beautiful and very helpful so one do not have to go online to check what is what. Not only that the reader get the rough idea of all the process that involve in being a geisha, to their attire (different level of geisha wore different kind of ornaments, kimono materials and cutting and style and colour and they even put on different style of make up on) simultaneously reader obtain cultural information. The author really engage readers with the story as there is actually a movie made based on this novel. I did not watch the movie therefore cannot say whether or not it lost it essence in the movie or not. The novel really stirs reader emotion. There is part of it is funny when Chiyo try to escape from the okiya when she was little. Irritating part when Chiyo could not do anything when Hatsumomo bullied her but then since Chiyo is well known to the people than Hatsumomo and her apprentice Pumpkin I would not mind.