Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

23 reviews

kmartin22's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was a great historical fiction that transported me to Japan in the 1930s/1940s. I loved the main character and her story. The worst part was just that it’s historical fiction. I wish it was a real memoir.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Kidnapping

perth_is's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I acquired a copy of this book at a library book sale.
"Memoirs of a Geisha" follows the fictious life of Sayuri. When Sayuri was a young girl, she was sold by her father and taken from home to become a maid. Through some hard work and befriending of the right people, Sayuri is able to work her way up to become a Geisha. But the Geisha's world is tainted by greedy mothers and even greedier men. Sayuri quickly learns that her life is always going to be rife with difficulty, but she has some power to fight back.
This story was harrowing and beautiful, and I found it difficult to believe that it was not a true story. Sayuri felt so authentic, and it really highlights Arthur Golden's talents as an author that he was able to take a fictious character and root her so much in historical reality that I wanted to do research to uncover what ultimately happened to Sayuri.
This novel is difficult to read at times because of how poorly the women are treated, and how graphic the novel gets in its depictions of this abuse. My heart just goes out to all of real women who were inevitably abused in similar ways to Sayuri and the other Geishas of this story.
I think the novel overall keeps a pretty great pace, especially because we are following the main character for over a decade. However, I do think the story does drag a little bit around the 300-page mark. I felt like my attention wanned and I had to force myself a little bit to stay engaged in the story.
I do think it odd how America is depicted in this novel. Sayuri seems to think the American soldiers are "very friendly", but I do not know if I really believe that is how the Japanese would have felt about Americans at this time? Especially because America and Japan were on opposite sides of the war.
This was an intensely beautiful story that I recommend to those looking to expand their historical fiction TBR. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

ailbheclaire's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Beautifully written, compelling content. Concerns around its framing and narrative on the subject of geisha and historical accuracy 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

mariahmmm's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

A Geisha looks back on her life and recounts the struggles she faces on her journey to becoming a renowned Geisha. 

Given the books apparent success, I was expecting a detailed journey on what being a Geisha involved. Instead, this poorly written historical fiction infantilizes the main character and breezes past mountains of abuse while trying to insert an uncomfortable romance subplot. The book felt half finished with unexplainable time jumps and large gaps in the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery and Trafficking

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

Minor: War

bryelle's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Really love this telling of a geisha 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Trafficking

cienmari's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abortion, Sexual harassment, and War

ange9346's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: War

mandyrose's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Positive: There are some beautiful metaphors in this novel making use of water & nature.
Negative: It was painful reading a novel centred around a woman being tossed around by men. And I didn’t love the ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism and Abortion

kshertz's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Enough time has passed that I forgot the movie. It is super interesting that a dude wrote this book. At times it is super obvious. Especially with talking about losing virginity and women’s bodies. But I was still intrigued and really enjoyed reading the book. I couldn’t put it down. Now I have to go watch the movie again.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment