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perth_is's review
- 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
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
- 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
"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.
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
- 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
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
mariahmmm's review
- 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
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.
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
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Trafficking
cienmari's review
- 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
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
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: War
mandyrose's review
- 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
Negative: It was painful reading a novel centred around a woman being tossed around by men. And I didn’t love the ending.
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism and Abortion
kshertz's review
- 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
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
tomnoor's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Alcohol
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Trafficking, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Abortion