Saturday 29 May 2010

Memoirs of a Geisha




I am currently reading Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden. It’s a best selling  Novel, Which is now a Major Motion picture (2005 film), according to the information on the book cover. It’s a fast read and an engrossing book. I found it more like a CHetan Bhagat( add more of metaphorical or lyrical prose) kind of book than a serious literature.

Memoirs of a Geisha tells the story of a young girl, Chiyo, who is sold into the life of a geisha.Geisha are classical Japanese entertainers, who perform various dances or musicals. They are more Tawaifs in Indian term, more like Madhuri Dixit in Devdas, and not prostitutes in real sense.

Courtesy Wikipedia -Their purpose is to entertain their customer, be it by dancing, reciting verse, playing musical instruments, or engaging in light conversation. Geisha are regarded as prostitutes by many non-Japanese. However, legitimate geisha do not engage in paid sex with clients. Their purpose is to entertain their customer, be it by dancing, reciting verse, playing musical instruments, or engaging in light conversation.

Story starts with a young girl who is sold off by her father, owing to the reason that they are extremely poor and his wife( Her mother) is dying of bone cancer. She is taken away to a distant town Kyoto, which is a bustling city and how the girl copes with a new but harsh life of servitude, encircled by extreme difficulties in the form of jealous and offensive tenants, to finally become the most famous Geisha.

It’s an intense and interesting book, (though I have read only 80 pages) and highly advocate to read it if you haven’t already. Ciao.





     

7 comments:

anamikasureka said...

when i started with the book i found it pretty interesting but midway it gets soo boring that it will be difficult to complete it..

Hope my views don match yours.

Aparna said...

I agree with anamika. I read through half of it and then found it a bit of a drag. But it did expose me to a completely different culture.

Anonymous said...

I tend to finish everything I pick up. So yes. I have read this one some time last year. Not a bad read. But I am not crazy about the book.

Interesting titbit: The real Geisha living in the US at the time had been interviewed by the author of the book before he started writing it. I remember reading someplace, that she had some issues with some of the liberties taken by the author in some of the scenes. :)

The Panorama said...

I have heard about the book but just like the comments here, the reviews are mixed. I haven't watched the movie either. Lemme know if you still recommend it after reading all of it.

Smita said...

Had read & liked the book around 2 yrs back!!! It is actually a sad but a very compelling read!

Anonymous said...

Will try and pick it up soon from the Library. Right now, I am trying to start reading "Namesake". :)

LEB said...

I started just before the movie came out. And then never got around to finish it. When I watched the movie... it was an awesome experience.Especially the music.Good reading.