Memoirs of Geisha: The Unmet Expectations

Memoirs of Geisha was written by Arthur Golden. It narrates the confessions of Japan's most celebrated geisha named Sayuri (not her real name). Let's start with the good stuff:

1. The Linear Plot

I love the plot explaining Sayuri's origin and what made her dream of becoming a geisha herself. This linear storyline makes everything easy to follow which I consider is important because old Japan in general seemed like a foreign territory to explore.

1. The Intricacies of Kimono

Another great thing is how intricate the writer is with the clothing the geishas were wearing. Kimono is one of the most interesting type of garment I know. The writer was able to transport me to places in Japan by just describing the designs weaved in the characters' Kimono.

1. The Realistic Physical Features

The characters are not god-like handsome. Particularly the men, they came from war so it is just fitting that these men bear a scar or two in their faces or wherever. I love that truth. This is definitely not your girl being win over by two gorgeous guy kind of story. This is about the need of men and how women were shaped and educated to satisfy those needs.

** The Unmet Expecations**

1. The Role of Geisha were Depicted as Shallow

I always thought geishas are smart and important women. They tend to talk with high ranking officials so I conceptualized things inside my head like Sayuri, the main character, playing an important role in maintaining peace or maybe starting a war. However, I can not really take that against the writer. This was confessional after all.

2. The Weakness of Women were all Over the Place

I guess it is the feminist in me. Sayuri built a dream of winning over the approval of a married man. A man that can never be hers. She spent all her life trying to be near to the guy who showed her compassion when she was young and I hated that. I hated how a woman's world revolved around that one man she does not even have a chance of being truly happy with away from the scrutiny of the society. This is the type of story that showcases women as a merchandise and it totally reflects the patriarchal power of men over women. I do not have problem with that because that is really true in the past but to make a character that didn't even attempt to protest just infuriated me in so many levels.

And yes, expectations hurt. I really thought the wit of a geisha would be utilized well in the novel. Despite these unmet expectations, I still recommend this book as a must read because it gives you a glimpse of a very intriguing culture of Japanese.