Memoirs of a Geisha-- Complete
I started this novel a few hours ago. There has been a lot of attention and press for it recently with the premiere of the movie. Several people have told me that the book is really good, but the movie just skims the surface. I am going to try to hold off on watching the movie until I finish the book. So far, I feel really bad for the main character. You can tell that your empathy is being charged up because you might need that reserve for later parts of the book when maybe the main character is not so sympathetic. That is just a hunch I have.
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I finished reading the book this afternoon and loved it. I was disappointed that I had not completed the text in time for our book club discussion yesterday.However, I was even more excited to finish reading after the good conversation and promise of various twists. Indeed the twist and turns at the end did not disappoint. In fact my only disappointment was that the book ended. The poetic quality of the language was lovely and I kept feeling like I was in another world. It certainly made me want to venture to Japan. Maybe I will sometime soon. Even though the movie does not live up to the book, I still feel drawn to seeing it.
Recommend to a Friend: YES!
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[beastmomma]
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Reader Comments (4)
I just love the authors skills in taking you into a world that even if you have no idea what present or past Japan is like, you can easily imagine it in your mind's eye.
I just saw the movie last week and it was playing in a Japanese movie theatre. That was cool watching the movie with Japanese subtitles and being with a small group of my American girlfriends and a large group of Japanese women scattered throughout the theatre. You heard right that the movie only skims the surface of the elaborate and beautiful story you find in the book. I even requested that Sonja read the book before seeing the movie.
I think that craziest and coolest part of seeing the movie here was when we walked out of the theatre, we were in Japan. That was and AWESOME feeling.
I hope you enjoy the book and get as much out if it as I have.
Good Reading!!
I am loving this book so far. I have become engrossed with the main character Ch* I cannot remember how to spell the rest of her name. I believe that Sonja told me the movie only skims the surface. I agree with everything that you said. Sometimes after I read a section, I have the sensation of being a Geisha myself. Did you have that? Maybe I am just weird.
At Karen's request, I finished it before seeing the movie, too. Having seen the movie now, I'm glad I read it first, because the book is much more rich and emotionally intense. Still, the movie is pretty to watch. It's interesting how the movie treats the characters of Hotzumomo and of Mameha, and how that effects the plot somewhat. I didn't care for the choice they made about Mameha that vered from the book. Jaspreet: Please come back to this and write on your comparison of the book to the movie once you see it.