Flipping Through Pages #9 - Memoirs of a Geisha ( A Book Review)

Whenever fiction and reality converge, it becomes a difficult task to separate the two.

Coming across Holden’s Memoirs of a Geisha is one such incident. The Geisha aspect of Japan has never been something I have been very familiar with – as it remains outside the scope of my anime viewing experience and even in the novels written by Japanese authors.

For now, let me treat Holden’s work on fictional merit for that is all I can do.

In that aspect, it is a marvellous victory. You get a wonderful sense of the setting and the characters from the start, and evolve alongwith them as the story progresses. The familiar tones of triumph overcoming tragedy and competition is there, but expanded upon in an exquisitely detailed cultural backdrop of the Geisha history.

We follow Chiyo as she tries to overcome the loss of her family by becoming a renowned Geisha but due to hurdles created both by her attempts to flee the life and by rivals, she ends up in a pathetic state only to then become a pawn in a match she and others have no control over.

This spirals as Chiyo becomes Sayuri and the story reaches an ultimate conclusion of intended triumph.

Coming to the cultural aspect, Holden shows Geisha elements in full mastery as he uncovers the evolution of women into geisha and the various customs that come with it. Once you have read this, you will get an idea of how Japanese Geisha function and play an integral part in Japanese society. Whether or not it is the right idea depends on how much further you research.

The main characters themselves are wonderfully crafted, though my feeling is that the antagonistic elements are half baked especially with some sadly one-dimensional material. Though one antagonist does come back for a deliciously sadistic twist later on, there seems to be a forceful element in making sure that a happy ending is achieved.

It’s not that the central character doesn’t deserve such. But the way it is earned feels contrived and expected despite all the hurdles put in.

Overall though, if you are new to this Japanese phenomenon, Memoirs of a Geisha provides an interesting platform to start.

So, I give it 7 out of 10

+Rich imagery

+Wonderful character stories

-Antagonist is one dimensional

-Final arc is a little meandering