This book was beautifully written. It was also a fascinating historical account of a geisha's daily life in the years before and after World War II. I enjoyed the story immensely but it was hard to read about how women of that day and age in Japan were so incredibly subservient to not only men, but older women, despite much abuse. It was very sad to read about some of the things Sayuri, the main character, had to endure just so that she wouldn't end up thrown out into the street, or as a maid My review on Goodreads.com:
This book was beautifully written. It was also a fascinating historical account of a geisha's daily life in the years before and after World War II. I enjoyed the story immensely but it was hard to read about how women of that day and age in Japan were so incredibly subservient to not only men, but older women, despite much abuse. It was very sad to read about some of the things Sayuri, the main character, had to endure just so that she wouldn't end up thrown out into the street, or as a maid or prostitute. There were very few options for women in Japan in those days and none of them were ideal. I also enjoyed the brief glimpse into a different view of WWII and how it affected the Japanese culture. I recommend this book to anyone who loves history, learning about a new culture, vivid imagery with the use of beautiful writing, and a story about sacrifice, love, and redemption.
This book is not a fast-paced, can't-put-it-down type page turner. Nevertheless, it is a gorgeously written story that keeps you engaged and makes you care about the fate of Sayuri. I think the fact that I had seen the movie before I read the book took away from the greatness of the book for me because I already knew what happened. I am trying not to make that same mistake with the book I'm reading now,
The Time Traveler's Wife. Stay tuned for my review...at the rate I'm reading, it will come soon!
My review on Goodreads.com:
