I had no idea what to expect from this book. I first heard of the book when the movie based on it came out a couple of years ago. A friend read the book and said that she liked the book but it wasn't as good as the movie.
I've never seen the movie so that recommendation didn't mean much to me.
Once again I've come across a very talented author with a knack for creating a sadly beautiful story. Part of me as a writer wants to know the story of every person yet at the same time when so many stories are like Chiyo's one realizes how much sadness there is on this earth.
So many Americans really did not and still don't know what it meant to be a geisha in Japan. To be honest, I didn't either. It amazes me the length that some people go to in order to justify their sin, to paint a pretty picture of dung.
This story drew me in and kept me reading until the very last page of the book. Just like the geisha narrator, Golden holds back crucial information and only hints at some points of the story, a good way to heighten the intrigue.
I can't say that I enjoyed the book because it really is hard to find joy in such a depressing story but I did enjoy the book in the sense that one enjoys a well-written piece of literature.
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2 comments:
:...to paint a pretty picture of dung."
A fabulous line from one of my favorite authors. What is the mark of a successful author, it is when the line written paints as vivid a picture as a Rembrandt.
i completely agree with your last paragraph. that is exactly how i felt when i read the book a little over a year ago.
one thing that amazed me was how well the story was presented from a woman's point of view when the author is a man.
i haven't seen the movie either (partly because of how i felt about the book) - but it's hard to believe a movie being better than the book. :)
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