Memoirs of a Geisha

This novel is absolutely fantastic. It’s one of those stories that you get totally immersed in and don’t want to put the book down. Not only do you get caught up in this coming-of-age story of the main character, Sayuri, but you learn so much about another culture and the lifestyle of geisha. I also found the language style that was used to be so amazing and thoughtfully descriptive. And the crazy thing is that you get so caught up in this story of a Japanese geisha that you forget that the author is really an American man!

I saw the film when it first came out in movie theaters and watched it again after I read the book. You may be asking which one is better. Well, both of them were excellent. However, as is most often the case with movies based on novels, you get much more depth and detail in the book. I think this especially applies to Memoirs of a Geisha because there are so many intricate details and nuances that are in the geisha world. So if you read the book first and then watch the movie, you will pick up on so many more little visual and implied details when you watch the movie. So, I highly recommend reading the book and watching the movie. (And I have to give the DVD extras 5 stars, too!)