Memoirs of a Geisha Essay & Criticism

Memoirs of a Geisha Critical Overview

A first-person account of a geisha's life written by a man from Tennessee seemed an unlikely success, but Memoirs of a Geisha proved a hit with readers and critics alike. Brad Hooper of Booklist describes the book as "sparkling" and commends Golden's "thorough research." People Weekly reviewer Lan N. Nguyen finds the novel "lyrical" and "evocative." Nguyen adds that despite Golden's tendency to over-narrate and skim Sayuri's emotions, "his elegant language" and ability to transport the reader to such an unusual setting makes up for the book's flaws. Jeff Giles of Newsweek finds the book a "captivating, minutely imagined Cinderella story," adding, "A few reservations aside, Golden has written a novel that's full of cliffhangers great and small, a novel that is never out of one's possession, a novel that refuses to stay shut."

The novel's inside look at the mysterious life of a geisha inspired much critical commentary....
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