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Title: Disappointing; should have been called "Memoir of a Bore"
Review: While Mr. Golden's prose holds up pretty well after 400+ pages, the story of Chiyo/Sayuri, the geisha, does not. For a memoir (fictional or not) to be worthwhile, the subject must have led an interesting life. While the portrait of the geisha 'trade' and life in Japan during the period treated is certainly interesting, the experiences of our heroine are pretty dull.Yes, there are personal rivalries, power grabs, and lots of emotion. But frankly, other than the unorthodox setting (the Gion district of Kyoto), there's nothing compelling about this story. After 250 pages it dawned on me that geisha are, in fact, prostitutes (consider the relationship between a geisha and her 'danna') despite everyone's claims that there is somehow something more subtle and nuanced about their profession.Left me disappointed.
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