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Title: Wonderful book (except for the ending)
Review: This was a truly captivating book - Golden obviously was thorough in both his research and also the Japanese use of language. The descriptions in the book really give us insight into both pre-war Japan and also a different cultural mindset. Although Amy Tan writes about the Chinese and Chinese-American culture, this book reminded me a bit of her work, as I had the same sense of learning about a woman's role in Asian culture. The main flaw with this book is the trite ending - the love of her life, which is someone she met in passing as a girl, is the least developed character and unworthy of Sayuri. The novel deserved a less story-book ending, after such a realistic portrayal of the Geisha lifestyle.
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