Book 2 Impressions - Blog 2

I just finished Memoirs of a Geisha and, I have to say, I really enjoyed it. The book was fairly easy to read, and was an interesting read as well - the story flowed pretty smoothly from start to finish, and didn't drag much throughout. This book was so descriptive and realistic that, at times, I forgot that I was reading a fictional book. According to the author though, this book is purely fiction, although he was able to make it so realistic by interviewing a Geisha named Mineko Iwasaki. By interviewing this once-Geisha, he was able to see clearly what life as a Geisha was actually like, and, therefore, was able to accurately portray the life of one. Like the other book I read, The World According to Garp, this book is just a life's story, from the beginning onward. However, unlike John Irving's book, this one seemed to have more of a purpose - more of an actual story to tell. Whereas the other book seemed to include everything in the main character's life, from birth to death, this book seemed to have more of a point to it - a goal that the main character is aiming toward, and ultimately reaches. I had seen the movie version of Memoirs of a Geisha a long time ago, before I read the book, and so I had somewhat of an idea of how the story line would progress before I even started the book. However, there were parts throughout the book that I hadn't remembered or expected, such as how WW2 affected the characters and their lives. After finishing the book, though, I am glad that my mother suggested it to me, because I really enjoyed it.