And a new journey begins ....

"Soul mates. It's extrememly rare but it exists. Sort of like twin souls tuning into each other. Apparently even in death."

I figured since What Dreams May Come is one of my favorite movies it was time to read the book it was based on. Hopefully I will love it just as much, if not more and y'all will enjoy it as well.

Final Thoughts of a Wonderful Journey

I've said it several times and I'll say it one more time: I loved this book. Everything that Goldman put in it for us to feel the life of a Geisha was fantastic. It's amazing how intricate and time consuming the lifestyle is. When Sayuri said how little sleep they get it made me think of my time in college, but I eventually got a break from it. She never did. Or wouldn't have if the war hadn't hit Japan.

I have to admit that I found myself rooting for Nobu for a good part of the book. I really wanted to see him come out on top. He was a hard man, but it was obvious that he was straight-forward and did actually care about her in some way. I was really surprised when Sayuri found out that the Chairman was ultimately responsible for her success as a Geisha. It seems that their fateful encounter had a large impact on them both.

Pumpkin garnered most of my sympathy. Even when she tried to screw Sayuri over by revealing her to the Chairman, I still found myself pitying her. Out of all the characters I think Pumpkin was the main victim. She was a pawn for Hatsumomo to use against Sayuri in an attempt to keep her down, which ultimately failed. When she does aim to screw Sayuri over we see how smart she truly was. Though that action really helped save Sayuri from a fate that was terrifying to her.

This is definitely a book I am going to keep. I can see myself rereading it again in the future :-)

Wonderful pick, Katie! Let's see what Mandy's got up her sleeve for us!

The Life of a Geisha: Love and Slavery

I really loved how this book came together at the end with Sayuri and the Chairman.  Sayuri had no idea of the Chairman's feelings for her and that he was the one that enabled her to become a geisha. I'm sure it was the same for the Chairman that he had no idea how much of an impact he made on Sayuri just by giving her a handkerchief and a bit of money. It was really their destinies that were linked together because of their chance encounter on the street.  I do feel bad for Nobu because he got caught in the middle.  The Chairman and Sayuri  could have been together at the beginning of the novel had it not been for Nobu's feelings for Sayuri.  I am glad that Sayuri actually got to be with the Chairman and to be with who she loved.  It also enabled her to quit being a geisha.

This book revealed the true life of a geisha which I really knew nothing about before.  Parts of the life are glamorous such as the parties and performances.  But overall, it is not a life I would want and for women of that time, they really didn't have a choice if given the opportunity to be a geisha.  It was better than being a prostitute or doing hard labor, but I think being a geisha is like being a slave or in bondage until you become the "mother" of your house.  You can't have a real relationship with a man.  The closest you can get is having a danna which I feel is another form of slavery for a geisha.  This man basically can use you for anything because he's paying for it.

Also with being a geisha, I was surprised how much rivalry goes on.  I think this is shown best between Hatsumomo and Mameha.  I was really surprised at how aggressive Mameha got in trying to destroy Hatsumomo and Sayuri seemed really uncomfortable with the situation.  I think Sayuri was trying to avoid becoming like Hatsumomo.  In the end, Pumpkin became like Hatsumomo.  How Pumpkin was before and after the war really surprised me.  She was like two different people. Before she was quiet and after she was loud and crude.  Of course, she betrayed Sayuri by bringing the Chairman instead of Nobu to be caught with the Minister.  Maybe I shouldn't have been so surprised because Pumpkin did learn from Hatsumomo.

I think Arthur Golden did a good job writing from a woman's perspective and in creating a fictional account of the life of a geisha.

Love: The Difficult Path

A supreme love, a motive that gives a sublime rhythm to a woman's life, and exalts habit into partnership with the soul's highest needs, is not to be had where and how she wills: to know that high initiation, she must often tread where it is hard to tread, and feel the chill air, and watch through darkness. It is not true that love makes things easy: it makes us choose what is difficult. GEORGE ELIOT, Felix Holt

It's amazing how a brief chance encounter can set lives in motion. Upon meeting the Chairman as a young girl, Sayuri prays to become a geisha in hopes of being part of his social circle. While the Chairman tells Mameha to keep her eyes out for a young girl with grey eyes, and should their paths cross he would pay for her to be a geisha. Knowing that the only way their lives could interconnect was this way, they each took steps to ensure it would happen. Often typical love stories seem so one sided. It's refreshing to read a story where the couple destined for each other had to overcome struggles, bouts with loyalty and friendship and at points even had to give the other up out of what was best at the time.

Upon reading this novel, I don't view the life of a geisha so romantically anymore. And I agree with Mameha when she tells Sayuri that one becomes a geisha because they have no choice. Yes, there were other ways to make a living but I am sure they were less desirable for a girl in Sayuri's position. Just take her sister for an example. I understand that at points the life of a famous geisha was glamorous. But that lifestyle comes with a heavy cost. I couldn't fathom not being in control of my own body and not being able to love freely. Until the Chairman finally became her danna, Sayuri was viewed more as a commodity then an actual person. Her value as a person was based on the money she brought in. Her time, virginity, and her body were given numerical values. It seems so degrading to base a persons worth on monetary calculations instead of character, principles or beliefs.

But remaining true to the "water" within her, Sayuri rose and overcome each struggle. She wasn't always graceful or made the best decisions, but she never truly gave up what she wanted. She always had faith. An admirable and long lost quality in many literary heroines. Because no matter what, faith, like water, has the ability to move mountains.