I read the book! Finally finished it last night. It was like eating european chocolate- I couldn't stop myself from reading it! I really do enjoy historical novels and/or biographies. I hadn't read anything about Japan before. I usually gravitate towards Chinese history.
I ran out and rented the movie right away, as I've been dying to see it since the previews came out! What a let down!!!!! As usual, the book was MUCH better than the movie. The movie had great costumes, sets and cinematography... but it cheated viewers of the whole story. So many things were left out, added (that never happened in the book), and occured out of sequence. I know it's hard to squeeze it all into a 2 hr flick... but, it shouldn't have been done unless it could have done the book full justice!
For those of you who have seen the movie, here are some things that were different...
Chiyo/Sayuiri's father didn't just immediately give the girls up after Mr. Tanaka asked for them. Nor were they taken from their home like that. In the book, they met w/ Mr Tanaka first, went home and were sent for by him later. Chiyo was excited to leave, as she thought she was being adopted by his family... not being shipped away to an okiya to become a Geisha. THe movie made her father out to be heartless.
Of course they shortened all the toturous things that Hatsumomo did to Chiyo, prior to and during her time as a geisha. The book make Hatsumomo out to be much more of an intelligent villain- who relished in the pain and suffering of others. The movie made her out to be a bitch, but nowhere near as elaborate as the book.... Plus, the okiya did not burn... nor did Hatsumomo set fire to it while fighting with Sayuri about being demoted to the smaller room. What happened in the book, was, Hatsumomo read Sayuri's diary, and refused to give it back, threatening to tell Mother what was in there. When she took it back to her room, drunk.. she stepped on glass in the corridor, leaving blood all over the floors and tatami mats. Sayuri went into her room to get the diary, hoping to outsmart Hatsumomo, since she was drunk... and noticed a brooch which Hatsumomo had blamed Sayuri for stealing (which was left out of the movie as well)... Sayuri got her diary back, and turned the brooch in to Mother... That's when Hatsumomo was kicked out of the okiya. No one was present but Hatsumomo and Mother. In the movie, it was a huge spectacle in front of Pumpkin and Mameha. That event was the turning point, when Sayuri reclaimed her freedom from Hatsumomo's wrath. Since Sayuri was now the head geisha, Hatsumomo was nothing.
Don't even get me started on Nobu and the Chairman! Nobu and Sayuri's relationship was far more intense and respectful than the movie portrayed. Sayuri did care for Nobu, and didn't want to betray him... but was so in love with the Chairman, that she was willing to hurt Nobu. In the novel, the Chairman showed NO interest in Sayuri whatsoever. The movie showed him eyeing her, and the viewer got the impression that he did have feelings for Sayuri- which weren't illustrated in the book. Plus, the book stated that Nobu was missing an arm! In the movie, he had both. Plus, his face was not nearly as disfigured as the author made it out to be.
There were many other small things, that I won't bore you with. The book was great, and I recommend it for reading. The movie was good, if you don't plan to read the book... but if I had to choose between them, the book wins hands down!!!!
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