The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Liesel Meminger is 9 years old when her brother dies, she is given to foster parents, she thieves her first book, she is in Nazi Germany.

"It’s a small story really, about, among other things:

* A girl
* Some words
* An accordionist
* Some fanatical Germans
* A Jewish fist fighter
* And quite a lot of thievery"

I can never do this book justice.   The writing was so descriptive it was like eating chocolate lava cake.  Every page had something I wish I could commit to memory.
The book is narrated by Death.  Death is fantastic.  He is truly poetic.......and I loved him.  The book was so lovely and destructive that I cried.
There are so many quotes I would rewrite half of the book if I put them all down here.........

"He does something to me, that boy. Every time. It's his only detriment. He steps on my heart. He makes me cry." 

"I could introduce myself properly, but it's not really necessary. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables. It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms. A color will be perched on my shoulder. I will carry you gently away. At that moment, you will be lying there (I rarely find people standing up). You will be caked in your own body. There might be a discovery; a scream will dribble down the air. The only sound I'll hear after that will be my own breathing, and the sound of the smell, of my footsteps."

"- proof again of the contradictory human being. So much good, so much evil. Just add water." 

"The only thing worse than a boy who hates you: a boy that loves you."

 "Somewhere, far down, there was an itch in his heart, but he made it a point not to scratch it. He was afraid of what might come leaking out."

Rating 5  There were times when I felt a little anxious and the book felt long but the writing made up for it.

Rating PG 13  Lots of swearing, death, brutality......Nazi Germany. 

Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Chiyo was not born to be a geisha. She was sold into what basically seems like prostitution even though that isn't what geisha is supposed to be. Chiyo's mother was dying and her father was aged. A man from a nearby village takes Chiyo and her sister. Chiyo thinks the man will be adopting them. Instead Chiyo is sold to an okiya to be a maid and someday geisha. Her sister is not as lovely and is sold into prostitution.

The story is a lovely one. I am not at all familiar with Eastern history or the life of geisha. I am not sure how truthful this story is. I do wish that it contained more history or maybe the psychology of Eastern tradition because I still don't understand why there are geisha instead of just prostitutes.

Eventually Chiyo is able to begin training to be a geisha though it didn't look promising for quite some time. When she begins her training she receives her new geisha name which is Sayuri. Through most of the book Sayuri is in love with the Chairman. Everything she does is so that one day he may love (I'm not sure that is the right word, but I guess it is.) her in return. Sayuri becomes one of the most successful geisha in Kyoto. She has a danna (sugar daddy) by the time she is eighteen, which is not common.

During WWII all of the geisha are put out and must find some other form of work. Sayuri is lucky enough to have caught the eye of a man that has wanted her for years. He is wealthy and powerful enough to get her into a home in the country where she can live and work. Once the war is over, Nubo (the man that wants to be her new danna) tells her she must return to Kyoto and resume her position as geisha. He tells her if is business is successful enough in the future he will become her danna. This is a huge blow to Sayuri. The Chairman is business partners with Nubo. If Nubo becomes her danna, she and the Chairman can never have a relationship. It would not be honorable.

By the end I am desperate for Sayuri to get the love she desires so much. I do not however like the way she went about trying to achieve that. On one hand I have to give her credit for taking her life into her own hands and not letting other people tell her what she must do. But it was so dishonorable I cringe.

I don't love the lifestyle that Sayuri had to live. I did find the book some how lovely to imagine though. I liked that Sayuri rose to the top despite the odds. I didn't like that geisha seem to be owned by everyone except themselves. I did like that she finally freed herself, or at least saw herself as free because she was willing to make her own choices.

Rating 4 Although I give it a 4, I will probably read it again. I don't want to give it a five because I feel like geisha is beautiful slavery.
Rating R Child abuse, prostitution, sex, violence