Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Memoirs of a Geisha is a first-person narrative about a young woman named Chiyo growing up in twentieth century Japan. It is a very emotional and unique coming of age story. At the beginning of her story, Chiyo and her sister are sold by their impoverished parents, out of necessity and hopes that the girls may find lives in the industrial world, for better or worse. As a result of losing her family, Chiyo has to form a new sense of identity and purpose by accepting the world into which she has been forced, the world of the geisha. The tale following is about love and the pursuit of happiness in unfair cirumstances.