The gloves and hand cream do draw attention to the concept of her once-beautiful hands, which continues off of the theme of the aesthetic symbol in Golden’s writing. Hands, typically representative of agency and control, seem especially appropriate for Sayuri’s subtle transformation into a new woman. No longer a woman who wants to be like every other successful geisha, she gains a strong sense of self and identity in a way that shapes the rest of her life. 

The dress is much more mature than the previous two, and is sexy without being over-the-top. In fact, this dress is very simple, aside from the small cutouts. I did, however, keep some glamour and drama because Sayuri does, after all, return as a skilled and experienced geisha. 

Final Words

I strategically didn’t want to choose a scene from the very end of this novel because although many of you may have seen the movie or read the book, I wanted to emphasize the fact that the end is not always where life-changing paradigm shifts occur. (I also managed to avoid major spoilers by doing this!) Sure, this novel has a fascinating twist at the end, but I found the idea of rebirth just as moving and impactful.

I don’t think this book has huge literary merit, nor do I see in it stark cleverness, innovation, or unpredictability. But what this book does have is the intensity of involvement on the part of the reader: the powerful, simmering emotions encased in Golden’s language is subtle but vulnerable, and when Sayuri unleashes her loneliness, you feel the same strange emptiness that she does. When she gazes upon a beautiful scene, you appreciate its beauty as much as she does, and I find this a precious quality for a book that seems, at first, so matter-of-fact and detached.

I liked the book much more than I expected to, and it’s largely due to the fact that I can imagine myself in Sayuri’s world, whether it’s in flashy Gion or her unsophisticated, fishing hometown. There’s no need to fantastic cinematography when plain language can produce the same vivid visuals, and I truly appreciate the glimpse into the partially-imagined stage of the geisha of early 20th century Japan.