From the back cover:

A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant debut novel presents with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as an illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction--at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful--and completely unforgettable.

I finished reading this book back in February of 2009, but I just realized I forgot to make a journal entry saying so! Though it came highly recommended, I'm afraid I didn't like this book as much as my friends thought I would. It started out well enough, but it began to get facetious after a few chapters, and then carried on for far too long. I remember being upset with the author once I'd finished reading it. Oh, well.

I'm hanging on to this one for a Book Box. I do hope its next reader will enjoy it!