You might desire a trip to pre-WWII Japan with a precocious apprentice geisha as your captivating tour guide.

Chiyo and Satsu are born in a fishing village and, when their mother dies, their father sells them to settle family debt. In Kyoto, Satsu will work as a prostitute and her younger sister will apprentice as a geisha in a reputable okiya. The drama, camaraderie, and ritual observance that follows Chiyo as she trains and attempts to reunite with Satsu held us from the first to last page. Though fictional and controversial – it has been seen as spreading misinformation about the culture and practices it portrays – this story is decadent, raw and touching.