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Summary: Book of setting
Review: Snow Falling on Cedars is one of those books that if you are not into a very slow book you will never get into. I had to read this book for class and the only thing that I felt came even close to keeping my interst was the setting. The way that it changed as the book went. The weather was always on the mind of the chareters but in a way was what the they were thinking. They always wanted the storm to be over and that was the way they felt about the trial. The way that the auther told you about the storm and the trees, the ski and the snow made you feel as if you were there. The love story in this book did nothing for my span of attention. There was to much about that and nothing to change the fellings of the reader. To the people that like a slow and maticulis book. This is the one for you but for the people that like to see the book develope in a fast time fram. This is not going to be a good book. So take it from me. Read if you may but sleep you will do all the time. All I am saying is that this book in my mind is not the worlds best and my be one of those books you need around the house if you fell like you need to go to bed.
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Summary: the one you shouldn't read
Review: The intriguiging intertwining plot lines of the story add to its' complexity and overall briskness in and of itself. It emerges the reader in a long trail of twists, turns, and loop de loops, which all meet up into one singularity known as truth. The truth is far from found in this book, but for the characters involved there is a peace about the verdict of the trial. This book is one that you should read if and only if you like to read love stories and long dramas. In other words if you took this book and put it in a blender with a really good book, such as "A Time To Kill," you would still be left with a pretty good book. So that should show you that when mixed with a good book it doesn't bring down the quality that much, so if it's in your interest to read this, by all means do so.
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Summary: Snow Falling on Cedars
Review: This novel seemed like it took forever to read. There were pages upon pages of descriptions, some useful. The book never really kicks into gear. It just putzes along, with nothing too exciting. It is about the trial of Kabuo Miyamoto, a Japanese-American man who gets accused of murdering a well-liked white fisherman. It takes place on the northwest coast, in the post-WWII 1950's, and prejudice toward Japanese-Americans is present. It also jumps around to a love story about Ishmael Chambers, a man who has had only one love his whole life, Hatsue Mayamoto, who is the wife of the accused. Ishmael uncovers some information that may help Kabuo's case, but a bitterness that he feels toward Hatsue leaves him confused as to what he should do. The book goes on and on about what takes place at the trial. It covers many events of the trial that aren't really important and one could care less about. And then the ending really angered me, but you'll have to read it and judge it for yourself. Overall, I think that this novel was pretty dull, and it could have been more interesting.
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Summary: A Forbidden Love, A Moral Decision
Review: Snow Falling on Cedars is a book set in the 1940's-1950's on the small fictional island of San Pierdo. On San Pierdo, Kabuo Miyamoto, a Japanese American, is on trial for the murder of Carl Heine, a local fisherman. The island's reporter, Ishmael Chambers, is the main character of the story. The tale is told from his point of view, remembering the past days of childhood love with Hatsue Imada, Kabuo's present wife. He discovers evidence that could turn the case around, but his love for Hatsue holds him back. This story is richly detailed and beautifully written. Guterson, the author, really gives you a feel for things. He uses the symbolism of weather masterfully, and his use of flashbacks is well placed. His flashbacks are also somewhat of a weak point, as the story constantly shifts from past to present, crossing between the memories of Ishmael, Hatsue, and Kabuo. Overall, I enjoyed the novel. I enjoyed the richness of description Guterson uses, both in characters and setting. I would recommend this book for reading.
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Summary: Snow Falling on Cedars
Review: Snow Falling on Cedars is a compelling novel about prejudice, heartache, and absession. it deals with a ten year old romance of Ishmael Chambers and Hatsue Miyamoto. While Ishmael is still in love with Hatsue, she is trying to deal with her husband, Kabuo, being on trial for murder. The trial takes place in the 1950's, right after World War 2. There is a lot of prejudice feeling going around about the whole trial. I thought the author did an excellent job describing scenes in the story but couldn't keep me captivated in the begining of the story. i had to wait till the very end of the story to discover why they even thought Kabuo Miyamoto commited the murder. I wouldn't recommended this book unless you wanted to devote a whole lot of thought into it.
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Summary: More than a man's guilt.........
Review: It all begins on September 16, 1954. A local fisherman, Carl Heine Jr., is found tangled in his fishing net, dead. The suspect? A Japanese fisherman, Kabuo Miyamoto. What is clear is that there is more beneath the surface than one man's guilt. Greed, prejudice and lost love lie deep at the heart of the island, San Piedro. Throughout the book we are twisted and turned through the trial of Kabuo and flashbacks of past loves and old grudges. We are placed in a place of glistening snow and spring time strawberries that cover the mountainside by the words of the books talented writer, David Guterson. This is a wonderfully written book that opens the wounds of the Japanese-American exile and secrets of the heart.
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Summary: Snow Falling on Cedars
Review: David Guerson author of Snow Falling on Cedars writes and inspiring novel about the obstacles and realities of living in a prejudice world. He uses many confusing flashbacks to show the lives of the characters in the book. The two individuals that made this novel so compelling was the relationship between two young lovers. Their relationship was unique because of a racial conflict. Ishmal a young boy in love, wanted to see past all of the prejudice and racism, but Hatsue felt that it was wrong. She tried to distance herself from him. The plot thickens when Hatsue finds a new love, someone who is dreams for the same life as her. She meets a strong Japanase man named Kabuo. They both have dreams of owning their own land and growing strawberries together. Everything changes when Kabuo is blamed for the murder of Carl Heine, a man who owns the land that Kabuo wants to buy. The accused murderer and his wife never go to the police in fear that they would be blamed for the murder because they are Japanase. This novel presents many conflicts that are still present today. Guterson uses his characters' personality to show prejudice, racism, and true love.
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Summary: Snow Falling on Cedars
Review: David Guterson's Snow Falling on Cedars is a dynamic book with frequent flashbacks. It has all the componants of a story of two people in love that were not meant to be. These people are Ishmael Chambers, a local reporter, and Hatsue Miyamoto, a Japanese-American. Flashbacks into their childhood and adolescent years illustrate the buried emotion between the two. However, Snow Falling on Cedars is not merely a romance novel. Hatsue's husband, Kabuo, stands on trial for the murder of a Carl Heine, a local fisherman. As the plot thickens, we are taken back to early struggles and conflicts that intesify the trial. Although Guterson does an excellent job with detail, some parts of the book may be slow moving for some readers. His in-depth approach to trivial issues may seem unneccessary. In any case, Snow Falling on Cedars is a rich and enlightened book containing many themes, such as predjudice, love, hate, ignorance, and compassion.
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Summary: I know a lot of smart people loved this book...
Review: ...and I respect their opinions. Still, I'll offer mine in the hopes of sparking a civilized debate. For me, this novel was boring, trite, and predictable. The characters were not cardboard, but I'm involved in the manufacture of cardboard and I don't want to insult such a fine and resilient material. It's not that the author is a bad writer-- his sentences are clean and carefully constructed; his plot is well-rendered-- it's just... well, so what? Nothing here is startling; nothing makes you sit up in your chair to reread the words. This is my point: if you're going to spend the time and money on a novel, you might as well read a great one. (The best I've read in the last few months are Appointment in Samarra, by John O'Hara, and The Last Picture-Show, by Larry McMurtry.)
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Summary: You won't ever be the same...
Review: "Snow Falling On Cedars" was a truly captivating book. The last book I read was "Memoirs Of A Geisha" and I'd been looking for a book to match its greatness. I couldn't put it down, and "Snow" surpassed it immensley. I read though other reviews conplaining about stereotyping Japanese-Americans. Well this book it set recently after WWII, do they expect that the language was supposed to reflect todays ideal refrences to Japanese-Americans? This book was so well written, I even cried in parts. Ishmael's character was so well written, I would walk around the house ranting and raving about how cruel Hatsue was. I was truly captivated. I don't think I'll ever forget reading this book, for it has changed me and for that I'm deeply grateful to Mr. David Guterson. He's truly written a masterpeice. Read it for yourself.
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