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Summary: Good for nerds/otaku/japan lovers too
Review: If you are a white guy who likes Japanese girls this book will break your heart :(A really good book, though.
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Summary: Very Good Book
Review: This is an excellent book and such a wonderful tragic love story. I think anybody who reads it would end up enjoying it. I do think, however, that it might be a tough read and some individuals might give up on the book too soon. So I suggest that all who is interested in reading the book do so, but do not give up on the book if you feel it is a tough read because the story is wonderful.
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Summary: Silent Communication
Review: I picked up this book for three reasons: I thought the movie was visually stunning (although the thin plot left me scratching my head), it won a PEN/Faulkner Award, and it was 3 bucks from a street vendor.
I suppose that since I thought the plot of the movie was a little weak, that I had extremely low expectations of this book. That might be the key to why I enjoyed this book so much.
The beauty of this book is that it seems to capture well a feeling of isolation and community that an island town might feel. It also captured the post war depression of the three main male characters. The key to my liking it was cracking the culture. Three distinct classes lived on the island: the Japanese, the Germans, and the summer stock. The interaction between all was what interested me.
An example: Ishmael being unable to understand that silence is a form of communication in the Asian culture. Key point. That he never understood was a microcosm to why thre relationship between the two would never work.
In the same sense, Hatsue is able to recognize the different aspects of her husbands silence and demeanor. She understands the image he is trying to give off but explains that it is a bit rigid. Degrees of silence.
And when all three men are looked at in separate light, the silent reflection that they choose to use as communication and that they expoect that to speak volumes...nicely done. I suppose you have tpo look at what is not said to fully understand some forms of art. This is one of those cases.
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Summary: excellent saga using romance and drama
Review: The basis of this book surrounds a 1950s courtroom trial in which a man seems to have been murdered by the man who once loved his wife. Hatsue Miyamoto is a Japanese-American girl who befriended Ishmael Chambers in school before being sent away to the Japanese internment camps during WWII, where she married Kabuo Miayamoto. The clash of cultures, eschewed love, and murder trial all swirl together to produce an original haunting story. It is one of the few works of fiction that depicts life in the internment camps as well. It is an important piece of fiction for that alone.
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Summary: A Captivating Love Story Surrounding a Thrilling Mystery
Review: "Snow Falling on Cedars," a novel by David Guterson, takes place on San Piedro Island in the years of and the years following WWII. Although the island seemed calm and serene to most, the native islanders found themselves engulfed in the mysterious death of a local fisherman. From this mystery, emotions and memories of prejudice, friendship, passion, and betrayal are stirred. The trial brings the inhabitants of San Piedro to the years of WWII, and reveals to the reader friendships that had previously existed. We are brought into the life of the man accused of murdering the local fisherman, Kabuo Miayamoto, and find that the accused and the deceased once had a wonderful friendship. The journey into the past then reveals feelings of love and passion that existed between the accused man's wife, Hatsue Miyamoto, and an islander, Ishmael Chambers. From age five, Miyamoto and Chambers had an everlasting friendship that eventually bloomed into true love. However, WWII brought many changes to the island and its inhabitants. From this point, the reader is captivated by the passionate love story and the suspensful murder mystery. With numerous plot twists and a compelling love affair, "Snow Falling on Cedars" is a flawless novel that keeps the reader engaged in the story.
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Summary: A Look at the Past and Present
Review: ...Snow falling on cedars is a great book. The story takes place on San Peidro Island, a San Juan island located off the coast of Seattle. It is right before the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Japanese immigrants are just beginning to live together in a small dose of harmony when the bombs hit. At first all the Americans say that they will stand by their Japanese neighbors and not discriminate against them. This only lasts so long and not much later all the Japanese inhabitants of the island are shipped to temporary internment camps in Seattle. A few days later, the Japanese are sent to permanent internment camps in the southwestern desert. When the Japanese return and most everybody has gotten over their discrimination phase, one of the well-respected fishermen is found dead on his boat. After an investigation, the island's sheriff and deputy arrest Kabuo Miyamoto. He is an honest and hardworking man who just so happens to be Japanese. His arrest sends many people on the island in an outrage because they believe that the sheriff and deputy are prejudice and arresting him only because he is Japanese. The story then begins with Kabuo on trial for murder of Carl Heine, the dead fisherman. The writer did a great job of going from past to present in the chapters. At times though, it is difficult to follow because of the continuous switching of outlooks. This tactic was a wonderful way to get to know the character's pasts and to learn why they act and why they do the things they do in the present state. For example, there are weird feelings between Hatsue, Kabuo's wife, and Ishmael, the town's newspaper journalist. The next chapter then takes back into the past, explaining why there is these weird feelings between the two. At times, the story can feel like its barely moving, but the writer soon makes up for it by filling the next chapter with secrets, lies, and drama. This is a book giving readers a good look on racism, love, and the burying of the past. It shows what can happen when one, mainly Ishmael, can't get over their pasts. The story had a great ending that would perfectly explain any of the confusion of readers. I would highly recommend this book to anybody who loves a long read. I also recommend this book to someone who enjoys reading about relationships and unconditional love. It is also a great book to use when trying to point out the extremities of racism and being prejudice.
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Summary: Touching Romance Mystery Abound with Imagery
Review: I found the pages of Snow Falling on Cedars turning quickly as I became engrossed in the story of Kabuo, Hatsue, Ishmael and the isolated island of San Piedro. Though at some points the numerous details get a bit tedious, Guterson's beautifully written descriptions of the island, weather, and the young romance of Hatsue and Ishmael formed vivid images in my mind. He was successful at capturing the very spirit of the forest and the sea, and it is possible to see how these elements of nature had such an effect on the lives of the islanders. The plot built up steadily, with just enough suspense to keep the reader looking forward to the next pages. This novel brings out the passionate nature of humans, as well as the power of conscience and the goodness of the human spirit. It can be seen as a tribute to nature,the human race, and love, for it carefully weaved these elements into a tale that is sure to touch the hearts of many.
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Summary: Snow Falling on Cedars
Review: In this novel, Gutterson takes us through an intricate story by way of a murder trial along with frequent flashbacks and explanations. The story pieces together, slowly but surely, to reveal an interesting mix of romance, racism, war, and relationships among people. Though Gutterson tends to be tedious and wordy at times, giving the reader in some cases too much detail, he manages to get across a thought-provoking story with much meaning behind it. All in all, I think Gutterson incorporated great ideas and examples of realistic human relationships into his novel. Its only downfall is the extent of its detail.
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Summary: Romance and Suspense
Review: In a time when racism was part of everyday life, David Guterson tells a beautiful story about a love that defies the restrictions of prejudice. Set in San Piedro, a controversial love develops between a young white boy and a Japanese girl. Beginning when they were ten years old, the two met in the hollowed out trunk of a cedar tree. As they grew up, their love grew for each other, but met conflicts of society. This book is great for the hopeless romantic who reads in anxious hope that the two lovers will run away together. The book also appeals to the CSI-watching thrill seekers. A local fisherman was found caught in his fishing net, dead. The town investigates what they think might be a homicide. A Japanese man is convicted of the murder and in the courtroom, prejudices towards the Japanese are especially apparent. As the characters in the book try to put the pieces together to discover the truth, so does the reader.
Snow Falling on Cedars is a timeless story of suspense and romance. Guterson uses vivid imagery and many descriptions of the landscape to allow the reader to better relate to the book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story, no matter your age.
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Summary: Captivating
Review: David Guterson does a spectacular job pulling the reader into Amity Harbor with an enormous amount of background and description. In the midst of an incredible snowstorm on San Piedro Island, we are pulled into the murder trial of Kabuo Miyamoto, a Japanese WWII veteran convicted of murdering local fisherman Carl Heine. Guterson's setup of the plot, which partially takes place in flashback, not only takes us through the events of September 16 (the date of Carl's death), but also through the relationship between local reporter Ishmael and Hatsue Miyamoto, Kabuo's wife. His depiction of the course of the trial clearly demonstrates the racism and prejudice that exists between the two clashing cultures of the Japanese and the whites. As the plot progresses, each character reveals their inner motives and progresses in positive ways. Kabuo's trial progresses unfairly until Ishmael reveals a shard of vital evidence that could change the course Kabuo's life. With best intentions towards Hatsue, Ishmael uses the evidence to overcome the prejudice of the conflicting Caucasians and Japanese. Through true love, selflessness, and compassion, Ishmael reveals what lies under the heavy blanket of snow that suffocates the cedars of San Piedro.
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