Snow Falling on Cedars : A Novel

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Summary: The layout of the book.
Review: I really am enjoying this book. There are a couple of things that bother me, one being that the constant switch from past to present can get real confusing. Overall,the way the book is set up in the tense changes is a good thing. It gives the reader a perspective on the way things are happening in the book without everything being told to you, for example, stated in chronological order. I liked the way the author set it up, even if it can be confusing.

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Summary: A story well told--both mysterious and beautiful!
Review: This is a superb novel, simply told, yet haunting in its imagery and sensuality. One can feel the power and elegant beauty of the snowstorm which pervades the entire novel. Not only does the story capture the reader's interest in trying to unravel the mystery of the death, but it also sparks a desire to learn about the Japanese culture in greater depth.

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Summary: My Heart Hurts
Review: I had not heard ANYTHING about this book. I thjink, from reading the reviews ot\f the dissappointed readers, that ignorance is the key to an enjoyable experience here. Sad, poignant slice of history. Actually, it is the faces, minds and hearts behind the bland , impersonal sentences that chronicle history. I read it on vacation abroad and was reminded of so many of the reasons I love, loathe and ultimately embrace my beloved America. Don't be deterred by the dissappointed readers, nor worked into a frenzy of high expectation by the hype. Read it because this is a very good story with very human characters who move inexorably toward the conclusion that. despite its grand sadnesses and failings, Life is for the living, and there is nothing to do but persevere.

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Summary: This novel reached out and touched my heart.
Review: Character development, plot and setting descriptions were revealing, honest and so graphic i felt i was actually there. The ironies in the web of characters caught my attention and played with my imagination as well. Certainly the last line of the novel will be with me forever: "Accident rules every corner of the universe except the chambers of the heart." Prejudice is no accident it deliberately beats us all.

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Summary: A rewarding read for those who appreciate fine prose
Review: This is an excellent book, but not one that will have you gripped to edge of your seat, waiting to find out what will happen next. Instead, be prepared to be slowly and seductively drawn in by the remarkable descriptions of Puget Sound and island life, as well as the characters that are portrayed so vividly. By the way, pay NO attention to some of the bad reviews posted elsewhere in this section. One only has to discover phrases like "explicit sex scenes, violence, politically correct, etc." to see that these reviewers had their own biases and simply did not give this book a fair chance. It's almost as if some of they read the book with such high expectations that looking for reasons to knock it became a challenge. Read it for yourself and make up your own mind.

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Summary: Atmospheric, multi-layered storytelling
Review: A heart-felt, passionate story that unfolds in well designed flashback sequences. It abounds in history, local atmosphere, plot and character. The last sentence is arresting...."accident rules all corners of the universe except the chambers of the human heart." Great, rewarding stuff...

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Summary: Grace When Life Shatters Your Heart
Review: Ishmael Chambers loses the love of his life, a woman of Japanese American roots and loses his arm in World War II while fighting the Japanese. However, he rises above his natural inclinations and clears his rival, the Japanese man who married his love, from murder charges. This is set against a backdrop of the American paranoia and incarceration of Japanese-Americans in World War II and the racial tensions in a Pacific Northwest community.

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Summary: Great atmospheric novel..a must read!
Review: After I read this book, that atmospheric feeling it exuded was still in me, and I felt I was affected by it in ways I can't really describe. It's just something about how the author writes, his style, that sort of stays with you. The story and the "whodunit" part, itself, was just a backdrop for the actual descriptions of the relationships of the main characters. Guterson described everything so well, that I actually felt like I was there. Also, the sexual scenes were not graphic, I mean, c'mon, they were inoffensive and just there to enhance the mood of the book. Nothing that lewd. So, everyone, definitely read this book.

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Summary: Surprisely nice novel
Review: Snow Falling on Cedars lacks the spit and polish you would expect from a more seasoned author. This very same characteristic leads to a refreshing story about the tangled lives of these people who live on an island. The author makes the reader confront his or her prejudices just as the characters must confront theirs. The subject of Japanese Internment was a fitting backdrop for this novel. I also thought the book did a fairly respectable job of being a "who dun it."

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Summary: P.C. hype leaves everything to be desired...
Review: I had "heard" that the book was an excellent must read. I was disappointed not only by the slowness of the story itself, but by the redundancy of the text. He has many descriptions which I felt were goobledegook attempting to hide a weak story. The book could easily have been 100 pages with nothing lost. Guterson seemed detached from his characters, a writer merely describing thoughts, feeling, emotions etc. which made me feel detached from the characters, as well as the story. It's interesting to see how one good review can often times illicit an emperor's new clothes mentality. There are so many excellent books out there, this is not one I would have spent valuable time reading had I read an accurate review. I finished it because I had high hopes it would improve based on inaccurate word of mouth and reviews.