Snow Falling on Cedars : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Quite breathtaking.
Review: This is one of those books which, once you pick up, is almost impossible to put down. Guterson has mastered the art of fusing love, drama and political incorrectness in this gripping story. Although he tended to drift from the main story - the courtroom case of Kabuo Miyamoto, I found the detailed description of first love a most fascinating read

Rating:
Summary: deeply fascinating story and realistic daily life
Review: I am really fascinated by Gutterson's depiction of every day's life, especially in the flashback of Ishmel's relationship with his forbidden boyhood girlfriend. Also the hardship faced by the Japanese-American during and even after World war II. The interwoven story between Present days and flashback is highly commendable. Congratulations to David Gutterson on his magnificient novel

Rating:
Summary: Not a 10, but certainly not a 2
Review: I found the pace of the book "lumbering," but I stayed with it. One of my writing tutors said that every story takes place in somebody's back yard, although it's not always the reader's. I have visited the area depicted in the novel -- I'm glad I knew what a madrona tree looks like -- it helped focus the descriptions for me. I think Mr. Guterson is skillful in his use of flashback and also in his "dancing" point of view. I did get tired of the use of the term "squatting" in the passages about strawberry picking. I would agree with others' comments that the descriptions of the sex acts seem unnecessary -- the graphic detail adds little to the reader's understanding of the characters. I consider myself well-read and possessed of a larger-than-average vocabulary. I had to look up ten words, all of them related to the fishing industry or the Pacific Northwest landscape. I like that in a book -- it helps me grow as a reader and a writer

Rating:
Summary: Extremely unique
Review: Snow Falling On Cedars is very different from any other book I've read. It's suspenseful, and somehow haunting and exquisitely delicate, almost like...walking through a mist. On a remote American island called San Piedro in 1954, Kabuo Miyamoto stands trial for the murder of fisherman Carl Heine. In the proceedings of the trial, through the accounts of the trial's witnesses, memories from the past spring up vividly for both the citizens of San Piedro and the reader. The trial sounds professional, the evidence believable, the setting a perfect background for the story. Overall, this book isn't something to be missed

Rating:
Summary: Read it more than once to pick up nuances
Review: The first time through, I enjoyed the style of writing. The second time through, I concentrated on the love story, the racism of the times, the detective scenario. Guterson did a fine job of keeping the reader in suspense, but unfortunately toward the end, he turned quite predictable. The secondary characters all contributed tremendously to the story

Rating:
Summary: I loved it!!!
Review: What an amazing book!!! The plot is incredibly well wrought out and the characterisation is excellent. I usually read a boring book really slowly, a good book quickly and and an excellent book slowly. This book took me 2 weeks to read (a long time for me), and I liked it!!! The only thing I didn't like was the amout of graphic violence and sex which was completely out of line with the stor

Rating:
Summary: Good read
Review: David Guterson's descriptions of a gill-netter's
aloneness, of the scent of a strawberry field, and of the feel of fog delighted me. Snow Falling
on Cedars is a good read about Washington State
and historical events about which I was ignorant.
I recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This book was very disappointing. I was looking forward to reading it and finished even though it was very boring; I kept expecting it to get better because it has received such rave reviews and the Pen/Faulkner award. It was just plain boring

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I love this book. Every time I start to read it I am immediately transported back to that beautiful island and that place in time

Rating:
Summary: Great book about romance and racism in the 50's.
Review: Don't listen to your wife or girl friend ... this is a "guy book". Great story about love, living on a small island, racism in the years immediately prior to and after WWII. The ending is a little weak. Enjoy.