Snow Falling on Cedars : A Novel

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Summary: A novel that deals with the relationships on a small island
Review: A very well written book that deals with the complex relationships between residents of a small island community. The author uses the plot of a murder on the island to expose the prejudice, loves and fears of a small multicultural community. It does all this without moving too slow at any one point. He does a very good job of providing the reader with multiple perspectives. Everyone from the murder suspect to the murder victim gets a voice. This allows the reader to gain a panoramic view of the community.

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Summary: Provided insight into Japanese American History.
Review: I, like many others, found the author's description of the scenery enchanting. I have visited this area and can picture it all. I easily felt for the characters and found myself wrapped up in their individual lives. I have also visited Japan and respect their simple but efficient way of life. This book brought out some truths about prejudice and the consequences of it. I now look at Japanese Americans with a renewed sense of respect for their cultural heritage. A great book. It would make an excellent study for students of Sociology.

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Summary: A quiet and gentle sure-to-be classic
Review: I purchased this book in anticipation of being snowbound by the Great Blizzard of 1996. I did not anticipate the book binding my mind and heart. I think of this book and its complex characters even today. The story, centered on a murder trial, is of race relations and small-town attitudes. It grips from the opening words. Yet, you turn the pages as you would those of a much-loved classic - with a sense of savoring every word. The book is set in the past, but it reads as if it were written about the O.J. Simpson trial, with all of the accompanying attitudes and pre-judgements. In the end, the reader is a witness to a brillant demonstration on why the path of reaction, as opposed to thoughtful consideration, is thorny and difficult to tread

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Summary: Hauntingly beautiful and engrossing look inside hearts
Review: Guterson has crafted a marvelous novel. It combines courtroom drama, a tender love story, excruciating loss, racial intolerance, war, strawberry farming and salmon fishing, youthful passion, an island paradise that's also hell, well-defined characters, and suspense. What more could a reader want? One astute reviewer called it "poetry masking as prose," and its insight into the human heart, depiction of aching desire and temptations, and descriptions of nature confirm that view. The snowstorm throughout the trial makes the perfect unifying symbol. The book ought to come with a money-back guarantee, because few if any should find fault.

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Summary: Beautifully written and spanning almost 100 years. Loved it!
Review: I enjoy the intertwining of several story lines that comprise this book. It is a story of an American-Japanese man on trial for the murder of a fisherman on a small island in Washington State. He claims innocence, but the evidence against him is compelling. There are many stories within the story that come together as the jury deliberates and reaches its final decision about the man's fate. Will he live or die for a murder he says he did not, could not have committed? Read the book to find out!

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Summary: Don¿t miss this gem!
Review: This hauntingly lovely story will stay with me for years, as few books have over the years. Simple, clear prose, a compelling story-line, and believable characters...I CARE about them! The feeling of 'place' is astonishing. You are there. This isn't really a 'page-turner'........savor it slowly.

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Summary: A crosscultural love story with a twist of fate
Review: This story will be enjoyed by those who love reading love stories, murder mysteries, and local history, for this story incorporates all of this. It is sentimental without being sappy, tragic without being melodramatic. The characters are genuine and the reader is made to empathize with all the differing viewpoints. Eloquently written from my former highschool English teacher. Bravo, Mr. Guterson

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Summary: Cross-cultural love story with a twist of fate
Review: As a Northwest native I enjoyed this beautifully written and culturally sensitive love-story. The characters are genuine and well-developed. The reader can empathize with each of the various characters in this intriguing murder mystery. David Guterson has come a long way as only 13 years ago, he was my highschool English teacher. Bravo, Mr. Guterson

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Summary: A superbly written novel that grips you in its' story.
Review: The author has a wonderful knack for expression and description; I felt I could see the trees, feel the wind and hear the ocean. The characters almost come alive and it is difficult to stop reading

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Summary: A quiet book with propelling force.
Review: Snow Falling on Cedars was a gentle book written with a strong hand, a hand that could control each word so that the grim seem unthinkable. My 'favorite' scene was the camp. Guterson bluntly showed the living conditions, the reader feeling the humiliation of the characters.