Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel

Superb book. I came to it late, it having been published in 1994. But it had all the best ingredients of a great book. It is built around a courtroom drama, which is good if well done (and it is), it mixes in a snowstorm and the effect on a fishing village of the snowstorm. It then throws in the relationships between Japanese-Americans and other Americans in the postwar and pre-war eras. It tells...more

Superb book. I came to it late, it having been published in 1994. But it had all the best ingredients of a great book. It is built around a courtroom drama, which is good if well done (and it is), it mixes in a snowstorm and the effect on a fishing village of the snowstorm. It then throws in the relationships between Japanese-Americans and other Americans in the postwar and pre-war eras. It tells the stories of several of these people to illustrate the good and the bad of relationships, living and the effect of war. And it ties together with a satisfying ending. I haven't read as good a book as this for a while. Recommended!   hide

Well written, with a feel-good ending...

Absolutely amazing. Guterson's language is entrancing, and his characters are majestically ornamented with feelings and flaws. One can feel the undulations of the love, redemption, sadness, confusion, desperation and loneliness in the white-capped swells that wash the stoic beaches of San Piedro island.

This story could have been so much more. Even though I am a grown, married adult there are passages that made me blush. The characters and setting are exceptionally convincing and the story itself is a good look at one of the USA's many historical blemishes (Japanese internment camps), but it's occasionally weighed down by some perverse details. Reminded me of how I felt about Memoirs of Geisha...more

This story could have been so much more. Even though I am a grown, married adult there are passages that made me blush. The characters and setting are exceptionally convincing and the story itself is a good look at one of the USA's many historical blemishes (Japanese internment camps), but it's occasionally weighed down by some perverse details. Reminded me of how I felt about Memoirs of Geisha -- absorbing but only to a point. If I were you, I'd read the sparknotes.com version so you can get the gist of the story and the unique narrative technique, but save yourself the gory details.   hide

i had this book with me for more then one year, but i never cared to open it, its because of my busy schedule but one day, i found that they are showing a movie based on the book, and because, i prefer a book over its movie, i thought to finish, and i was really glad, i read it finally. Its a well crafted book, with emphasis of the details, with nice plot, david gutterman described the psychology...more

i had this book with me for more then one year, but i never cared to open it, its because of my busy schedule but one day, i found that they are showing a movie based on the book, and because, i prefer a book over its movie, i thought to finish, and i was really glad, i read it finally. Its a well crafted book, with emphasis of the details, with nice plot, david gutterman described the psychology of the japanese living in northwest US during world war 2 and post war. the plot is also very moving, and it keeps u absorved in it   hide

Truly amazing!

The novel seemed spectacularly well-researched and confident in the construction of an intricate historical plot, although many of the characters were set in one dimension, and instead of flushing out their descriptions, we repeatedly hear of the judge’s tired demeanor and the defense attorney’s lazy eye. There were moments where the writing, especially concerning the grander...more

The novel seemed spectacularly well-researched and confident in the construction of an intricate historical plot, although many of the characters were set in one dimension, and instead of flushing out their descriptions, we repeatedly hear of the judge’s tired demeanor and the defense attorney’s lazy eye. There were moments where the writing, especially concerning the grander themes of unrequited love, prejudice, and justice, seemed to transcend the genre, but it was ultimately presque vu: almost seen, almost worthy of epiphany, but not quite. The moments spent in the courtroom are the best, consisting of clever cross-examination, colorful witnesses, and a barely-there author’s hand, delicately unfolding the covers of the mystery.   hide

Loved it, beautifully written, thought provoking and actually looking to re-reading it.

Completely absorbing, but left me thirsty for more detail. Perhaps just because the historical context was so unknown to me, but either way, I was hungry to know more about what happened to both the Japanese and American families in the US North-West after 1941.The mentions of all the different families by surname, the glimpses of their lives as we followed our characters through what was itself...more

Completely absorbing, but left me thirsty for more detail. Perhaps just because the historical context was so unknown to me, but either way, I was hungry to know more about what happened to both the Japanese and American families in the US North-West after 1941.The mentions of all the different families by surname, the glimpses of their lives as we followed our characters through what was itself merely a glance into backstory, made me constantly enquire as to "what happened to everyone else?" And maybe that's the point. Inspiring.   hide