Snow Falling on Cedars: Book Review
Selecting the book Snow Falling on Cedars turned out to be an extremely good choice
for me. I have found the book to be extremely well written, as well as informational and
Right from the outset I found myself immersed in the story that the author (David
Guterson) painted on the pages. I have always loved reading and watching mysteries, and this
book was no different. Guterson was able to recount a believable trial and debate. It had
testimonies cross examined and evidence presented and refuted, all while having the character’s
personal stories tied into the bigger picture. The fact that the book had all of these elements in it
actually made me think. I would try to solve the case myself
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Another unique thing about this novel
was that racism was never dubbed to be right or wrong. Sure, there were characters that stated
things that contradicted it, but there was never a direct line stating “Racism is horrible.” This
contributed to the feeling of suspense, as well as my sympathy for the characters. Another thing
that made the book so intriguing. A crucial part of a good novel is the characters, and this
particular novel had extremely well developed ones. Each had their own personal stories, which
helped to move the story along tremendously. Finally, one last thing that stood out to me was the
actuality of choice. This novel was all about the power of choice, and whether it be right or
wrong, how it effects those around us. Snow Falling on Cedars had some extreme conflicts
solved by choice, and that is what I took the most out of reading this novel. I really got to
understand how much power one individual holds, and if they decide on the wrong choice how
very effective it can be. Most people do not realise how much power they have within
themselves, and so when dealing with big choices we, need to take more time for reason, as to
make sure we do not do anything
What I liked most about it was reading from two different perspectives and how those different perspectives met through the book.
are what keep us interested in the plot of a book. The ongoing battle between a
This puzzled me until I remembered the way John Walker and his daughter Lark fight. As the story, progresses what seemed to be two separate stories begins to mold together to form one. For example, when it is revealed that John Walker is a McCourry on his mother's side. I enjoy how the book constantly hints to what will happen later on in the book. This makes the reader have to think about everything they read about.
Before I get into all the specifics I’m going to give you a summary of the book I picked
I chose the novel Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson because I have heard from many people that it is a compelling story which truly depicts the inhumanities of racism. Human emotions are intensely conveyed in such riveting detail that one can not read this book without it leaving a permanent mark on their heart. Furthermore, I was not very familiar with the Japanese encampments of the mid nineteen hundreds. I knew that reading this novel would broaden my horizons and lead me into unknown territory.
Overall, this book was enjoyable to read, it wasn’t incredible, but it was good. The characters made it easy to root for them. This book is not for the faint of heart, due to some gory descriptions, however I liked it and would recommend reading it.
are there until we reread the book. By setting up the mystery in this way, Crispin makes his book one that the reader cannot put down. His entire way of introducing the characters, settings and mystery make this a very remarkable book.
going on ever since then. Many people presume that racism has existed since people have started to notice
Ignorance seems to be the clue to almost all of the occurrences of racism in the novel. During Kabuo’s trial, he chose to keep quiet instead of sticking up for himself because in his religion, ...
book I was greatly troubled by its ending. I can see why it is an excellent novel, but at
The setting in both of these stories greatly contributed to the understanding the characters better and in general the whole story.
what happens next even if you are already familiar with the story. It feels new.
...and through an unfolding of events display to the reader how their childhoods and families past actions unquestionably, leads to their stance at the end of the novel.
The first suspenseful event that really changed Guy, and drew in the reader was finding his wife after she accidentally overdosed on pills. Before he found her, he was walking and talking with Clarisse. When he came home to his dark room, he saw his wife with a face like a “snow covered island.” this really was suspenseful because you did not even know if she was alive until the two men with the machine pumped her stomach. Guy was distressed about the whole situation, as one would naturally be but the worst part was when his wife later woke up and dismissed what happened. I thought that this part was very morbid because overdosing was so common that they didn’t even need a trained doctor, instead they had to emotionless men with a machine.
Snow Falling On Cedars, by David Guterson, is an emotional story. The death of a fisherman, Carl Heine, on San Piedro Island, turns into a murder trial for Japanese American, Kabuo Miyamoto. Also an inter-racial childhood romance between Ishmael Chambers and Hatsue Miyamoto shifts back and forth in time and the World War II Japanese Internment story unfolds as part of the romance.