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Review
'This is classic whodunnit territory but Guterson's fiercely intelligent and moving novel is far more than a murder mystery Guterson has written a novel about the human condition that marvellously combines tenderness and excitement' The Times 'The death of a fisherman turns into a murder trial and a test of passions brewed since Pearl Harbour between two heritages claustrophobically locked on one dot of land. Love and morality are beautifully choreographed into an exceptional debut novel' Daily Mail 'A skilfully constructed, deeply affecting story of love and death This is a hugely attractive book, written in clipped elegant prose' Sunday Times 'Compelling a flawlessly written first novel' New York Times
--This text refers to the
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Review
'This is classic whodunnit territory but Guterson's fiercely intelligent and moving novel is far more than a murder mystery Guterson has written a novel about the human condition that marvellously combines tenderness and excitement' The Times 'A skilfully constructed, deeply affecting story of love and death This is a hugely attractive book, written in clipped elegant prose' Sunday Times 'Compelling a flawlessly written first novel' New York Times 'The death of a fisherman turns into a murder trial and a test of passions brewed since Pearl Harbour between two heritages claustrophobically locked on one dot of land. Love and morality are beautifully choreographed into an exceptional debut novel' Daily Mail
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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"The accused man, Kabuo Miyamoto, sat proudly upright with a rigid grace, his palms placed softly on the defendant's table-the posture of a man who has detached himself insofar as this is possible at his own trial." Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
"The accused man, Kabuo Miyamoto, sat proudly upright with a rigid grace, his palms placed softly on the defendant's table-the posture of a man who has detached himself insofar as this is possible at his own trial." Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is just the sort of thriller I enjoy - 'a thinking person's thriller', as the reviews say on the back. It alternates between taut court-room scenes and painting a picture of the fishing community, unravelling different characters' backgrounds and prejudices, combining murder with a love story and political themes.
The research for this book seems impeccable. I thought the love story, in particular was beautifully written and the book did keep me intrigued. The reason I knocked off a couple of stars is because I just didn't like the way it was written - and I accept that judging from the other reviews, other readers might disagree. I found the style rather leaden and pompous; it is readable but there is a strained, slightly forced feeling to the narrative, as if he is trying too hard to be literary - a fault which more recent reviews of the book in America have picked up on. It always took me a little while to get back into the flow of it and I felt the dryness of the prose meant that some of the emotional force was lost.
Anyone who enjoyed this would also enjoy Donna Tartt's The Secret History, a five-star read which is also a murder mystery with psychological depth and a beautifully written but very readable prose style.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I studied this novel for a module in my literature AS level. Before we studied it I read it twice and fell in love with it, the more we studied it the more i began to appreciate how Guterson has crafted the story to deeply engage and involve the reader.I read the book now and I can feel the weather, smell the scents and I love how Guterson has created this effect. I find the story to be full and well written, he's obvously done a tonne of research and the plot is brilliant.Our teacher wouldn't let us watch the film until we'd taken the exam.I wasn't disappointed.All the moodiness, the atmosphere, the chemistry had translated so well and the film remains to be one of the best I've seen.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Not only a fantastic thriller which will keep you guessing right 'til the last page, but one into which Guterson manages to weave a complex and gentle lesson on morality, a heart-breaking love story, and a study of the prejudices of an insulated community. Snow Falling on Cedars is written in a distant understated style which reflects the author's desire not to judge any of his characters, but rather to know them and understand their actions, and as such, comes across as a beautiful, poetic, yet utterly plausible story. Guterson's landscape is unforgiving, but it is one with which he is so obviously at one, that every page bursts with a vibrant authenticity which captivates the reader. This book works on every level imaginable, it is simply stunning.
If you liked To Kill A Mockingbird, I fully recommend this title.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not another book review
I needed this book for my english lit class and the product itself was ok. It was in pretty good condition and arrived reasonably quickly. Read more
Published 18 months ago by fahmida
It's more of a Whiteout than just a Snowfall.
I was not so much recommended this book but given it by my sister who gave up on it halfway through. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mr. Clive L. Knight
Glad I took a chance on this one
Not my usual genre of reading I have to admit, but I promised myself I would read at least 5 novels I usually wouldn't bother with this year- and I'm glad that this was one of... Read more
Published on 17 Dec 2009 by Nicola F (Nic)
More than a thriller
This is much more than a thriller - in fact it contains three separate stories: The murder plot with the trial, the love story and the little known story of the Japanese immigrants... Read more
Published on 22 Nov 2009 by Christian Blom
Fascinating tale
This is a wonderful thriller where the author keeps the suspense going till the end of the novel. The courtroom scenes are beautifully woven with the events from the past. Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2009 by Mrs. H. B. Hutchinson
Romanticising the exotic easterner
Guterson's novel is about events following Pearl Harbour when America entered the war in earnest and thousands of Japanese Americans were interred in camps to prevent them giving... Read more
Published on 18 Sep 2009 by Eileen Shaw
A brilliant debut novel
David Guterson draws the reader into an entirely believable plot, with an unexpected denoument. He creates a great sense of place and three dimensional characters. Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2009 by CJ
A great read.
I bought this book after hearing a discussion with David Guterson on the the BBC's World Service Book Club, it turned out to be an excellent choice, David Guterson's descriptions... Read more
Published on 5 Aug 2009 by John Stewart
A classy whodunnit which stands out from the crowd
In the overcrowded field of mystery thrillers, it's not often one comes across a book that is not only a great mystery but also a literary testament to the turmoil of humanity, but... Read more
Published on 10 Feb 2008 by Rivercassini
Whodunnit? who cares? that's not the point of this book
This is not a whodunnit in the Agatha Christie sense of the term. Do not expect everyone to gather in the drawing room where the detective will point their finger at the person... Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2008 by J. Brand
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