Snow Falling on Cedars: Amazon.co.uk: David Guterson: Books

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Snow Falling On CedarsDVD

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Product Description

Synopsis
In 1954, a fisherman is found dead in the nets of his boat, and a local Japanese-American man is charged with his murder. In the course of his trial, it becomes clear that what is at stake is more than one man's guilt. For on San Piedro, memory grows as thickly as cedar trees and the fields of ripe strawberries - memories of a charmed love affair between a white boy and a Japanese girl; memories of land desired, paid for, and lost. Above all, San Piedro is haunted by the memory of what happened to its Japanese residents during World War II, when an entire community was sent into exile while its neighbours watched.

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Customer Reviews

33 Reviews

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

Average Customer Review

3.8 out of 5 stars (33 customer reviews)

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Find a girl, Ishmael. Have children. LIVE.", 12 April 2003

By	Ms. P. Ohnoutka (cheshire, england) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Snow Falling on Cedars (Paperback)

A thoroughly absorbing read which I then repeated a subsequent three times...and teaching it at 'A' level necessitated various passage dissections; from the impassioned language of closing arguments to the insular descriptions of the forest Ishmael believed (needed to believe) belonged to he and Hatsue. Guterson weaves a tale of political, social and interpersonal racism at the time of Pearl Harbour and within this, interweaves a love story which could never enjoy its 'happy' ending. Symbolism is rich in content, from the hollow tree which acts as a place of refuge, to the succulent strawberries amassed from the fields each summer, to Ishmael's arm and very name. Enthralling and consuming, this novel will challenge and engage.

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10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric, 16 Aug 2005

By	"indiecaite" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Snow Falling on Cedars (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.

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12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good thriller, 5 Sep 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Snow Falling on Cedars (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.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars 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,... Read more

Published 17 months ago by Rivercassini

4.0 out of 5 stars 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 18 months ago by J. Brand

4.0 out of 5 stars not really a crime book
The main disadvantage this book has is that it has the word 'whodunnit' on the cover, which is completely misleading. Read more

Published 19 months ago by ogretmenim

4.0 out of 5 stars good story, rather overdescriptive
A courtroom drama consisting of a series of flashbacks into the lives of the witnesses.
It is an enjoyable read, but at times with superfluous description and scene setting... Read more

Published on 5 Dec 2006 by allesteer

4.0 out of 5 stars Descriptive and insightful…
I enjoyed this book and the way the characters and plot unravelled as the story progressed. I did find the description a little too in-depth at times and found myself wanting to... Read more

Published on 7 Feb 2006 by klm-books

2.0 out of 5 stars Very descriptive, very very descriptive and descriptive.
By now you know I think this book is very descriptive. They say this is very good for a first timer. Maybe so. Read more

Published on 31 May 2005 by bernie

2.0 out of 5 stars Very descriptive, very very descriptive and descriptive.
By now you know I think this book is very descriptive. They say this is very good for a first timer. Maybe so. Read more

Published on 14 Jul 2004 by bernie

3.0 out of 5 stars Very Descriptive book
This is a very descriptive book with a lot of details to create the atmosphere which is kind of melancholic. However, I find its pace rather slow. Read more

Published on 5 May 2004

3.0 out of 5 stars Classy thriller
Took me a while to start this book as I expected it to be a bit dry. Then I took it with me when I had to spend a very long night waiting in casualty and it kept me thoroughly... Read more

Published on 6 April 2004 by daisyrock

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece!
I studied "Snow Falling on Cedars" for my English Literature AS level last year and I must say it is one of the amazing books I have ever read. Read more

Published on 8 Mar 2004 by Ms. N. L. Wood

› See all 33 customer reviews...

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