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Snow Falling on Cedars / East of the Mountains
Snow Falling on Cedars: In 1954 a fisherman is found dead and a local Japanese-American man is charged with his murder. In the course of his trial, it becomes clear that more is at stake than one man's guilt. For San Piedro is haunted by memories: of a past love affair between a white boy and a Japanese girl; of land desired, paid for and lost; and of what happened during World War II when its Japanese residents were sent into exile while their neighbours watched.
East of the Mountains: When he is diagnosed with cancer, Ben Givens leaves his home in Seattle and heads east with his Winchester and hunting dogs in tow. It is to be a final journey to a place of canyons and orchards on the verge of the Columbia River, where he had entered the world and had decided he will now leave it. But what transpires is anything but the journey he anticipates.
East of the Mountains: When he is diagnosed with cancer, Ben Givens leaves his home in Seattle and heads east with his Winchester and hunting dogs in tow. It is to be a final journey to a place of canyons and orchards on the verge of the Columbia River, where he had entered the world and had decided he will now leave it. But what transpires is anything but the journey he anticipates.
704 pages, Paperback
First published August 16, 2004
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995 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
July 25, 2013
It was difficult to get into at first, but once I did I could not put it down. I liked how the book bounced between the past and the present day trial. It saddens me to think about how prejudice lives in the hearts of many and how it has influenced people over the years. I really enjoyed this book and I'm very glad my book club chose to read it.
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July 21, 2017So I didn't actually read this edition of Guterson's novel, but I just reread my old copy and Goodreads won't let me double count it. I read Snow Falling on Cedars when it first came out and got a lot of buzz, and I have been haunted ever since by the image of two teen-aged lovers trysting inside a hollow cedar tree. As a Midwesterner, I couldn't imagine a tree large enough for this scene not to be science fiction. Over the years I have visited the Pacific Northwest and stood inside giant cedars for myself, always getting the urge to read this novel again. This time, fresh returned from a site marked Big Cedar Tree in Olympic National Forest, I finally did.
While the scenes inside the tree still evoke a summer's love and a certain nostalgia for me, this time I was struck by the scenes that take place immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I have always solemnly accepted that the Pearl Harbor attack resulted in a clear-cut decision for the U.S. to enter the war. However, in a post 9/11 reading of Snow Falling on Cedars (which was published in 1995), it's clear how much of the supposed patriotism in 1941 was actually just hysteria. Just as people in tiny rural towns in 2001 felt sure the terrorists would hit their town next, the people on Guterson's San Piedro island -- an unimportant, isolated fishing community north of Puget Sound -- put up black-out curtains and impose curfews, as if the Japanese fighter planes were on a mission to destroy them, specifically. They also look on silently as the federal government rounds up their neighbors who happen to be of Japanese descent, rationalizing it as a necessary step to protect themselves from spies. It was fear of Japanese-Americans then; it's Islamophobia now. The book feels especially timely in its warning about hysteria, xenophobia, and the deep wounds that affect a community when they single out certain people as Other.
While the scenes inside the tree still evoke a summer's love and a certain nostalgia for me, this time I was struck by the scenes that take place immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I have always solemnly accepted that the Pearl Harbor attack resulted in a clear-cut decision for the U.S. to enter the war. However, in a post 9/11 reading of Snow Falling on Cedars (which was published in 1995), it's clear how much of the supposed patriotism in 1941 was actually just hysteria. Just as people in tiny rural towns in 2001 felt sure the terrorists would hit their town next, the people on Guterson's San Piedro island -- an unimportant, isolated fishing community north of Puget Sound -- put up black-out curtains and impose curfews, as if the Japanese fighter planes were on a mission to destroy them, specifically. They also look on silently as the federal government rounds up their neighbors who happen to be of Japanese descent, rationalizing it as a necessary step to protect themselves from spies. It was fear of Japanese-Americans then; it's Islamophobia now. The book feels especially timely in its warning about hysteria, xenophobia, and the deep wounds that affect a community when they single out certain people as Other.
January 18, 2015
Another "sad chapter of American history" this tells the story of the white and the Japanese on San Pedro Island (CA) before and after Pearl Harbor. In this story a white boy finds love and companionship with a Japanese girl. They meet in secret in a hollow of a great cedar tree as they grow realizes they will never be.... Society in general and especially on the island would not allow it. After Japan declares war the government removes all the Japanese to "internment" camps removing them from their homes, businesses... They remained here until the war ended and then needed to rebuild their lives. The girl marries a Japanese man who is now accused of murdering a fisherman who had bought land that was in dispute. The boy who had loves the Japanese girl was now the Editor of the island newspaper and watches the the trial still angry at her for marrying another. She asks him to change and write an article on how unfair the trial is. he doesn't but does have information he found at the lighthouse Coast Guard station that could help. The Japanese man was ASSUMED guilty based on race and has not been forthcoming with information so he would not appear guilty when in fact he had helped the fisherman. They made a deal for the property and agreed to a deal and to meet... But who would believe this? He had motive and he was after all Japanese -- five years after Pearl Harbor. The Editor then decides to come forward with the Coast Guard report and calls the police to take another look at the boat there they find the final clues that will set the Japanese man free.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2024
What a great book
January 29, 2014
Snow Falling On Cedar
Intro: The book that I read was called Snow Falling on Cedar written by David Guterson published by Harcourt Brace. Snow Falling on Cedars is a fiction book set during WWII around the time when Japan first bombed Pearl Harbor. There was a lot of racism and anti Japanese feeling during this time.
Summary: People who were once friends are now enemies just because of their race. The story takes place on a small fishing island called San Piedro in Washington State. A local there is murdered of Caucasian descent and quickly the suspects are tallied yet one suspect in particular sticks out the most. Kabuo Miyamoto is a Japanese fisherman and this story recounts the past and what people’s motives were and who the real killer of Carl Heine (the local) was by looking into the past you see shadows and chain events leading up to the murder, secrets meant to be buried lies meant to stay lies and history never meant to be found out. “For on San Pedro, memory grows as thickly as cedar trees.”
Plot: The author sets up the plot by introducing all the residents of San Piedro and getting the read acquainted with all the characters and the locals. As soon as the locals are introduced it skips to Carl Heine’s body being found near his boat caught up in a net. Suspicions arise and there are suspects drawn on the scene but the most likely suspect is Kabuo Miyamoto. The rising action in the book was the police finding Carl’s body and what they had to do. Conflict was between Kabuo Miyamoto and most of the community as this book was set in WWII so there was a lot of anti-Japanese sentiment.
Characters: The Main characters are who the story focuses on the most so they would be, Kabuo Miyamoto, Hatsue, Ishmael and Carl Heine. Throughout the book you read about Kabuo and how he was raised and he is generally a flat character. He doesn’t change throughout the whole book and remains the same. He’s a hard worker, truthful and loyal to the American government. Hatsue is the wife of Kabuo and changes throughout the story, she doesn’t know whether to stay loyal to the Japanese people or assimilate into white society. She then chooses to remain loyal to her people and stops talking to Ishmael Chambers whom she has a secret love affair with. Ishmael changes after he returns from the war as he loses a limb in the war (I forget which one) and he comes back dark and moody as opposed to before he went to the war which was when Ishmael was happy and caring. Throughout the book he changes into the anti-hero in my opinion. Carl Heine was a fisherman on San Piedro and he was known for his hard working demeanor and his quiet presence but he was a respectable man and he wasn’t racist like most people during WWII which was a nice change in the book.
Theme: the theme to me at least; is Injustice and love. Throughout the book it kind of reminded me of to Kill A Mockingbird. Where the wrong person was blamed because of racial ethnicity. Love is also a theme because Hatsue and Ishmael had a secret love affair between races which was Japanese and American. But in the end it didn’t work so I guess you could say the theme is Love and Loss.
Author Information: The novel Snow Falling on Cedars was written by David Guterson who was born in 1956 in the Seattle area. He received his master’s degree in writing from the University of Washington. Snow Falling on Cedars was his first book and it took ten years to write. I didn’t know this until I read it but Snow Falling on Cedars was heavily influenced by To Kill a Mockingbird. In 1996 he came out with a collection of short stories.
My personal opinion of the book? It was a very good read, although the environment and the scene of the story is sometimes gloomy it captures Injustice, Love and loss and duty and loyalty. It reminds me of To Kill A Mockingbird but in a more modern sense and written in a way so that it doesn’t get boring at times like in To Kill A mockingbird. I really enjoyed reading this book one thing I would change in this book is the awkward sex scene between Ishmael and Hatsue…
Overall the book was a slow read and it was pretty predictable but there are some parts I never would have guessed had happened, it alternated between past and the trial of Kabuo the convicted Japanese which is an interesting writing style.
Intro: The book that I read was called Snow Falling on Cedar written by David Guterson published by Harcourt Brace. Snow Falling on Cedars is a fiction book set during WWII around the time when Japan first bombed Pearl Harbor. There was a lot of racism and anti Japanese feeling during this time.
Summary: People who were once friends are now enemies just because of their race. The story takes place on a small fishing island called San Piedro in Washington State. A local there is murdered of Caucasian descent and quickly the suspects are tallied yet one suspect in particular sticks out the most. Kabuo Miyamoto is a Japanese fisherman and this story recounts the past and what people’s motives were and who the real killer of Carl Heine (the local) was by looking into the past you see shadows and chain events leading up to the murder, secrets meant to be buried lies meant to stay lies and history never meant to be found out. “For on San Pedro, memory grows as thickly as cedar trees.”
Plot: The author sets up the plot by introducing all the residents of San Piedro and getting the read acquainted with all the characters and the locals. As soon as the locals are introduced it skips to Carl Heine’s body being found near his boat caught up in a net. Suspicions arise and there are suspects drawn on the scene but the most likely suspect is Kabuo Miyamoto. The rising action in the book was the police finding Carl’s body and what they had to do. Conflict was between Kabuo Miyamoto and most of the community as this book was set in WWII so there was a lot of anti-Japanese sentiment.
Characters: The Main characters are who the story focuses on the most so they would be, Kabuo Miyamoto, Hatsue, Ishmael and Carl Heine. Throughout the book you read about Kabuo and how he was raised and he is generally a flat character. He doesn’t change throughout the whole book and remains the same. He’s a hard worker, truthful and loyal to the American government. Hatsue is the wife of Kabuo and changes throughout the story, she doesn’t know whether to stay loyal to the Japanese people or assimilate into white society. She then chooses to remain loyal to her people and stops talking to Ishmael Chambers whom she has a secret love affair with. Ishmael changes after he returns from the war as he loses a limb in the war (I forget which one) and he comes back dark and moody as opposed to before he went to the war which was when Ishmael was happy and caring. Throughout the book he changes into the anti-hero in my opinion. Carl Heine was a fisherman on San Piedro and he was known for his hard working demeanor and his quiet presence but he was a respectable man and he wasn’t racist like most people during WWII which was a nice change in the book.
Theme: the theme to me at least; is Injustice and love. Throughout the book it kind of reminded me of to Kill A Mockingbird. Where the wrong person was blamed because of racial ethnicity. Love is also a theme because Hatsue and Ishmael had a secret love affair between races which was Japanese and American. But in the end it didn’t work so I guess you could say the theme is Love and Loss.
Author Information: The novel Snow Falling on Cedars was written by David Guterson who was born in 1956 in the Seattle area. He received his master’s degree in writing from the University of Washington. Snow Falling on Cedars was his first book and it took ten years to write. I didn’t know this until I read it but Snow Falling on Cedars was heavily influenced by To Kill a Mockingbird. In 1996 he came out with a collection of short stories.
My personal opinion of the book? It was a very good read, although the environment and the scene of the story is sometimes gloomy it captures Injustice, Love and loss and duty and loyalty. It reminds me of To Kill A Mockingbird but in a more modern sense and written in a way so that it doesn’t get boring at times like in To Kill A mockingbird. I really enjoyed reading this book one thing I would change in this book is the awkward sex scene between Ishmael and Hatsue…
Overall the book was a slow read and it was pretty predictable but there are some parts I never would have guessed had happened, it alternated between past and the trial of Kabuo the convicted Japanese which is an interesting writing style.
January 27, 2014
I didn't care for Snow Falling on Cedars--which is disappointing, because it came to me highly recommended. To be honest, I lost steam and skimmed the last several pages. It's an imperfect marriage of romance novel, murder mystery, and literary endeavor. The characterization seemed lazy, and the entire book was inundated with sentimentality. I also disliked the over-abundance of gratuitous smuttiness. It was, however, a unique story, with a strong sense of place. Guterson established the setting well; some of his descriptive passages were quite beautiful. In conclusion, this book wasn't especially impressive, and I wouldn't recommend it.
December 1, 2013
The ending seemed very disappointing at first...but then there was a seemingly somewhat hidden message; "-that accident ruled every corner of the universe except the chambers of the heart." I'm still trying to decipher it, but other than that, the book was very enjoyable and immersive. But, be warned, you need patience with this book. It seems slow until you realize that this is an important piece of the story. If you have patience, I highly recommend this book to you.
January 5, 2014
First third of the book: "This writer is a serious craftsman and stylist."
Second third: "We seem to be spending a lot of time fleshing out the pasts of these characters. A lot of time. Even the minor characters. Do I really need to know that the defense attorney misses his younger, virile days?"
Last third: "That's the piece of information everyone missed? That? In a murder trial?"
All that said, it's a serious book that opened a window to an interesting place and time.
Second third: "We seem to be spending a lot of time fleshing out the pasts of these characters. A lot of time. Even the minor characters. Do I really need to know that the defense attorney misses his younger, virile days?"
Last third: "That's the piece of information everyone missed? That? In a murder trial?"
All that said, it's a serious book that opened a window to an interesting place and time.
December 15, 2013
A wonderful book about a hidden love affair that eventually must end and how the love that survived the affair affects both people for the rest of their lives.
September 4, 2017
I understand why this 1995 release was a #1 seller. The story is great, but I could have passed on the graphic sex.
The following is a description of Japanese girls living in the U.S. when America was at war with Japan.
"The trick was to live here without hating yourself because all around you was hatred. The trick was to refuse to allow your pain to prevent you from living honorably. In Japan, she said, a person learned not to complain or be distracted by suffering. To persevere was always a reflection of the state of one's inner life, one's philosophy, and one's perspective. It was best to accept old age, death, injustice, hardship--all of these were part of living." (Page 206)
Here are a few quotes that drew me into the novel.
"She reminded herself to behave with dignity no matter what the circumstances. . .'Giri' was her grandmother's word for it--it could not be precisely translated into English--and it meant doing what one had to do quietly and with an entirely stoic demeanor." (Page 226)
"He did not want to explain to her his coldness or reveal himself in any way. He had watched her, after all, mourn her husband's death and it had been for her in part the discovery that grief could attach itself with permanence--something Ishmael had already discovered. It attached itself and then it burrowed inside and made a nest and stayed. It ate whatever was warm nearby, and then the coldness settled in permanently. You learned to live with it." (Page 346)
"From his vantage point at the wheel of the Islander he saw the soft cedars of San Piedro Island, its high, rolling hills, the low mist that lay in long streamers against its beaches, the whitecaps riffling its shoreline. The moon had risen already behind the island and hung just over the big bluff at Skiff Point--a quarter moon, pale and indefinite, as ethereal and translucent as the wisps of clouds that traveled the skies, obscuring it." (Page 393)
"From the lighthouse station far to the east he could hear the low, steady intonation of the fog signal diaphone. It was the sound he associated with blind nights at sea--lonely, familiar, hushed, and so melancholy he could never listen without emptiness." (Page 394)
The following is a description of Japanese girls living in the U.S. when America was at war with Japan.
"The trick was to live here without hating yourself because all around you was hatred. The trick was to refuse to allow your pain to prevent you from living honorably. In Japan, she said, a person learned not to complain or be distracted by suffering. To persevere was always a reflection of the state of one's inner life, one's philosophy, and one's perspective. It was best to accept old age, death, injustice, hardship--all of these were part of living." (Page 206)
Here are a few quotes that drew me into the novel.
"She reminded herself to behave with dignity no matter what the circumstances. . .'Giri' was her grandmother's word for it--it could not be precisely translated into English--and it meant doing what one had to do quietly and with an entirely stoic demeanor." (Page 226)
"He did not want to explain to her his coldness or reveal himself in any way. He had watched her, after all, mourn her husband's death and it had been for her in part the discovery that grief could attach itself with permanence--something Ishmael had already discovered. It attached itself and then it burrowed inside and made a nest and stayed. It ate whatever was warm nearby, and then the coldness settled in permanently. You learned to live with it." (Page 346)
"From his vantage point at the wheel of the Islander he saw the soft cedars of San Piedro Island, its high, rolling hills, the low mist that lay in long streamers against its beaches, the whitecaps riffling its shoreline. The moon had risen already behind the island and hung just over the big bluff at Skiff Point--a quarter moon, pale and indefinite, as ethereal and translucent as the wisps of clouds that traveled the skies, obscuring it." (Page 393)
"From the lighthouse station far to the east he could hear the low, steady intonation of the fog signal diaphone. It was the sound he associated with blind nights at sea--lonely, familiar, hushed, and so melancholy he could never listen without emptiness." (Page 394)
July 28, 2017
While I initially appreciated David Guterson's detailed descriptions of the Northwestern scenery, after a while I thought, "Oh, no, here we go again. Enough is enough." Still, his writing style indeed deserves the sobriquet lyrical, and I thought he applied it especially well in his descriptions of scenes other than the Northwest outdoors - for example, Manzanar, World War II battles, and the courtroom drama. All in all, this was an evocative tale, although I might have appreciated more of a true twist to the ending. The outcome was fairly predictable and therefore the characters more stock than multidimensional.
March 10, 2023
The 5 star reviews are just as understandable as the 1 star reviews. You either loved this book or you didn't finish it. I got as far as Chapter 12 and then jumped to end of the book (in my life I have never done that). If you are a reader who sets aside an hour + everyday to read, you will enjoy this book. The 5 star review - the characters are so interesting and their relationships to one another are well established. The time in history is important, informative, and timely in 2023. Mystery, romance, historical fiction and historical facts all intertwine to make a great story. 1 star review - too much detail and not enough story. This is not a "read a few pages each day" kind of book.
September 29, 2022
A Japanese American fisherman is accused of killing another fisherman in the Puget Sound in 1954. It's a mystery centered around the trial of the accused, but it takes deep dives into the lives and backgrounds of all the main characters. The Japanese/white relations on the island, the impacts of World War 2, the inner conflicts. It's a great read but if you just want a mystery you'll find it moving too slow because so much time is spent on the character development.
August 23, 2019
Read this book for the third or fourth time a while back.
Guterson is brilliant, and his book is well crafted passionate, tender and angry all at once.
Some books stay with you and this is one of them.
Guterson is brilliant, and his book is well crafted passionate, tender and angry all at once.
Some books stay with you and this is one of them.
January 27, 2022
I read this book many years ago, and have wanted to re-read it. Such amazing writing and it tells a story about the shameful treatment of Japanese-Americans in our country during WW II, as well as the complicated love story of a Japanese girl and caucasian boy. Truly a classic!
October 19, 2019
VERY GOOD, POET-IC DESCRIPTIONS, INTERESTING STORY
December 1, 2019
It was fine, it killed time but it wasn’t the best story ever.
August 18, 2021
Easy read with a predicatable plot.
September 2, 2021
took some time to get interesting but stuck it out. Overall interesting story with historical background of the era.
January 30, 2023
High school text and it gets better on every re-read
August 12, 2013
So I’m not quite sure how this book ended up on my list. I believe it was given/loaned to me by either my sister or my mother and then sat on my bookshelves unattended. Now that I’ve read it, I understand why it was meant to be shared.
With Pearl Harbor in its backdrop, we follow a murder trial on San Piedro Island where the accused is a Japanese-American man accused of killing a local fisherman whose mother reneged on a deal involving 7 acres of land. Guterson weaves an absorbing tale that fluctuates before, during and after the day that lives on in infamy.
The accused, Kabuo Miyamoto, is a proud and reserved man, which works to his disadvantage, as he sits in court and is perceived as a cold and uncaring killer. Like many of his neighbors, he enlisted following the attack on Pearl Harbor and carries the horrors of war with him, but has buried it below the surface. He doggedly pursues the land promised to his family as he believes they were wronged while they were sent to internment camps, with just two payments remaining.
Kabuo’s wife, Hatsue is also proud and feels torn between her feelings as a woman who grew up as an American and her loyalty to her family’s Japanese heritage. Her relationship with a young neighbor is complicated by the war and the ensuing prejudice on both sides. It is never clear if she should have followed her heart rather than her obligation to family.
Ishmael Chambers is the local newspaper editor who had a lengthy relationship with Hatsue. He receives his Dear John letter from the interned Hatsue and goes off to war returning like many others, haunted by it and after being shot, without an arm. His anger over Hatsue’s rejection carriers throughout his life and has made him a bitter man. When he uncovers information that could help exonerate Kabuo, he does not rush to share it and his resentment may prevent an innocent man from being saved.
With Mr. Guterson’s obvious knowledge of the sea, a boat trip is the obvious choice. We could sail on smooth waters and discuss his early years teaching and how he evolved into a wonderful writer.
My rating for Snow Falling on Cedars is an 8 out of 10.
With Pearl Harbor in its backdrop, we follow a murder trial on San Piedro Island where the accused is a Japanese-American man accused of killing a local fisherman whose mother reneged on a deal involving 7 acres of land. Guterson weaves an absorbing tale that fluctuates before, during and after the day that lives on in infamy.
The accused, Kabuo Miyamoto, is a proud and reserved man, which works to his disadvantage, as he sits in court and is perceived as a cold and uncaring killer. Like many of his neighbors, he enlisted following the attack on Pearl Harbor and carries the horrors of war with him, but has buried it below the surface. He doggedly pursues the land promised to his family as he believes they were wronged while they were sent to internment camps, with just two payments remaining.
Kabuo’s wife, Hatsue is also proud and feels torn between her feelings as a woman who grew up as an American and her loyalty to her family’s Japanese heritage. Her relationship with a young neighbor is complicated by the war and the ensuing prejudice on both sides. It is never clear if she should have followed her heart rather than her obligation to family.
Ishmael Chambers is the local newspaper editor who had a lengthy relationship with Hatsue. He receives his Dear John letter from the interned Hatsue and goes off to war returning like many others, haunted by it and after being shot, without an arm. His anger over Hatsue’s rejection carriers throughout his life and has made him a bitter man. When he uncovers information that could help exonerate Kabuo, he does not rush to share it and his resentment may prevent an innocent man from being saved.
With Mr. Guterson’s obvious knowledge of the sea, a boat trip is the obvious choice. We could sail on smooth waters and discuss his early years teaching and how he evolved into a wonderful writer.
My rating for Snow Falling on Cedars is an 8 out of 10.
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September 25, 2013Me ha superencantado este libro. TEngoq ue leer algún otro de este autor porque si esta es su primera novela, tan correcta, precisa, exacta...
La lei como en blanco y negro, ambientda después de ls segunda guerra mundial, con sus veteranos que recordban en algunas cosas a los de "Los mejores años de nuestra vida" y ese abogado honrado y honesto modelo Atticus...
Muy buena.
Me ha encantado saber el significado de la palabra derrota. También significa El camino que llevan los barcos. Supongoq ue de ahí viene la expresión de "derroteros" Derrota es el camino. Igual viene de ahí lo de derrotar, echar del camino
No sé. Hay que mirarlo.
Me guta que "los buenos" cuiden plantas, flores y lean. El padre, el personaje másp uro, valiente y encarnación del mejor espíritu americano, lee clásicos filosóficos y literarios. Y su madre, mujer a la altura del padre, lee novelas clásicas.
Me gsuta mucho como decide Ismael entregar las natas. Es algo muy leve. Toda la novela, para mí, gira alrededor de la decisión de Ismael y como muchas cosas en la vida, como las cosas realmente importantes, se decide con levedad. Piensa, recuerda a su padre, piensa en su madre, visita el cedro y hace lo correcto. Cierra una puerta y sigue por su camino. EL cmaino ya lo tení bien marcado desde la infancia, se lo habían enseñado, solo tengía que decidirse a transitarlo. Había incovenientes. El despecho por un desengaño terrible de amor, el dolor interminable de la guerra, la usencia de seres que lo acompañen, la ausencia de su brazo pero él solo tiene que ser consciente de que la vida es sola, dura, amarga y que en eso radica también su belleza y echa a andar por la senda que le lleva a lo que suponermos más adelante será un camino de mayor felicidad porque eso es lo que merece el que hace lo que debe ser hecho.
Me gustó tamibnén eso.
La lei como en blanco y negro, ambientda después de ls segunda guerra mundial, con sus veteranos que recordban en algunas cosas a los de "Los mejores años de nuestra vida" y ese abogado honrado y honesto modelo Atticus...
Muy buena.
Me ha encantado saber el significado de la palabra derrota. También significa El camino que llevan los barcos. Supongoq ue de ahí viene la expresión de "derroteros" Derrota es el camino. Igual viene de ahí lo de derrotar, echar del camino
No sé. Hay que mirarlo.
Me guta que "los buenos" cuiden plantas, flores y lean. El padre, el personaje másp uro, valiente y encarnación del mejor espíritu americano, lee clásicos filosóficos y literarios. Y su madre, mujer a la altura del padre, lee novelas clásicas.
Me gsuta mucho como decide Ismael entregar las natas. Es algo muy leve. Toda la novela, para mí, gira alrededor de la decisión de Ismael y como muchas cosas en la vida, como las cosas realmente importantes, se decide con levedad. Piensa, recuerda a su padre, piensa en su madre, visita el cedro y hace lo correcto. Cierra una puerta y sigue por su camino. EL cmaino ya lo tení bien marcado desde la infancia, se lo habían enseñado, solo tengía que decidirse a transitarlo. Había incovenientes. El despecho por un desengaño terrible de amor, el dolor interminable de la guerra, la usencia de seres que lo acompañen, la ausencia de su brazo pero él solo tiene que ser consciente de que la vida es sola, dura, amarga y que en eso radica también su belleza y echa a andar por la senda que le lleva a lo que suponermos más adelante será un camino de mayor felicidad porque eso es lo que merece el que hace lo que debe ser hecho.
Me gustó tamibnén eso.
January 2, 2014
This is the last book I read in 2013, and I'm sad to say it ended with a whimper rather than a bang. I started this book a while back, but kept putting it down. (If I start and finish a new book before finishing the one I was reading, that's never a good sign.)
The story of a small town, murder trial, and lost love, this novel shifts between present day and the recent past on a small island off the coast of Washington after WW2. This story itself is much like the weather of the novel: cold, dreary, and laborious. For me, this was a case of using more words when fewer would do, especially in regard to setting. Also, the motivations of characters were almost telegraphed in their deliberateness and story development seemed obvious so waiting for everything to unfold was tedious. Past: boy meets girl, girl faces stark reality, boy is sad, racism towards Japanese-Americans, WW2. Present: murder trial, still racism towards Japanese-Americans. It seemed like the murder trial would at least have some intrigue but even that played out predictably.
In short: well-written and if you like lots of descriptive detail and predictable action, you might enjoy it but I was bored. But I made it to 40 books this year because if it, so woo!
The story of a small town, murder trial, and lost love, this novel shifts between present day and the recent past on a small island off the coast of Washington after WW2. This story itself is much like the weather of the novel: cold, dreary, and laborious. For me, this was a case of using more words when fewer would do, especially in regard to setting. Also, the motivations of characters were almost telegraphed in their deliberateness and story development seemed obvious so waiting for everything to unfold was tedious. Past: boy meets girl, girl faces stark reality, boy is sad, racism towards Japanese-Americans, WW2. Present: murder trial, still racism towards Japanese-Americans. It seemed like the murder trial would at least have some intrigue but even that played out predictably.
In short: well-written and if you like lots of descriptive detail and predictable action, you might enjoy it but I was bored. But I made it to 40 books this year because if it, so woo!
August 26, 2016
This book was recommended to me by a family friend and I'm glad that I read it. Some of the prose was a little more flowery than I would have liked and at times the description dragged. However I was happy to work my way through the longer and the, sometimes, less interesting parts for the overall feel of the book. It was an interesting look into the racism (against the Japanese) in a small town soon after World War II. I've studied parts of World War II in a number of classes and while there's always a large focus on the Holocaust and the allied bandying together, it is often overlooked that the US interned the Japanese. I wasn't particularly surprised by the ending, the book has a strong focus on "what is vs. what should be" and the unfolding of the information made the overall trend of the book obvious.
Still while the details could be overwhelming it was still the detail in the descriptions that made the book wonderful. The descriptions of the strawberry fields, the picture painted of the boats, the frozen air, it was all well worth the read.
Still while the details could be overwhelming it was still the detail in the descriptions that made the book wonderful. The descriptions of the strawberry fields, the picture painted of the boats, the frozen air, it was all well worth the read.
May 11, 2013
I really enjoyed Snow Falling on Cedars. It takes place on San Piedro Island during WWII, and it's based around this dead fisherman guy Carl Heine's murder trial. The suspect is Kabuo Miyamoto, a Japanese-American, which adds more to the story. As the author follows Carl and Kabuo's stories, the story is told in a really cool way and Guterson includes a bunch of other characters. It was worded really interestingly but in a way that still made sense and gave a lot of detail without dragging on. It takes on problems back in that era, like the war and racism. Snow Falling on Cedars has many aspects, it has a bunch of things going on at once. I would reccomend this book to anyone, pretty much, unless you're like three.
January 7, 2014
Snow Falling on Cedars was a truly beautiful book. If you enjoy reading for the sheer beauty of a writers words, then you'll enjoy this novel. From the first few pages it is clear that David Guterson has a gift for creating art in literature. He tells the story of a small island of people near Seattle and of a man accused of murder among this tiny population. The writer very slowly unfolds the mystery of what happened while simultaneously unfolding the mysteries of this remote place. The author has a striking ability to create emotion through scenery and the location is as much a character as the people who populate his story. It is unclear until the very last page who is guilty and how the story will be resolved. Truly a work of beauty and a thrilling mystery as well.
February 10, 2014
Snow Falling on Cedars is exquisite. Often when reading a fiction book, I eventually get to the point that I just don't care about the characters because, well, they're fake. Not so here. Guterson manages to get into the minds of such a diverse set of characters, making them believable and real. You want to know what happens to each.
Set in the Puget Sound during WWII during Japanese internment, the small island wavering between prejudice, concern and love for the Japanese community on the island, we are suddenly transported to the 50's and are sitting in a murder trial involving all the same people.
Guterson weaves the lives of the people together in such a way that it is almost like reading poetry- and understanding it.
Set in the Puget Sound during WWII during Japanese internment, the small island wavering between prejudice, concern and love for the Japanese community on the island, we are suddenly transported to the 50's and are sitting in a murder trial involving all the same people.
Guterson weaves the lives of the people together in such a way that it is almost like reading poetry- and understanding it.
March 16, 2015
Snow Falling on Cedars was underwhelming at most. I really enjoyed the author's descriptive narrative, and he paints absolutely beautiful imagery of the Seattle scenery. I also thought he described emotions and settings in a very sentimental and unique way, and at the beginning I was quite enthralled. Sadly, as I read on the sentimental touch got overbearing and I felt like I was dating an overly romantic boyfriend that could not lay off the love poems and chocolate. The trial proceedings were interesting enough to keep me intrigued to the end, but towards the last third of the novel I was already getting myself excited to read my next Faulkner novel.
March 15, 2014
If you want endless specific descriptions about gullet fishing, read this book! I appreciate the character portraits from the flashbacks that detail the motivations, but it slowed the book down, weakening my motivation. Besides the overly specific vocabulary for each profession, I found myself skimming some passages to move along: not something I enjoy doing in books as the information the writer chooses to include should be important and have significance.
The story was a beautiful one and the story was arranged in such a way that the reader just had to know how it would end. Not a bad book, but not own that I would want to read again.
The story was a beautiful one and the story was arranged in such a way that the reader just had to know how it would end. Not a bad book, but not own that I would want to read again.
May 24, 2013
Excellent book combining depth of characters with courtroom drama and the complicated situations that ensnare Japanese-Americans and their white neighbors in the early 50's. The war is still fresh in everyone's mind and the Japanese are newly back from the internment camps and are trying to readjust to life in a small fishing town where prejudice is common. Can a Japanese fisherman accused of murdering a white man get a fair trial? The ending is very satisfying. Especially enjoyed the exploration of a cross-cultural romance and the problems the two had to work out. Loved it.
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