Sign up for our newsletters to receive our Best of 2024 ezine!

What readers think of Snow Falling On Cedars, plus links to write your own review.

Summary |  Excerpt |  Reading Guide |  Reviews |  Read-Alikes |  Genres & Themes |  Author Bio

Snow Falling On Cedars by David Guterson

Snow Falling On Cedars

by David Guterson
  • Critics' Consensus (5):
  • Readers' Rating (38):
  • First Published:
  • Sep 1, 1994, 345 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Sep 1995, 460 pages
  • Rate this book

About This Book

Reviews

Page 1 of 6
There are currently 46 reader reviews for Snow Falling On Cedars
Order Reviews by:

Write your own review!

Dave S

Snow Falling on Cedars
I read this many years ago, but still count it among my favorites. It is one of those rare books where the setting is painted so vividly, you are taken there to listen and experience the story firsthand. And once you are there, the story flows beautifully and dramatically, keeping you engaged from the first page to the last.
Scrutiny

Enjoyable
While flowing through a series of flashbacks and present day proceedings, an inexperienced reader may feel lost. But these same flashbacks delve deeply into the mindsets of the characters and opens the reader up to a much closer connection to each character. Guterson's extensive use of description will not leave the reader wondering. He expertly puts the reader in the middle of each scene, uncensored. If the reader is disgusted by the war scenes, or uncomfetable with the more sensual scenes, then Guterson has achieved success, as dramatic reactions on part of the reader are certain to be expected. A must read for older readers who are willing to immerse themselves in a book for hours.
corshelle

the best book ever
This was one of the best books I have ever read. It pulls you in then spits you out. You can't put it down.
reader j

Brilliant
I had to read this book in English class and once I started reading I couldn't stop anymore. I find that the novel is written brilliantly- calm, but not boring. Every character is so lively!
nic

a brilliant book, i read it then watched the film half way through reading, this was all for my AS english literature course. i dont read as much as i should but this is a book that i could read again so it must be good! the film was enjoable but it think it should be wathched after if anythig because it can spoli your own creation of the characters although etta heine and art moran were as i imagined.The vivid description is a bit gory but certanitly makes the reader feel involved in the novel.Also gets across very significant issues.amazingly written.
Sean Newberry

As a 16 year old girl, love stories and the things that happen aroud them are bound to interet me. When I was 14, I saw the movie Snow Falling on Cedars and became fasinated with the story, and the characters (not to mention one Ethan Hawke). It was not until two years later, as a junior in high school that i had the opportunity to read the book itself. My American Literature class had been assigned a simple task for our end of the year final. We had to pick a book (At least 150 pages long, american author, either the book or the author HAD to have won an award or bee taught) to read and give a speech on. I picked a number of books, all which turned out to be missing one of the criteria. Finally, with four days until my speech was due, I was online looking for award winning books, when I came accross Snow Falling On Ceders. The next day my mom went and checked it out from our branch of the Multomah County Library. I think that the book is SO much better than the movie, though I enjoyed both. I really do dislike my english teacher, but for once, I want to thank her for forcing me to read what she defined as American Literature.
Alli

Anybody who rates this book a 1 obviously does not appreciate the work of art david guterson created...the rich culture and the captivating setting weaved into a mysterious "murder" case and a breathtaking love story. This is one of the most vivid books I have ever read.
Jody

I thouroughly enjoyed this book. I have read it several times, and found it more interesting with each new time I read it. Guterson's use of details brought me into the book and made me feel as though I was actually there in the setting. I can picture in my head the scenes and setting. I also liked the overall topic. Race relations has always been interesting to me, and I thought that Guterson very effectively captured the feelings of the people in the town at that time.

Top Picks

  • Book Jacket: Small Rain
    Small Rain
    by Garth Greenwell
    At the beginning of Garth Greenwell's novel Small Rain, the protagonist, an unnamed poet in his ...
  • Book Jacket: Daughters of Shandong
    Daughters of Shandong
    by Eve J. Chung
    Daughters of Shandong is the debut novel of Eve J. Chung, a human rights lawyer living in New York. ...
  • Book Jacket: The Women
    The Women
    by Kristin Hannah
    Kristin Hannah's latest historical epic, The Women, is a story of how a war shaped a generation ...
  • Book Jacket: The Wide Wide Sea
    The Wide Wide Sea
    by Hampton Sides
    By 1775, 48-year-old Captain James Cook had completed two highly successful voyages of discovery and...

BookBrowse Book Club

Book Jacket
In Our Midst
by Nancy Jensen
In Our Midst follows a German immigrant family’s fight for freedom after their internment post–Pearl Harbor.
Who Said...

No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Big Holiday Wordplay 2024

Enter Now

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.