Review of Snow Falling On Cedars
Cedars wove a steep mat of still green. ... the sea wind drove snowflakes steadily inland, hurling them against the fragrant trees, and the snow began to settle on the highest branches with a gentle implacability. ... David Guterson’s award winning novel, ‘Snow Falling on Cedars,’ is an intriguing murder-mystery, set off the coast of Washington, on the remote fictional island of San Piedro, an island of five thousand damp souls, (p3). Whilst ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’ incorporates many post-modern conventions, Guterson views his book as being traditional. ... Inspired by Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, ‘Snow Falling on Cedars,’ explores racism through a criminal trial, addressing important, racial and social issues. ... (p12-13) However, ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’ exceeds the conventions of the traditional courtroom murder-mystery. ... Guterson’s continuing use of symbolism and extended metaphor is summarised in the title of his novel, ‘Snow Falling on Cedars.