Seton San Piedro Island in 1954, Snow Falling on Cedars is about a murder trial inthe wake of World War II. The novel is amazing and shows how the small communityoff the coast of Washington discriminates against their Japanese-Americanneighbors.

It is a multi-faceted story with enough variety so that manywill enjoy it. The combination of courtroom drama, mystery, romance and grippingwar story are all melded into one book.

Guterson is able to explain manycharacters in great detail through flashbacks which add a new atmosphere to theplot and maintains the action. The most compelling aspect of the story is theromantic sub-plot. Some of the flashbacks create an additional story about asecret love affair between a white boy and a Japanese girl that remains apsychological struggle for the characters to the present.

Those who haveonly seen the movie may think the book might be boring, but the movie, though notterrible, does not do this amazing novel justice. Snow Falling on Cedars is ahaunting tale that will fill you with suspense and enrich your mind.