Snow Falling on Cedars

Lending library find. Reading this in the coastal Pacific Northwest during winter, I would agree with the trade blurb that this is “densely atmospheric” - Guterson's abiding attention to the ecosystems and weather of this area is clear, as both are close to characters in this novel. Style-wise, he's a bit reminiscent of Richard Ford, but without the humor, and Marilynne Robinson, without being so transporting. Good, but not great. I really appreciated the timespan he brought to the subject matter (the unjust incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII is central to the plot), so that the antecedents and aftershocks of trauma also rise to the surface. I was briefly irrationally angry in a few later chapters when I got worried there might be a sad ending (spoiler alert, I guess), but Guterson allows his flawed humans, for whom his affection is also clear, to muddle forward into an imperfect future.

An enjoyable read that dives into the prejudices of people and gives a glimpse of life on a small island. The murder case at the heart of this book takes a backseat at times to go deeper into understanding the characters involved. It touches on the effects of war on the men who fight in it, and their families as well. All while the writing of the case keeps you on the edge of your seat. Highly recommend.

I liked this! It wasn't what I was expecting–I wasn't sure exactly what I was expecting–but I liked it. I enjoyed the mystery and got really wrapped up in it, and I think it did a reasonably good job describing the aftermath of civil rights clusterfuck that was Japanese internment. The sex scenes were all kind of weird and awkward, but maybe that was intentional?