This novel follows an interesting tale and it tells it in good enough fashion. A death at sea occurs, the evidence found indicates the possibility of foul play, a suspect is arrested and a courtroom drama unfolds. Beneath the surface though, there are prejudices and long standing feuds between several of the involved parties that make for a fascinating yarn. Particular attention is given to Japanese/American relations in the wake of World War II, and how this affected everyone's views in American communities with sizable colonies of Japanese immigrants. This is a very shameful episode in American history and it is handled deftly by the author.
The problem is that Guterson is horribly long winded. Too much time is spent on little daily details that don't add anything to the central narrative; they go well past the need for context, rendering the book tiresome at times. I found myself not looking forward to picking up my book, as I usually would, when my precious few moments for reading came up. This drew out the story even longer, and it was only my stubborn need to try and finish every book I start that forced me to read to the end. I wouldn't recommend it if asked.
Read from March 06 to April 12, 2013
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