Ishmael Chambers :Silent Power

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Ishmael Chambers :Silent Power

Christy Johns

Snow Falling on Cedars is a superbly crafted novel, with the story based around a tiny island called San Piedro and the society within it, coping with the racial issues and events that occurred before, during and after the devastating experience of Pearl Harbour in the 20th century. It also has fascinating stories entwined within the story about truth, love and hope and is said to be "A trial of love and honour, drowning in flashbacks and tremendous imagery".

In this graphic novel, David Guterson describes every character in great detail so the reader responds to them sharing in their pain, admiring their integrity and celebrating their triumphs. The author positions the reader to sympathise with Ishmael because of the tradgedies that have befallen him- his lost love and limb, the death of his father and the belief that he has not coped with the soul destroying experiences of war. Because of this the reader almost excuses his action during the trial when he doesn't hand in the evidence that will clear Kabuo but on the other hand feels relief when he does the right thing and produces the paper that will