Rating: 
Summary: Eloquent language and description, yet a contrived plot
Review: I eagerly awaited this book and was ultimately disappointed. The descriptions of eastern Washington are absolutely spectacular. The way the story and descriptions of the landscape mesh reminded me of Wallace Stegner. Ultimately, though the plot seemed contrived and not particularly compelling. I hope the author comes up with a better plot for his next effort.
Rating: 
Summary: Will three be the charm?
Review: David's first novel was so compelling, it seemed unlikely he could attain the heights a second time. And yes ... it proved unlikely. However, because of the strength of "Snow Falling on Cedars," I would be willing to read his third attempt. "East of the Mountains" failed not for lack of a plot ... but in execution. The dialogue was hurried and thin. A pokey pace. And the presentation never approached the same standard as his first work. Did you change editors? Give it another try, David. I'll read it.
Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointed - constant and constistant violence
Review: I was terribly disappointed in this authors second book - I loved the sensitivity and gentleness of understanding demonstrated in Snow on Cedars - East is the first book I have started and not completed in 20 years. I was unable to understand the proponderance of violence and gore directed at animals - it did not seem to deepen my understanding of the character, the land or a culture - it seemed purposeless. I was just sadened by the the half of the book I did read - I had great hopes for this author, and cannot help but wonder what went wrong.
Rating: 
Summary: More Good Morals From Guterson
Review: I am not one to critique the writing style or plunge into a debate over whether characters were too absurd. I'll leave that to those who aced every English, literature and poetry class they ever took.For the rest of us I'll say this book rates high on my must read and recommend list. Like Guterson's first book about home schooling and his second about prejudice and justice the tale of Ben Givens has a good message. Suicide, like other activities where man has attempted to usurp power from God, does not serve the perpetrator or others. At a book signing, Guterson claimed he is long past the point when he felt it appropriate and necessary to express his political views. While this may be his intention I am glad his morals still seep through his work. I wish there were more writers like him.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book
Review: Get over it, people. Mark McGwire doesn't hit it out of the park every at bat. This is a good book and if you like Guterson, you're a fan already. It's not a page-turner-can't-put-it-down, but it's a good read and you could do lots worse.
Rating:
Summary: A grave dissapointment.
Review: East of the mountains has retained the sophmore curse - the second of anything is never as good as the first. This book leads off with an interesting premise, but doesn't go anywhere with it. The author just moves the main character around, leaving him with nothing to do. He wants to commit suicide, he's in a car accident, his dogs are attacked, he meets a few new people on his way to the vet, and he helps with the delivery of a baby. There is the whole story in a nutshell. I hope his next book is a vast improvement over this one, and I also hope that he can learn from his mistakes.
Rating: 
Summary: Contemplative and slowly affecting
Review: Those who have been disappointed with this book find it to be slow, poorly written and populated at times by unlikely characters who appear at just the right time to influence the flow. And they have a point. This is not an action novel, and it makes use of terrain, geographic and psychological, that is not familiar to most readers. Yet I think that is the point. I would not normally look for a book that begins with a decision for suicide. Yet in the slow unwinding of memories, in the pacing of the journey, in the revelations that are as much a surprise to the main character as they are to the reader, we engage in a very human and very authentic process of contemplation and discovery. Ben Givens is already somewhat removed from this world, certainly emotionally, as he begins this journey. Yet the stories he recalls are vividly emotional, terribly on target. And that slow pace is very much a part of the process that he must go through, that we go through with him. In fact, if anything, I thought the pace accelerated too much in the closing sequences, as a character arrives who provides a rather abrupt summing up, a little too obviously compared with the rest of the book. There is a sense of exhaustion that permeates the conclusion, of resignation, and in that sense of exhaustion we reach, I think, a resumption of "normal" emotional response in Givens. There are no blazing insights in this. But there is understandable conclusion. I'm glad I read this book. I was moved by it, and came to a kind of acceptance at the end that I know was intended at the start. It is a very credible piece of writing.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful words, contrived plot
Review: Yes, I loved Snow Falling on Cedars and was anxiously awaiting his new novel. Although Guterson very ably shows his love of the land, I thought he fell disappointingly short in his depiction of Ben Givens and the adventures he encounters along his trek to end his life. Some were OK, others were downright hokey. The flashback scenes were the best part of the book. Still, it wasn't enough to save this story whose denouement, I'm sorry to say, seemed so contrived and unconvincing.
Rating:
Summary: Take a long week-end and enjoy the scenery!!!
Review: This is a lovely view of one man's journey from childhood to old age. We travel alongside both paths to meet those people who touch his life and we engage ourselves in his decision-making. This is a journey of people, sights, places and relationships that should not be rushed along, or hurried in an effort to anticipate events. Each sentence is an image, and as was the author's initial literary offering, it is a pleasure to tread on into the landscapes. It is also a reflective journey into a person's soul as he comes to terms with his cancer, the loss of his life partner, the love and devotion of his dogs, the loss of his children's paternal admiration & devotion. It is a slow read and I do not belive it is for every reader, but it certainly is worth the effort!
Rating:
Summary: A good though incomplete read. Look for his next effort.
Review: The story of a 73 year-old man on his last independant sojourn before time and infirmity steal his autonomy. Ben Givens, a cardiac surgeon, must come to terms with his own mortality in the face of a terminal diagnosis. His physical journey from Seattle into eastern Washington starts with him tightly in control of events. Soon though, other individuals' actions and needs force Givens to modify his plans and to reshape the means and intent of his journey. Characters in the story move into sharp focus as Givens encounters them. Guterson is excellent at catching the external trappings of each individual's prototype, but fails to convey the spark of uniqueness that defines each individual spirit. Because of this, his characters seem slightly mechanical - moving only to serve the needs of the plot. As in his last effort, "Snow Falling on Cedars," the tension between character development and plot lends an air of implausibility to the story. In "Snow Falling on Cedars," Guterson's startlingly evocative descriptions of the western Washington terrain masked other flaws in his story. Here, descriptive prose quickly yields to mere recounting of plot. Guterson is a marvelous wordsmith, but, much like his character Ben Givens, he needs to let go of his pre-planned scenarios so that his books can spring to life.
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