The Green Mile Book 1: The Two Dead Girls

I wish I had known there were books before I watched the movie years ago, Knowing the outcome ruins it a little bit for you, but I still give it 5 stars. The book gives you more time to fall in love with the characters all over again.

A good set-up for what's later to come. I like the main character and some of the other guards, they seem like realistic characters, although hearing about the urinary tract infection so often made me wince. I'm not a fan of the death penalty and this book helps reinforce some of the reasons why. 'The Green Mile' is aptly named. The scene where they find Coffey holding the girls is sobering - the entire scene from discovering they're missing to finding the result was amazingly written. Since this is a start-up book, not much is happening yet other than establishing the structure.

Not a whole lot happens in this section except for exposition: you learn of John Coffey’s crime, brutally murdering and raping two young sisters, and you get to know the narrator (Paul) and some of his coworkers. One thing I noticed was that Coffey’s guilt is just assumed without much in the way of evidence. This big black man is found holding the two corpses and sobbing away, and everybody figures he must have been the one who killed them. “I couldn’t help it” could have multiple meanings, especially since he didn’t elaborate. But I guess being a black man in 1930s Louisiana was crime enough for these folks. Anyway, it was a fine enough start, though if I didn’t already have the rest of the series I probably wouldn’t show more have been interested enough to continue. show less

At times King can be shallow but with this series he reminds us that some of the greatest American Literature, ERB, REH, and the majority of the early 20th century writers who used the art of story telling to do just that...write stories. At least that is what I get from this. A good story that takes is stride and works its way into something solid and profound.

This was actually one of the most interesting and captivating books that I have read from Stephen King & I highly recommend it for any King fans.

I ended up getting this book from a thrift store and normally following the rules of serial books I was only able to get the last three books for the first three were nowhere in sight. As a result I started off reading "The Bad Death of Eduard Delacroix" first and I was caught up in the story, knowing the one main aspect of the book and yet not knowing how it would end. Due to life events I was only able to get to "Night Journey". And then I was able to start over this time from the beginning and actually read the whole series.

The characters like most of King's older books are easy to get show more along with and have a very well-defined personality even with some of the minor characters. You are given a chance to enter a realistic world with very realistic people whether they are inmate, prison guards or the civilians who back up their men within this world.

The best part of this book is the fact that it isn't really a horror story as King is well-known for but an emotional story of the paranormal with some horror elements thrown in. Whether you are enjoying the whole novel put together or the serial novel format this will be one book you cannot and will not want to put down for the ending is just like King - unexpected. show less

I have read many King books and this series was one of my favourite. The story was great, and the characters wonderful. Most of all I loved the anticipation of waiting for the next part to come out. Now that was so much fun but at the same time agonizing waiting to read what happened next :) No regrets though, I am happy I read this before the single book was published. I also watched the movie and it was very true to form and I was not disappointed as I usually am when I watch a movie after I have read a book.

Movies! I remember watching this one when it came out! It's so odd to be reading the tale a few decades later without even having a desire to watch the movie. :)

It turns out that Hanks with a prostate problem was NOT the most memorable part of the movie. It's the mouse, of course. The main character is always the mouse, and I'm not even referring to Steamboat Willie.

The short story is mild and reflective, even with the scent of rape, murder and peppermint, which is odd, all considered. And yet, it is still quintessential SK.