The Green Mile by Stephen King

[katekintailbc]

The Green Mile
by Stephen King
(Audio)

I'd seen the movie before (years before) and loved it. I'd been meaning to read this book for a while now, and I finally have! I liked the format; Stephen King is so good at short stories and this was like a whole series of shorts serialized together into one great, touching story. The fact that I knew how it was going to end in no way lessened the story's impact. In fact, it left me free to concentrate on some of the beautiful details, descriptions, dialogue, and characterizations in the book.

Just when I thought I couldn't love Mr. Jingles more...! heehee Really, though, this book was my love affair with John Coffey (like Coffee, but spelled different) and Paul Edgecombe. I seriously LOVED getting to know these guys and getting into Edgecombe's head. The drama of human interaction, mixed in with a little supernatural. The purpose of life and the many ways people use, take from, or give to others. The morality of taking care of prisoners who have done terrible things and are waiting to die... and one prisoner who has nothing but good in his heart but needs to die for so many reasons--it breaks my heart.

I wasn't expecting the very end at all. I didn't remember that from the movie (maybe I was just sobbing too hard at that point). But I liked that the whole story was a flashback. And I didn't see the end coming (sounds like Stephen King didn't either) and though it made me sad all over again, it was also rather fitting and beautiful as well.

What a great adventure this must have been to write. I'm so glad I got a chance to finally read it and get to experience it in more detail.