I'm not a big fan of horror books, or books about the supernatural. However, after reading Stephen King's, The Green Mile, I have a real appreciation for his storytelling ability...and I must admit that I really liked this story that tells about horrific events and their relationship to the supernatural. I enjoyed reading, almost hearing, Paul Edgecombe reflect on his life as the head guard on Death Row in 1932 from his perspective as an elderly resident in Georgia Pines, a nursing home. Although I liked Paul Edgecombe, this is not really his story, it is the story of John Coffey -- like the drink but not spelled the same. John is an exceptional man, big and black with gentleness and a healing touch that on account of his compulsion to help ends up on death row.

We are not used to many authors (other than the comic book writers) providing a story in the serial format these days, but I found that Stephen King's 6 installments of The Green Mile worked perfectly because of the device of having the narrator write the story almost as journal entries. Also, the serial format was perfect for reading in segments (one before bed each night).

This novel, with its Faulkner-like feel, is for anyone who enjoys a vividly told, good story. If you liked The Shawshank Redemption, you'll also like The Green Mile.