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The Green Mile

(The Green Mile #1-6)

Stephen King (Goodreads Author),

Joachim Honnef (Translator)

4.45 · Rating details · 255,010 ratings · 8,091 reviews

Während der Weltwirtschaftskrise leitet Paul Edgecomb im Cold-Mountain-Gefängnis den Zellenblock, in dem die zum Tode Verurteilten auf ihre Hinrichtung warten. In diese düstere und trostlose Welt kommt der Hüne John Coffey, der ganz langsam seine spezielle Begabung enthüllt. Diese Begabung wird die Männer, die in den Todeszellen arbeiten und sterben – sie werden durch den ...more

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Paperback, 575 pages

Published March 2011 by Heyne (first published May 5th 1997)

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Jun 12, 2016 Justin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

So I cheated on my local library last week. I don't think she knows yet, and I feel kind of bad about it. I discovered a smaller library that was actually much closer to my house. She definitely caught my attention, but I never went because it just seemed like the selection was going to be much smaller, and my current library and I have a great thing going right now.

But now I'm involved with two libraries and, boy, is my life going great!

I found this book at the new library where I couldn't fi ...more

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Apr 12, 2020 Muhtasin Oyshik rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 501-600-pp, classics, horror-fiction, 5-star, read-in-2020

The Green Mile by Stephen King
description

Shocking, poignant,thought-provoking. A great story that will transport you into the story and make you feel the characters' pain and agony. Well-written, wonderful characters, compassionate storyline. Stephen King is at his peak here. I don't think there are any novelists who can better his ability to capture a scene, a moment, or a feeling like he did in this book.

He killed them with their love.

Beautifully sad. ...more

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Apr 20, 2017 AMEERA rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Deserve more than 5 stars

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Dec 10, 2013 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, mystery, united-states, fantasy, drama, literature, 20th-century

The Green Mile, Stephen King

The Green Mile is a 1996 serial novel by American writer Stephen King.

It tells the story of death row supervisor Paul Edgecombe's encounter with John Coffey, an unusual inmate who displays inexplicable healing and empathetic abilities. The serial novel was originally released in six volumes before being republished as a single-volume work. The book is an example of magical realism.

Characters: John Coffey, Paul Edgecombe, Percy Wetmore, Brutus "Brutal" Howell, America ...more

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Apr 04, 2017 Henry Avila rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The Green Mile ...a nickname acquired because of the color on the floor in the Cold Mountain Penitentiary's ( somewhere in the American South), E Block , death row under a different alias, during the gloomy year of 1932, the inmates taking the long, long walk their last, to see Old Sparky, the electric chair that will end the lives of these miserable convicted killers ...Nevertheless , the unique green surface is the last thing the nervous residents are thinking about , in their humble cells, pe The Green Mile ...a nickname acquired because of the color on the floor in the Cold Mountain Penitentiary's ( somewhere in the American South), E Block , death row under a different alias, during the gloomy year of 1932, the inmates taking the long, long walk their last, to see Old Sparky, the electric chair that will end the lives of these miserable convicted killers ...Nevertheless , the unique green surface is the last thing the nervous residents are thinking about , in their humble cells, peering through the bars... besides it isn't a distant mile, much shorter they will find out... soon. When the recently convicted murderer of two nine- year- old twin girls, the Detterick's, John Coffey, a giant black man, strong as an ox, enters his final home, sadistic prison guard Percy Wetmore, the governor's wife's, nephew, he brags about the political connection constantly, enthusiastically shouts "Dead man walking ", the vicious young officer got that idea, reading it in a cheap magazine. Paul Edgecombe, the official in charge of the block, starts to believe he's innocent...a hopeless situation, Coffey's face is always covered with tears, he is afraid of the dark asking if the lights are kept on at night, the simple minded assassin can't read or write has trouble remembering, a gentle person that has unknown powers though..He cures Paul's very painful urinary tract infection, the very grateful guard tries to find out more information , about the stranger's case ...Mr. Jingles is not an official inmate in E Block, an unregistered guest you might say, a stowaway they would call him if this was a ship, in fact a mouse, quite intelligent for sure , but some others think , is something else entirely . The pet of soon to be extinct inmate M. Eduard Delacroix a Cajun from Louisiana, yet Mr. JINGLES , is obviously smarter then the doom Frenchman. All the guards love this brave little critter, feeding and even getting him a cigar box to sleep in, except you guessed it Percy , an enemy he got, by escaping his deadly clutches hiding in another room. John Coffey saves the mouse's life, the other men hate the creep Percy but cannot get rid of ....tensions increase as a murderer is put to death by Old Sparky ... an ugly, disgusting sight, the mistakes ( or are they) are caused by Mr.Wetmore, not realizing the consequences of his vengeance, he loathe the convict ...watched by witnesses who faint and get sick, puking their dinners. The officers involved in the execution including Paul , despises the job, but during the Great Depression, with long bread lines , they need to feed their families and themselves, many people would be eager to do it. Warden Hal Moores, (a good friend of Mr. Edgecombe)... wife , Melinda , is very ill she will die shortly if nothing is done now..Paul has an audacious , risky notion, maybe the healer Coffey can save this wonderful, kind woman , it can get him and his pals, the other correctional officers into a big mess...even jail time here in Cold Mountain, ironically. ..A superb story by Stephen King, always entertaining, you will learn also, and even feel the pain of the interesting characters...As good as the glorious film version. ...more

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May 11, 2020 ~Bookishly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, i-believe-in-magic, inspirational, i-love-love-love

I can now clarify, not only with myself, but with every other King fan, that this particular book gave me rather noticeable palpitations and for a moment or two, it made me feel quite faint. Now, I've seen 'The Green Mile' Tom Hanks film adaptation, and although that was also amazing, and it makes for edge-of-the-seat viewing at times, when all is said and done, it has nothing on this book.

This book is up there with my list I like to call "King mind-fucks" and in that group are books like The Sh I can now clarify, not only with myself, but with every other King fan, that this particular book gave me rather noticeable palpitations and for a moment or two, it made me feel quite faint. Now, I've seen 'The Green Mile' Tom Hanks film adaptation, and although that was also amazing, and it makes for edge-of-the-seat viewing at times, when all is said and done, it has nothing on this book.

This book is up there with my list I like to call "King mind-fucks" and in that group are books like The Shining and Pet Sematary and right there, just on the outside looking in, is Cujo, who didn't quite make that group, but still, it's a book I consider a 'classic King'

There are elements of horror within these pages, but it is done in a subtle way, and I think King gets more of a result with subtle, and not with in your face blood and gore. It just works better, especially for me, and it admittedly makes my toes curl.

The story is lead by Paul Edgecombe, who is a guard in charge of 'The Green Mile' which is a block that houses purely death row inmates. While Paul was there, his block housed some wild and mostly unforgettable characters, one being John Coffey, a larger than life man, who was afraid of the dark, and had been accused of a absolutely horrific crime. John Coffey changes the lives of the inmates, and the guards who work on the mile, and we feel human compassion and emotion at it's finest.

The characters are finely drawn with such care, and I felt as if I knew some of those personally. I completely loathed the little dick Percy Whetmore, and I haven't hated a character as much as I did Percy Whetmore at poor Del's execution. It made for horrendously uncomfortable reading, and that was mainly due to Percy Whetmore. He is a despicable excuse for a human being, that literally thrived on watching other people suffer.

I admire the way King writes about how Paul Edgecombe and his men attempt to give the men on death row respect, and dignity until the day when they have to sit on the 'Old Sparky'. I think King captures these tender but also powerful moments with ease, and with a skilful level that is pretty rare to me.

I finished this book this morning, and I still don't feel quite over it yet. I can report that my heart is somewhat calmer, but I very much doubt that I'll be able to forget this book for the years ahead of me. But, let's be honest here, why the fuck would I want to? ...more

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Jun 04, 2020 Dem rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, historical-fiction, recommended

Some books are worth waiting years for to read and I have certainly waited a very long time to read this one.

I have to confess I am not a Stephan King fan as Horror or science fiction just doesnt work for me but having watched the Green Mile Movie some years ago I have always wanted to read the book and when I happened to find a copy among a pile of books lately I just knew there was no time like the present.

My only problem with reading a book after watching such an iconic movie is that I am Some books are worth waiting years for to read and I have certainly waited a very long time to read this one.

I have to confess I am not a Stephan King fan as Horror or science fiction just doesnt work for me but having watched the Green Mile Movie some years ago I have always wanted to read the book and when I happened to find a copy among a pile of books lately I just knew there was no time like the present.

My only problem with reading a book after watching such an iconic movie is that I am unable to imagine the characters for myself, but setting that aside.......What a phenomenal read this was Now I am actually jealous of readers who haven't read the book yet because this one is such a beautiful, compelling and brilliant story, I was blown away by the read.

The Green Mile is a unique tale of Paul Edgcombe, a prision guard in charge of death town in Cold Mountain Penitentiary. Convicted Killers all await their turn to walk the Green Mile and their date with the Electric Chair. When John Coffey is condemned for a terrifying and horrendous crime, Paul Edgecombe is confronted with the terrible wondrous truth that will change his life forever.

I went though all sorts of emotions when reading this story. The writing is vivid and the story believable and you feel and experience everything this tale has to offer. There were actually times I felt the humid heat so well described in the book. The characters are so realistic and believable, and the plot twists and turns kept me turning the pages. A little sprinkle (just a little) of magical happenings make this novel the perfect story that I will remember a long time from now. John Coffey’s character made me well up on so many occasions and yet there is a lovely sense of hope in the novel that keeps the book from becoming depressing.

I only have a tiny paperback copy of this book which I really have to replace with a hard copy for my real life bookshelf.

If you have this on your TBR Shelf ...........Do yourself a favor this summer and bump it right up to the top of the pile as this is a book you won’t regret reading and only after you have finished then watch the movie. ...more

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Sep 28, 2020 Maureen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

*4.5 stars *

Loved the movie, loved the book!

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Nov 01, 2016 Fabian {Councillor} rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone - yes, everyone.

Shelves: literary-fiction, read-2016, all-time-favorites, reviewed, to-read-2016-priority, that-ending-killed-me, own-paperback, buddy-read, all-the-books-i-own, to-read-again-one-day

Rarely does it happen to me that I read a book which actually causes me to tear up to some extent and which I can't stop thinking about even months after turning the last page. You ~~might~~ should have heard about the movie adaption starring Tom Hanks and the late Michael Clarke Duncan (may he rest in peace), and if you haven't considered watching it yet, then please don't hesitate to do so for even one moment. The Green Mile is easily one of my favorite movies of all time, and to be completely hon ...more

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Jan 29, 2018 Lyn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

One of King’s best, up there with The Shining and The Stand.

King is able to terrify because he is adept at drawing us into a scene, luring the reader in with deft characterization and attention to detail that creates empathy and understanding.

In Francis Ford Coppola’s brilliant The Godfather part II, in the scene where a young Vito Corleone (played by Robert De Niro) shoots Fanucci, he wrapped his pistol in a towel and the cloth catches fire after the shots. That detail has stayed in my mind in One of King’s best, up there with The Shining and The Stand.

King is able to terrify because he is adept at drawing us into a scene, luring the reader in with deft characterization and attention to detail that creates empathy and understanding.

In Francis Ford Coppola’s brilliant The Godfather part II, in the scene where a young Vito Corleone (played by Robert De Niro) shoots Fanucci, he wrapped his pistol in a towel and the cloth catches fire after the shots. That detail has stayed in my mind in greater clarity than the actual murder. Coppola drew us in to that grisly sight with detail that we can feel, a towel can get scorched and catch fire, and we become a part of what’s going on.

Likewise, in Steven Spielberg’s 1975 film Jaws, when Roy Scheider’s character is shoveling chum into the water, the shark surfaces right in front of Scheider. The audience laughs at the irreverent profanity, but then is immediately shocked at the monster’s appearance. Spielberg’s direction played us like a fiddle, drawing us in with humor and then, when we are open and vulnerable, scaring us with the surprise.

King provides that kind of detail and can also play with our emotions. He understands and makes use of the technique of adding unusual but memorable detail and also mixes shades of humor in with the darker hues of terror to make the portrait more tangible.

The Green Mile is also a minimalist statement about institutional life in America reminiscent of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Set in the south during the great depression, King does not let us forget that these men endured this job because it was employment, one they were happy and lucky to have. But more than this, King’s description of prison life, like Kesey’s portrayal of mental hospitals and treatment, carries with it a sense of desperate inevitability, the harsh realities of this life come down the line like a freight train coming down a track, unavoidable and unstoppable. There is a detail from the book that I don’t think was included in the 1999 film, that was hard to take, injustice always is, but King’s depiction of this was more complicated than what could have been in the movie and so all the more heart wrenching.

A story about executioners, in this case a shift of prison guards working on death row and whose job it is to both care for the condemned inmates and then to actually carry out the sentence, is a setting custom made for King’s great talent. We are walked through the rehearsals for the executions (by electric chair) and then seen the performance of that instrument. We get to know the men who have this unenviable task and to also spend time with the men who await death in a prose similar in its sympathetic representation to Capote’s In Cold Blood.

John Coffey (played so well by Michael Clarke Duncan in the Frank Darabont film) was as tragic a figure as ever appeared in our literature and while a cursory comparison could be made to Lenny in Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, King’s inclusion of fantasy and supernatural elements adds an almost theological tone to the narrative. Clearly this is no coincidence as King describes several men as devout and Biblical references and symbolism are ubiquitous.

Highly, highly recommended.

description

...more

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Jan 25, 2020 Baba rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, constant-readers

A wondrous book on so many levels. Two very young white girls are brutally raped and murdered - the missing girls' search party come across a distraught and crying, huge black man holding their corpses(!) - his name is John Coffey. This is the story of what really happened during his incarceration, trial and sentencing as told by his warden, many decades later.

A Stephen King masterclass with a tremendous use of pacing, tone and historical setting. A semi reliable and definitely biased narrator t ...more

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Dec 23, 2007 Ellen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: anyone especially people who arnt into horror and have avoided steven king like the plague

I have just finished this book and wow what a read. I'm not at all into horror, either in books or in films, and even though my boyfriend has for years tried to get me to read Steven King I've avoided him like the plague. I did know that he wrote other types of books, namely through the re-makes of these books into Hollywood films, i.e. 'The Shawshank Redemption', 'Stand By Me' and of course 'The Green Mile' but still I was weary of approaching him.

It was only after my boyfriend read this and na ...more

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May 28, 2020 Peter rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: horror

This is one of the best serial novels I've ever read. Originally in 6 single issues I can highly recommend buying them as single volume. You won't miss any issue. Paul Edgecombe tells his heart warming story about Could Mountain Penitentiary and reveals everything about John Coffey, Mr Jingles and the characters involved. A very philosophical and moving novel. Absolutely recommended! ...more

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Aug 24, 2011 Aoibhínn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: physical-books, 2012, favorites, horror, reviewed, historical

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 11, 2020 Zoeytron rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The year is 1932, the place is death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. Who are the monsters here? A gentle giant name of John Coffey, sentenced to death for an unspeakable crime, is a strong possibility. But let's look at the prison guards on duty there. The one called Brutal, that can't be happenstance, can it? What about Percy, high on holding a position with a little power? With his girly hands, hand tooled leather baton holster, and his mean stupid bullying ways, I wouldn't count him ...more

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Jan 06, 2019 ALet rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2019

★★★★/5
Very interesting and thought provoking book. It's certainly a story that really consumes you and then you start reading it you can put it down. In my opinion, it had a few issues, but overall great writing and story itself deserve readers' attention. ...more

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Nov 30, 2018 RedemptionDenied added it · review of another edition

The Kindle edition is currently on offer: 0.99p in the UK and $0.99 in the States.This is another book, I read eons' ago, and is up there with my favourite King' novels (The Shining, The Stand, Firestarter, Misery, Cujo, Pet Sematary, Salems Lot, etc). If Goodreads, existed at that juncture; when I first read it, I would've accoladed it five-stars. I've still got the softback copy of the book, which is in pristine condition, so not sure whether to buy the Kindle one - or not. I'm looking forward ...more

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Dec 04, 2016 Annemarie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favs, read-in-german, favorites

This was undoubtedly one of the best books I have ever read and I enjoyed it even more than I expected (and I had set the bar super high!). This was also the most horrible book I have ever read - but in the best possible way!

Not a single sentence was unneccessary; I enjoyed every scene and interaction.
The main character was wonderfully developed - he really seemed like a real person and at times it was hard for me to forget that he's just fictional. It was easy to forget that all of this was jus This was undoubtedly one of the best books I have ever read and I enjoyed it even more than I expected (and I had set the bar super high!). This was also the most horrible book I have ever read - but in the best possible way!

Not a single sentence was unneccessary; I enjoyed every scene and interaction.
The main character was wonderfully developed - he really seemed like a real person and at times it was hard for me to forget that he's just fictional. It was easy to forget that all of this was just made up (and yes, even the fantastical aspects were written and presented in a way that made them seem realistic and believable!).
Some might say that John Coffey's character development falls a bit on the short side as you do not find out too much about him and his life. But I thought this was perfect for him and for the role he plays in the story.

I found myself wanting to keep reading constantly. I wanted to find out so badly what would happen next, I forgot everything around me! But at the same time, I wanted to set the book aside and never pick it up again, because I just didn't want the story to end.
I also want to mention that I have never seen the movie before (something I will now do as soon as possible!), so I absolutely had no idea what would happen. I'm really glad about this, because the events that unfolded in part 6 completely surprised me. Looking back to it, I have to say that the suspense and the buildup to it was done in a perfectly subtle way - something I would love to see more in other books! I often (correctly) guess what will happen in the end, but this time nothing prepared me and I was completely clueless throughout.

Overall, this was a wonderful reading experience and I already know that this story is going to stay with me for the rest of my life (and will be reread many, many times). I wish I could describe my feelings about the topics of this book better, but there a simply too many feelings I have. I tried telling my mum about my thoughts, but I just couldn't find the right words - nothing seemed to do this fantastic book justice.
...more

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Dec 23, 2018 Amora rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, gems

An unforgettable and emotional novel. John Coffey has to be the sweetest character King has ever written along with Paul Edgecomb. The ending left me feeling emotionally numb because of the injustice that occurred. The movie adaptation of the novel series is just as good if not better. Personally, I rank this novel in the same level as IT and The Stand.

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May 19, 2015 Em Lost In Books rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Em Lost In Books by: Srividya

Shelves: stand-alone-read, recommendations, 1990-99, 4-star, 2015

I have always wanted to read a Stephen King but since am not into horror genre, I maintained a secure distance between me and books by one of the most famous authors. So when my friend recommended it to me I decided to finally read Mr. King and am glad that I read this.

Story revolved around the inmates of Cold Mountain Prison who are there for murdering someone waiting for their death on Old Sparky, an Electric chair. Story is told by prison's warden Paul Edgecombe. Life was pretty much simple f ...more

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Mar 10, 2009 Preeti rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

[Reviewed in 2003.:]

Have you ever read a book and been so affected by it that it moved you to tears? I just finished reading The Green Mile by Stephen King and I sat there tearing every few pages or so. It's incredible - the emotion, the feelings... Just the starkness of what's presented. It's a prison story, but moves beyond that, touching on naked human sensibilities, on basic human emotions. Ugh. I am really bad at reviews.

What I can talk about, however, is the emotions that the books caused [Reviewed in 2003.:]

Have you ever read a book and been so affected by it that it moved you to tears? I just finished reading The Green Mile by Stephen King and I sat there tearing every few pages or so. It's incredible - the emotion, the feelings... Just the starkness of what's presented. It's a prison story, but moves beyond that, touching on naked human sensibilities, on basic human emotions. Ugh. I am really bad at reviews.

What I can talk about, however, is the emotions that the books caused to arise in me.

Do you believe that people can be evil? Hmm, let me be more specific. Do you believe that a person can be bad, or evil, or however you want to put it, without having any good in them? After reading this book, I would say yesh, there are people who don't have an ounce of good in them.

I know, I know - the book is fiction, but that doesn't mean that it can't describe what can actually exist in real life (most of this particular book, anyway). One of the characters in the book was completely... I don't know if I can use the word evil in this context (evil implies demons, maybe even the opposite of god, things like that in my mind), but I guess bad, vicious, diabolic, wicked, cruel would seem like the appropriate description.

Even when people gave him a break, after seeing the cruelty and callousness, it made no difference, he continued the same backbiting, sadistic ways of the past. And it didn't matter how many times he was "forgiven" or let off (for the unbelievably montrous deeds he committed), it was the same. One particular part that hit me hard was this (no spoilers ahead, in case you're planning to read - which I highly recommend you do!):

"Then I understood why he had panicked, why he'd fought us so hard. He thought we were going to put him in with Wild Bill Wharton; that his punishment for the dry sponge was to be a dry cornholing from the resident psychopath. Instead of feeling sympathy for Percy at this realization, I felt disgusted and a hardening of my resolve. He was, after all, judging us by the way he would have behaved, had our positions been reversed."

A person like this can't help but think others will do the same to him as he would to others. I guess that holds true to a certain degree for everyone too. I mean, how often do you think "outside the box"? How often do you think of why a person does or says something without your own perspective having influence over the thoughts? It takes a lot of conscious effort to do that, unless you're enlightened beyond that point.

But anywho, amazing book. I devoured it in two days - I couldn't put it down. In fact, I've been losing sleep the past two nights to the book. You really should check it out. ...more

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Jun 25, 2020 Serena rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-reads, favourites

I don’t even know where to start with this review. I love the magical realism in this story, it was so captivating. It was a slow burner at first but it allowed you to be fully immersed in the characters. There was a lot of focus on the mouse for the first 100 pages. Stephen King explores so many aspects of the characters in this book through analysing how they treated this small, helpless mouse.

I saw the film years ago and absolutely fell in love with it. Hence why this book has been on my TBR ...more

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Jun 23, 2013 Carol rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015-super-favorites, stephen-king, read-2015, saw-the-movie, favorites

When I decided to read The Green Mile, I was absolutely, positively 100% sure it would never measure up to the movie, and was I ever wrong.

All of the characters (including Mr. Jingles) are so well drawn that you feel like you are experiencing their lives and feelings right along with them in Cold Mountain State Penitentiary-1932.

If I could rate this magical, unforgettable (rip your heart out) story more than 5 Stars, I would not hesitate to do so. What else can I say except......."Time takes it

...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Edward Lorn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Edward by: Lucky's

I first read The Green Mile in serial form, purchased an episode a month from the Lucky's grocery store in Fontana, California. Now, for a little history lesson.

I was born and raised in Southern California. I lived in the same house for 13 years, until my parents went bankrupt and moved to (oddly enough) a much more expensive neighborhood in Colton. Basically I went from the ghetto to Upper-middle class in a single move, and only because my parents went into default on... well, on everything. By ...more

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Sep 17, 2017 Sarah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, fiction, favorites, horror

What a terrific read. Stephen King has done it again. Five wonderful stars. I'm glad that I don't remember hardly any of the movie, because it makes the book so fresh. All I remember is that it had a mouse and huge black prisoner. This book is so much more. It brought all kinds of emotions in me. A very thought provoking novel

The story is set in the 1930's at the Cold Mountain Penitentiary. The Green Mile refers to the tiles on the floor in the death row area. It's where every prisoners had to w ...more

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Jul 24, 2020 greta ⛈️ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

just finished reading 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕲𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝕸𝖎𝖑𝖊 by stephen king. this is my first book ever by him and I really couldn't have picked a better choice. the amount of emotions I felt while reading this 😭😭 this story was so emotional, funny, unfair and cute and so many other things... there were times I actually tried to force myself not to cry lmao. I fell in love with Mr. Jingles, his cute tricks, even though I'm well terrified of mice 😂 as for Paul, if I was him, I would've quit the job because of John Coff ...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Olivier Delaye rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

In my humble opinion this is one of Stephen King’s finest pieces of work, along with the Dark Tower books, The Stand and The Shining. The writing is beautiful, the characterization masterful, the story itself downright compelling and the ending absolute perfection. A masterpiece from start to finish!

OLIVIER DELAYE
Author of the SEBASTEN OF ATLANTIS series

The Forgotten Goddess (Sebasten of Atlantis, #1) by Olivier Delaye

...more

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Nov 15, 2020 Ken rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Green Mile was the first King story that I'd attempted to tackle as I wanted to start reading more 'grownup' books, the unique publication history of the serialized nature being a throwback to Dickens era was a tempting way for 13 year old me to try and read something more mature in short bursts.

Each month whilst still buying the latest Goosebumps (more out of loyalty at this point), I'd take a trip to the Cold Mountain Penitentiary and the events surrounding the condemned killers on death r ...more

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Aug 04, 2020 EatSleepReadReview rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: standalones, owned, favorites, augrc2020

5 Stars

The most thought provoking book I have ever read. Wow this book really is amazing and I wish I had read this a long time ago! I have watched the film and I thought the book wouldn’t match up to it but man I was so wrong.

This is one of the best books I have ever read it is a bit of a slow burner but it captures you straight away and this book is so hard to put down. Even though I knew exactly what was going to happen I just couldn’t stop reading!

Coffey is such a brilliant character and ...more

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Sep 11, 2013 Andrew Smith rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I've Just revisited this book and I'm still at 4 stars with it, for the same reasons I stated in my original review. It was never going to jump to five, but I'd been deliberating whether to shuffle it back to a three.

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This Depression era tale of life on death row, somewhere in the Deep South, started slowly and it took me quite a long time to grow familiar with the characters on the Green Mile, as it was known. It’s a long book, so that’s not so much of an issue ( I've Just revisited this book and I'm still at 4 stars with it, for the same reasons I stated in my original review. It was never going to jump to five, but I'd been deliberating whether to shuffle it back to a three.

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This Depression era tale of life on death row, somewhere in the Deep South, started slowly and it took me quite a long time to grow familiar with the characters on the Green Mile, as it was known. It’s a long book, so that’s not so much of an issue (unless I’d given up on it, of course), and once I was comfortable with the cast I was quickly sucked in to the atmosphere of it all. It’s a good story, a very good story. And it’s well told. But I have some misgivings.

What I Liked:

At this point I'd read only a few of King’s books (11/22/63, Joyland and Mr Mercedes) but enough to know that ensnaring the reader by drawing believable, empathetic characters is a cornerstone of his longevity as a successful writer. This was certainly in evidence here as I was introduced to, and grew to love, Paul Edgecombe (who narrated the story first person, for the most part) and his colleagues on the Green Mile. Throw in a mixed bag of interesting inmates awaiting their fate and the interactions reached the extremes of tear inducing pathos all the way to hilarious belly laughing humour - the latter particularly emanating from my favourite character, William "Wild Bill" Wharton. But, above all, the dialogue always felt right, it fitted the mood of the place and the time and clearly delineated each character.

What I didn’t…

I may be alone in this but I found the introduction of Mr Jingles, the performing mouse, to be a distraction – one that added nothing to the story. In fact I’d go further: to me the least attractive element of the book was the use of ‘magical realism’ and Mr J was the element that most jarred, was the least believable. If the mouse’s role had been imperative to the story I’d have lived with it but I truly believe it to have been a superfluous inclusion. I know it would have been hard to tell this tale without asking the reader to suspend disbelief for its duration, but I’d have preferred for this element to have been minimised. As I say, this is just a personal view.

An interesting aside is the parallels of the story to Of Mice and Men. Both depict big, innocent men who are completely lacking in guile. In each, this character meets his end at the hand of a companion who shows love for them. If the reader was in any doubt about the author’s intended linkage then the inclusion of the mouse allows King to introduce a phrase to the text that is a close approximation of the title of the Steinbeck book.

Overall, it’s an enjoyable read and one that would and did draw me back to more of the author’s work – though I continue avoid the horror books. ...more

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About Stephen King

Stephen King

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Stephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, M Stephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.

Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.

He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.

Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.

In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels. ...more