I have to admit that I watched the movie before I read the book. I was very pleased after finishing the book to find that the movie did not deviate too far from the book at all.
The book doesn't match up to King's reputation of blood, guts and horror, but definitely keeps you interested as he weaves the web of deception, mystery, and a little suspense.
This is a story of 'John Coffey', who is sent to death row, which is also called 'The Green Mile' (because of the lime green carpet), for the rape and murders of twin girls. However, 'Paul Edgecombe' the security guard, doesn't believe that this huge man, who's afraid of the dark, could have committed such a terrible crime.
'Coffey' is on deathrow back in the 1930's. He has a 'gift' too, and when the guards learn of this, they use this wonderfully strange force in miraculous ways. (telling you what that 'gift' is, would ruin the book for you, so I won't!)
This book contains powerful and moving arguments against capital punishment as well as comments about racism but these are not the main story - character development, storytelling and questions about good and evil which have no easy answers are.
Here, in contrast to his other books, the otherworldly dimension involves not demons, psychological pits and dungeons or apocalyptic events but the will of God, the forces of evil, and the extent to which genuinely good people collaborate with evil and fail to recognize it. (a little hard going?, well to be honest..... not really)
The interactions between the four guards will be both familiar and funny to anyone who has ever worked for a wageslip. What workplace on the planet doesn't feature an obnoxious co-worker whose days off everyone enjoys, or a likeable co-worker with small habits which drives everyone nuts? The other characters in the story, were all quite beleivable.
The story will cause you to cry and feel what the characters feel. It's entertaining and will make you sit up until 3am with no inclination to stop untill you can reason yourself to put it down.
I highly recommend this book, it made me laugh, cry, feel angry and happy. Any fan of Stephen King will find this book as pleasantly suspenseful as any of his others, and the words will surpisingly ring quite true.
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This novel (now complete in one volume) taps into what Stephen King does best: ... more
character-driven storytelling. The setting is the small "death house" of a Southern prison in 1932. The charming narrator is an old man looking back on the events, decades l...
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