Customer Reviews

The Green Mile: The Two Dead Girls

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book kept me turning the pages until I finished it. Stephen King has the gift of putting himself in another's place and accurately describing it. He makes you see AND FEEL what it would be like to be John Coffey; as well as what it would be like to be Paul the superintendant. He makes you see the prisoners as real people with real feelings; not just an inmate which I believe people today tend to think of as something less than human that deserves no rights of any kind. I felt John Coffey's pain; and Paul's pain at having to do his duty. I felt the fear of the little frenchman; and genuinely felt his love for his little pet, as I have multiple pets myself. This book makes you see each prisoner as the unique human being they are and makes you ponder whether capital punishment is something that should be allowed. Do we have the right to play God? This is another message I believe Stephen King was trying to convey. Book number four was by far the most vibrant part-the bad death of Eduard Delacroix. I have read that part over and over and still get the goosebumps and chilled over such a vivid description. It scares the pants off of you. I can't putit strongly enough that we need to rethink our ideals on killing for the sake of justice; even though his crime was unforgivable, did he deserve to die in such a manner? Stephen King makes you feel for the little frenchman regardless of his henious crime. Stephen King is the most talented writer I have ever read and I hope he never stops writing. I think the man has a true God given talent for really terrific stories and movies.

"The Two Dead Girls" opens with a seven-page foreword letter to the reader about the origin of this chapbook series. Summarized: one of King's friends recommended this style of writing to him; and since he enjoyed reading such serializations growing up, King decided to have a go at it himself--and, not surprisingly, it turned out great.

In this first part, the main characters are introduced: Old Sparky, the electric chair; Paul Edgecombe, the storyteller and superintendent of the E Block at Cold Mountain Penitentiary, where this book takes place, in 1932; the much-hated guard, Percy Wetmore; the other inmate, Eduard Delacroix, and his talented pet mouse, Mr. Jingles; and, of course, John Coffey, an enormous, yet simpleminded, black man sentenced to death for the rape-murder of nine-year-old twins, Cora and Kathe Detterick.

As a chapbook thriller should, "The Two Dead Girls" ends with the reader wanting to know more. Following this one comes "The Mouse on the Mile" (#2), "Coffey's Hands" (#3), "The Bad Death of Eduard Delacroix" (#4), "Night Journey" (#5), and "Coffey on the Mile" (#6). But it's better to get the complete serial novel instead since it contains all six parts and is easier to read that way.

Stephen King is a one of the best writers in our time!

The Green Mile Part I-The Two Dead Girls starts off with the narrative Paul Edgecomb who is a prison good at Cold Mountain. In the year 1932, many events are going on. First and foremost, there is the Great Depression. Needless to say, this doesn't stop crime and criminals getting punished. Edgecomb describes the Green Mile in a way that makes you intrigued with the story that he is telling.

In the year 1932, Paul already sets you up the feel that something truly amazing and devasting and sad will happen while he is there at the Green Mile.

First, there is Percy Wetmore, a man who is mean and conceited, and thinks he is a tough guy that play with the big boys.

But then, Paul know that there is more to one of the new prisoners that has been brought in to walk the mile-John Coffey. There is something strange about John Coffey---and Paul Edgecomb is intrigue by Coffey and the gruesome murder that he committed---killing two twin girls. There is also a mouse by the name "Steamboat Willie" (later named "Mr. Jingles" by Eduard Declorix). Mr. Jingles is a very intelligent mouse, and he will also have everything to do with the events that happen on the Mile.

Paul knows that something big is about to happen on the mile. King is a wonderful writer. They way he sets off events in amazing, and he gets you thinking about the possiblities of Coffey's situation in this book.

I cannot wait to read all five.

This book was very disappointing. I tried it because I had been hearing so much about the great Stephen King and I saw the movie "It" and liked it. I guess I picked the wrong book, because it really did not read well. I found myself having a hard time understanding the whole mouse thing, that made them want to stop doing excetions. (Could someone explain that to me? Please!) I thought it was disappointing and I'll try CARRIE, but if that is just as bad, no more King for me. I'll try Dean Kootz instead.

Maybe I should wait till I finish the series before I do a review, but here it is anyway. This episode introduces us to a group of stock King characters and sets up their background. That's about it. I have to keep reminding myself that it's only the first 100 or so pages of a larger novel, because it honestly hasn't grabbed me yet. But even so, isn't the serial nature supposed to leave the reader breathless for what happens next? This doesn't. Well, on to the next installment...

I am a fan of King. Have been since I was thirteen and picked up Salem's Lot. I can feel the short hairs on the back of my neck rise just thinking about it. Unfortunatly, I was dissappointed by Dolores Claiborne and everything since. Just when I thought Mr. King lost the means to make my skin crawl he comes up with The Green Mile. King writes in this book like he's found a brand new toy. I guess everything old is new again. I did not think I would be pleased with the serial format but was I ever wrong. I couldn't put this short book down and was ready, oh so ready, to get my hands on the next installment immediately after I did. This is Stephen King at his absolute best. The protagonist and narrator is someone King makes you care for. The setting is as dark as you could possibly request of any writer of horror. And if you don't feel claustrophobic after just a few pages, you should go get a transfusion because you can't have much blood running through your veins.

Rating:A
Few can claim that Stephen Kings abitious move to release this series as a serial-novel did not succeed, as truly few books are as thrilling and as absorbing as this book, and series in general truly is. Though I originally read the series when in first came out, waiting anxiouslly for each following book; reading it again now gave me a chill as I never really realized at the age I read this just how powerful, and gripping a story this truly is (I'm 22 now). Anyway though, Stephen King certainly outdid himself with this series, and each book creates a sense of tension that has you gripped to the book until each one ends. We are taken onto the Green Mile and introduced to each character in the book, most notably Paul Edgecombe, the storyteller as well as superintendent on E-Block at Cold Mountain in 1932 as well as the despised Percy Wetmore, Eduard Delacroix one of few inmates, and the lovable Mr. Jingles, (Eduard's pet mouse) and last but ot least, John Coffey, whom this story mostly revolves around. Each page and chapter is fast paced and wonderfully told thanks to Stephen Kings impeccable skills at writing, and story-development, while the characters which are brought to life are so realistic and true to life that you feel like King knew these people firsthand. Though this book is not the pinnacle of the whole series, it succeeds as a very well thought out introduction to the guards and the inmates on E-Block, and we begin to understand Paul's and the others hatred for Percy quite well. Though the description of the two girls death is quite morbid, this can be expected from King, and I'm sure most knew what they got into when they bought this book anyway. I highly recommend you read this book, as it is one of my favorites by King, and has become a classic staple of my growing collection of his books. Enjoy, and don't forget to get the next book, otherwise you'll be in suspense, much like I was when I first read the book.

I very much enjoyed this first book of the series & have already started book 2. I'd recommend reading these book's even if you saw the movie.

Once again King writes a book that makes you think and ponder life. Wonderful metaphors and imagery. The Green Mile has my eyes wide open. My favorite character is Mr. Jingles, although that name truly gives me the creeps!I don't know how well it will translate into a movie because King's writing is so phenomenal that often the mental picture he's able to paint makes the movie pale in comparison. Is that a run-on sentence? Who cares! I absolutely LOVED this book. It's so hard to stop and take a break from reading because you feel like the characters are still going about their daily life while the book is closed. King deserves a lifetime achievement award!

I thought "The Green Mile" was brilliantly written. I did not have to skip pages. In fact, I didn't want it to end. I walked away from that book inspired yet saddened. When a book with no pictures can put such a feeling inside of you that you can create your own picture in your mind, that is genius.