The Two Dead Girls (Green Mile Series) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "This happened in 1932, when the state penitentiary was still at Cold Mountain..." (more)
Key Phrases: John Coffey, Percy Wetmore, Green Mile (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The first part of Stephen King's multi-part serial novel that begins on Death Row and goes on to realms of revelation that make death seem sweet.

From Library Journal

"Why not read this aloud?" suggests King in the foreword to the first part of his six-part serialized novel that will be released in monthly installments. Better yet, listen to the great Frank Muller read in his scariest voice. Ponder whether to accumulate all six episodes and circulate them together (and thereby frustrate King's intent that they be read serially) or circulate each part separately (and thereby drive your patrons bananas). It's still too early to judge the story, which is about the execution of a Depression Era murderer told from the point of view of the prison's death row superintendent as he languishes in a nursing home. It promises to be typical King, though, with an engaging narrator and a bit too much verbiage. The concluding scene, wherein colored splinters of wood are found in a mouse's hole, is clearly meant to scare the listener, but since we don't yet know the splinters' significance, it falls flat. Popular fiction collections should add a copy to their audio shelves.
John Hiett, Iowa City P.L.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Signet; First Thus edition (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451190491
• ISBN-13: 978-0451190499
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,048,280 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gave me a totally different perspective of prison inmates ., November 9, 1999

By A Customer

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.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First Part in The Green Mile Serialization, April 24, 2003

By A Customer

"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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Start Off For A Serial Thriller!, May 27, 2002

By	Miss Sophia "brightlight_00" (Georgia) - See all my reviews

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.