Rating: Summary: Brilliant and Utterly Magnificent Masterpiece Review: Stephen King just may be the Greatest American writer of the later half of the 20th century. The Green Mile proves my theroy to the fullest. The Green Mile is hands down King's greatest novel to come along, for the exception of the novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, which is part of a novel and not a full book. It is touching, but also in King's own way of being chilling (Delicrouix burning in the electric chair). I have seen another commenter has talked about the overpriced serial set of books. True, but if you add it up, it's the same as a hardcover. I was a little disgusted by that review. Of course it's worth the money! It's Stephen King at his best. I've noticed we've all talked about King as if we knew him, or knew someone who knew him. That's all part of what makes him such a great guy, a great husband, and a fantastic writer.
Rating: Summary: Magnificent Review: I had enjoyed some of King's earlier works, especially Misery and Pet Sematary, but I wasn't what you would call a die-hard fan. I picked up Part One of The Green Mile for two reasons -- it was cheap and I could read it in a night, which was all I was looking for. Immediately, I was hooked. I pity those who didn't read the book during the summer of '96, when it was released in serial installments. The story stayed with me during the agonizing weeks until another installment was published. It was excruciating, yet extraordinary. Not since being a kid at Christmas had I experienced such anticipation.What surprised me the most about the book wasn;t the way King could spin a good yarn. Many of his previous works had proved that. What shocked me was how mature the book was, filled with insight, and wonderment and infused with humanity. By the end, I was an emotional wreck, bursting into tears not once, but twice during the final installment. I not only consider The Green Mile to be King's best novel, but also one of the best novel's I have ever read. It's that good. Truly. And I have spent three years now trying to convince everyone that it's not a horror story, that it's not a corny publicity stunt to make a quick buck. It's as sincere and heartfelt a book as has ever come out of the usually heartless world of modern publishing. What also impressed me was that King, with tons of bestsellers and millions of dollars under his belt, is still growing as a writer. Unlike other phenomenally successful scribes (Anne Rice is the worst offender) who rehash the same plot yet add nothing new in terms of character or insight, he has deepened as he goes along. Bag of Bones and Hearts in Atlantis are the latest in the ouvre of the more mature King. He's no longer trying to scare us. He did that decades ago. Now he wants us to feel. After reading The Green Mile, I now proudly say I'm a die-hard Stephen King fan. Here's hoping he recuperates soon and keeps on writing. I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.
Rating: Summary: WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT? Review: Who would have thought that King can make you cry, as well as chill you! This isn't such a dinamic book but contains beautiful, realistic characters(except Mr. Jingles)and scenes typical for King.First four parts are interesting but fifth part grabs even harder and the end is magnificent. You can't say this is a typical King novel but no true King fan (or a good book fan) should miss it! Read and enjoy!
Rating: Summary: It's Not What You Might Expect Review: You might think of possessed animals or children with telepathic powers when you hear the name "Stephen King," but that is not the case when it comes to this series. Granted, this novel is centered around a fantasic power or force, but it is moving and ponderous in a very effective way, beyond things that are fantastic. And, it manages to relate to humans and our views on life and death in a magnificent way. I originally picked up the first two parts just on a whim, and became so engrossed in the story I was reading each installment in a day or less at a time. The Green Mile is not the type of horror fiction many are used to associating Stephen King with, but I feel this may very well be one of his best efforts. This series will affect you in ways you may not be prepared for, and will leave you ponderous (and maybe even in tears) for days after completing it.
Rating: Summary: This book is really a good read, without being "flashy"... Review: I always shied away from S.King (and anything that was a "genre" title and/or on the NYT Bestseller list), but I inadvertantly started reading this and I couldn't put it down. The book has a some psychology going on and the characters are well constructed. I was pleased to see that the "supernatural" element involved wasn't some kind of Made For Hollywood effect, rather it was sort of touching (and perhaps metaphorical, but that's another subject altogether. Anyhoo, I don't usually recommend mainstream novels, but this collection (I can't imagine paying for all the little paperbacks) is really worth the 7 bucks.
Rating: Summary: Page turner Review: If you rate the entertainment capacity of a novel by how infrequently it makes you voluntarily set itself down, then the Green Mile is surely one of the best reads. What makes the story stick to you like glue is that fact that there are the interesting conflicts that you crave to see to the end: What happens to John Coffey? Will Percy get what is coming to him? Will Bob Dolan ruin Paul's little hide-away shack? And let us not forget Old Sparky--how does it feel to die like DelacroiX?
Rating: Summary: A beautiful story about pain and suffering Review: This is a beautiful story and one of King's best by far. It was interesting for it to be in parts, but it's just as good in the complete form. It is very very sad, and when it's over you will just sit there thinking about how much power what you just read had. Tha characters are quite real (we understand how the guards feel, we understand Paul's emotion when he discovers John's powers, and, of course, we fear Wild Bill) It is a very well written story with parts that are scary, suspenseful, and sad. In short, buy it. It is a true modern classic.
Rating: Summary: This is definitely Stephen King's best book!! Review: I've read this book 3 or 4 times and I cry at the end every time. It's such a great character study and such a heartwrenching story. I've read just about everything from Stephen King and with the exception of The Dark Tower series, it' my favorite. I've always thought Stephen King had an uncanny ability to see his characters and make them really believable and this is proof of that talent. However, I really don't care for the choice of Tom Hanks in the lead. I just can't see it. I was thinking someone more mature like Ed Harris. He would be great as "Boss Edgecomb".
Rating: Summary: Intellectual Horror: Man's Inhumanity to Man Review: Stephen King's "The Green Mile" offers up a horror of a different kind...that of our own making when we abuse the gift of free will and choose darkness instead of light. No supernatural, nameless, unspeakable "things of the night" here; just Mr. King's personal treatise on the evils of capital punishment. I like this new, more spiritually mature, thought-provoking Mr. King, and very much look forward to seeing what work pours out of his soul during his long rehabilitation ahead. I have a feeling he will offer up something for the greater common good, just as "The Green Mile" did. Be there...I plan to be!
Rating: Summary: Not great Review: It's funny that another reader made the comment that with this book King was not interesting in selling books but making history, but the Green Mile was divided into skimpy, overpriced parts! Not worth the cash.
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