Stephen King bibliography: 'The Green Mile' part 1

Thus, we come to another one of Stephen King's door stoppers. On the plus side, he decided to serialize this and release it in six smaller parts, though you can now buy the whole work in one collection. As such, I can review it in a similar fashion. It will make for a faster read through, allow for more in depth analysis, and it will help curb lapses in memory. So, with that, let's start walking down the green mile.

Truth be told, this work doesn't get off to a very strong start. It isn't all that eventful and a lot of the characters are just relegated to being names. John Coffey and Percy Whitmore are the only two who make any sort of lasting impression. The latter is especially impressive as he really doesn't get a whole lot of page time. However, the character is frequently discussed, so you still get a feel for the guy.

Even the narrator feels a bit flat at points. As this is told through first person flashbacks, it's a long time before we even get his name. It's Paul Edgecomb, for those curious. Eventually, a character does name drop the narrator, but only gives the first name. Had it not been for a quick check on Wikipedia, I honestly wouldn't have been able to give you his last name. If it was mentioned, it was only once at the beginning, but clearly it didn't resonate enough to stick.

The plot centers around a newly arrived inmate at a prison in 1932, the aforementioned John Coffey. While Michael Clarke Duncan was rightly praised for his performance in the film, reading this proves that he perfectly captured the character and pretty much lifted him off the page. While Coffey is charged with a truly brutal crime, his demeanor doesn't seem like it fits. Even the guards (of whom Paul is one) are caught off....guard by his disposition.

Actually, one of this section's highlights was the flashback detailing Coffey's arrest. It was one of the more gripping parts of the book. It's one of the few parts where it seems like things are progressing and you feel like there are stakes involved.

Another highlight was the appearance of Mr. Jingles: a small, intelligent mouse that finds its way into the prison. It was something of a show-stealer in the film, but the book manages to make the small critter just as cute and charming.

On top of that, the mouse's appearance allows the guards to actually show some personality. One jokingly writes down the "visit" in the prison log book, while another protests that it would get them in trouble. The prior bit was rather amusing, but you get a much better sense of the comaraderie between the guards as they react to the rodent and watch it scurry about. That scene, which takes place near the end of the section, gives you a greater glimpse into all of their characters than pretty much everything that had preceded it.

As this was largely set up, it can get a bit dry as we're given a lot of background information. Luckily, the section ends on a high enough note that I am interested to read what's to come. Hopefully, the next section will be able to take the momentum that Mr. Jingles provided and allow for more character interaction and plot progression.

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