Siempre había escuchado cosas positivas en torno a esta historia.

Pero por alguna razón, siempre le había escapado. Quizá porque suelo ser muy sensible con ciertos tópicos. Y por lo poco que había escuchado del libro, sabía que iba a sufrir como condenada pun intended. Y así fue. Me lloré la vida, principalmente luego de la mitad del libro.

Pero no me arrepiento de haberlo leído. Por el contrario, se ha convertido en uno de mis libros favoritos en la vida, y no solo del autor.

Es una bella historia que remueve mil emociones. Te mantiene enganchado hasta el último momento y toca tus fibras más sensibles. Es un hermoso libro, recomendadísimo. Haré una reseña más extensa en mi canal.

Esta obra me ha impactado profundamente, y creo que merece ser leída por muchas personas. La historia es tan poderosa que te hace sentir una amplia gama de emociones, desde la alegría hasta la tristeza.

Además, el autor ha sabido contarla de una manera magistral, creando personajes memorables y una trama que te atrapa desde el principio. Sin duda, este libro es un verdadero tesoro literario.

I’ve seen countless jailhouse movies throughout the years. In those movies, just as they’re about to execute some poor, innocent soul, the official phone miraculously rings. However, during all my years on E Block, our phone never rang, not even once. In the movies, salvation seems so cheap, and so does innocence. You pay a quarter, and that’s all you get. But in real life, it costs much more, and most of the answers are completely different.

“Green Mile” might just be the best novel Stephen King has ever penned.

It all started as a dare from his publisher to show that it’s possible to write popular fiction in serial installments, a method that made Charles Dickens world famous a century ago. But due to the subject it tackled, the novel ended up even more Dickensian than its form suggested.

What truly made Dickens famous wasn’t just the popularity and ease of access that magazine publishing provided. It was his talent as a storyteller and his deep engagement with the pressing social issues of his society. That Stephen King is a master at weaving fictional tales was never in question, even before “Green Mile” was written. However, I did have some reservations about his choice of subjects, which were mostly horror-oriented, and his tendency to write long-winded, rambling prose. Well, Dickens used to be paid by the word, and yet he still managed to fill his novels with memorable characters and passionate outbursts against injustice. So, I guess “Green Mile” also deserves some leniency for being long-winded.

This is the real circus right here, and we’re all just a bunch of trained mice.

Given the popularity of the novel and its movie version, I don’t think there’s a need for a detailed synopsis of the story. Basically, it consists of six or seven novellas about life and death on E Block. This is the part of a rural prison reserved for those criminals awaiting execution by the electric chair in 1932, against the backdrop of the Great Depression. There are guards who try to do the right thing and perform their jobs honorably, and then there are bullies who delight in cruelty (He had the heart of a cruel boy who goes to the zoo not to study the animals but to throw stones at them in their cages.) and racists who judge a person by the color of their skin rather than their actions. There is strife, poverty, illness, but also moments of grace and kindness.

To hold it all together, there is a mouse that performs tricks for the guards and the prisoners. At several points in the story, King likes to emphasize that this mouse is the most important character of all. It’s a not-too-subtle but highly effective metaphor for a brutal system designed for blind retaliation rather than redemption. The graphic descriptions of the horrible process of frying a person’s body with high voltage electricity should be enough to make anyone still on the fence about the usefulness and advisability of the death penalty and the various methods chosen for its implementation think twice.

I do have some personal doubts that prevented me from giving the novel a full endorsement. One is the fact that my involvement with the story went from 100% in the first half to a more lukewarm “let’s get this over with” by the end. Part of the problem is Stephen King’s well-known penchant for going on and on with minute details and internal musings. While these details may flesh out the characters and the setting, they often bloat the story and reduce the impact of the core message. But even more annoying was the inclusion of the supernatural in a story that would probably have remained just as memorable without it.

This is my second novel in the last few months, set during the Depression years, to include a major religious element in the plot (“This Tender Land” by William Kent Krueger is the other). The rise of Pentecostal miracle workers and faith-induced salvation is a historical fact for that period. However, I find it very difficult to personally accept the argument that such miracles actually occurred and were not the work of confidence tricksters preying on the vulnerable. I prefer to believe in our ordinary human ability to act decently towards each other, to do the right thing without the need for punishment in hell or reward in the afterlife, without healing hands instead of doctors or mice, even metaphorical ones, living longer than most humans.

Because I don’t want to end my review on a negative note, and because I truly believe that Stephen King is one of the best writers of his generation, I leave you with this quote to remember the book by:

Time takes it all, whether you want it or not. Time takes it all, time bears it away, and in the end, there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in that darkness, and sometimes we lose them there again. That’s all I know, except that this happened in 1932, when the state penitentiary was still at Cold Mountain.
And the electric chair, of course.

In Stephen King's novels, there exists a clear divide between good and evil. Nevertheless, King has truly excelled with this particular novel. The character of John Caffey, a dark and forthright giant who feels and absorbs all the world's misery, is simply unforgettable. From the very beginning to the end, he is portrayed with absolute perfection.

However, this character alone would not have sufficed to make this an outstanding novel. Everything that is constructed around him is exquisitely accurate. Each component serves to highlight the others. There is the context of the depression in the thirties, the nameless brutality of the electric chair, the claustrophobic situation in block E of the prison, which is so desperate that one can envision blocks A, B, C, and D as pleasant vacation spots. There is the humanity of the good guards and the repugnant cowardice of the perverse guard.

But above all, and this is another brilliant discovery in this novel, there is Mister Jingles, the intelligent mouse who, along with John Caffey, re-creates the legendary couple from Of Mice and Men.

Could you take me to Mouse City?

Stephen King is a literary giant, and his work hardly requires my review. However, being Obsessive Compulsive, I have made a resolution to review everything I finish in 2020.

I was completely captivated by John Coffey, who would say "like the drink." This is just one example of King's remarkable strength - his talent for creating unforgettable characters.

"The Green Mile" is not only one of King's finest works but also one of the best books I have ever read, and I have read a great many.

If you are easily moved to tears, it would be wise to have tissues on hand. This book touched me on an emotional level that I had not expected. It took me on a journey that was both heart-wrenching and inspiring.

King's writing is masterful, and he weaves a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is a must-read for any lover of literature.

The Kindle edition of this particular book is currently on an amazing offer. It's only 0.99p in the UK and $0.99 in the States. This is yet another book that I read ages ago. It truly ranks among my all-time favorite King novels such as The Shining, The Stand, Firestarter, Misery, Cujo, Pet Sematary, Salem's Lot, and many others.

If Goodreads had existed back then when I first read this book, I would have definitely given it a five-star rating without hesitation. I still possess the softback copy of the book, and it's in absolutely pristine condition. So now, I'm a bit unsure whether I should buy the Kindle version or not. However, I'm really looking forward to doing a reread of this book someday.

Interestingly, "The Girl with all the Gifts" is currently priced the same as this one in their respective territories. I ended up buying that one. I'm curious to see how it compares to this King classic that I hold so dear.

If you haven't read it yet,

then read it and don't delay.

After that, watch the movie starring Tom Hanks,

a piece of art.

This short text seems to be an invitation or a recommendation. It emphasizes the importance of reading something first and then enjoying a movie. Tom Hanks is a well-known and highly regarded actor, so the movie he stars in is likely to be of great quality. It could be a film that is based on the reading material or perhaps just a great piece of cinema in its own right. Watching a movie can be a wonderful way to relax and be entertained, and this text encourages the reader to do just that after engaging with the reading. Whether it's a book, an article, or some other form of written work, taking the time to read first can enhance the experience of watching the related movie.

What a magnificent novel! The film based on "The Green Mile" is also one of my favorites, but the book captivates me even more strongly... Stephen King describes in a terrifyingly impactful way the life in the death row section of a state prison.

The main warden, Paul Edgecombe, recalls years later (when he is already in a nursing home) the past times at "Cold Mountain"… His most vivid memory is that of the arrival in 1932 of the incredible John Coffey. The huge black inmate doesn't resemble the other prisoners and seems innocent, and moreover, he has a supernatural ability to heal… The wardens take care that the last days of the prisoners' lives pass peacefully, but since the cruel Percy Wetmore has come to work there, they constantly have problems with him. A mouse named Mr. Jingles also has an important and interesting role in the events… The action develops in two time lines, and the present of Paul in the nursing home is also engagingly presented. "The Green Mile" is a rather dark and melancholy story, but it fully deserves to be read!

"In the movies, salvation is cheap. So is innocence. You give a nickel and you get its true value for it. Real life costs more and in most of its parts the answers are different."

"Later, when I was cleaning up at home, I understood that they didn't really look alike at all — the reason why what happened to me happened was hidden in the consequences of stress and grief, written on their faces. Strangely, how pain leaves its mark on us and makes us look like a family."

"I'm tired of people who treat each other so horribly."

"Time heals everything, time takes everything away and in the end there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in the darkness and sometimes we lose them again."

"We all owe one death and there are no exceptions, knowing that, but sometimes, oh Lord, The Green Mile is so long."

The year is 1932, and the setting is the death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary.

Here, the question arises: who are the real monsters? A gentle giant named John Coffey, sentenced to death for an unspeakable crime, is a strong candidate. However, let's also take a closer look at the prison guards on duty.

The one called Brutal - that name can't be a coincidence, can it? And what about Percy, who revels in holding a position of slight power? With his girly hands, hand-tooled leather baton holster, and his mean, stupid, and bullying ways, he can't be discounted either.

Full of miracles and wonders, this is a Stephen King offering that is an outstanding story.

Don't expect your heart to remain unscathed. It's likely to break just a little bit.

King has masterfully crafted a tale that delves into the depths of human nature, blurring the lines between good and evil.

The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, each with their own motives and flaws.

As the story unfolds, we are drawn into a world of mystery, drama, and unexpected twists.

It's a story that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.

I am an enormous fan of Stephen King, and The Green Mile is undoubtedly one of the finest novels he has ever penned. In fact, it ranks among the very best novels I have ever read in my entire life and is also a remarkable piece of literature!

The novel is truly astonishing. Once I embarked on it, I was completely unable to put it down! It is exquisitely written and at times, extremely touching. The plot is original, captivating, and heart-wrenching. All the characters possess depth, are vivid, fascinating, and believable. The story is narrated so skillfully that it is effortless to envision oneself in Cold Mountain Penitentiary in Alabama back in 1932.

It requires an outstanding writer to elicit feelings of sympathy for murderers, yet Stephen King accomplishes this with ease. I fervently wished that John Coffey would somehow be set free, but deep within, I knew that his fate was sealed. Tears streamed down my face when he was executed. The novel left me pondering about the death penalty and whether it is time for it to be abolished globally. Thanks to reading this novel, I have developed a rather firm moral stance against the death penalty. Since my country does not have the death penalty, I had never really given it much thought until I read this book.

If I could, I would award this book more than five stars!

He cried like a condemned man, which is ironic since the story takes place in a prison.

"Nothing will happen. They're not killers, Percy must have thought. But then, remembering the Hot Seat, he must have known that yes, in a way we were killers. I had only executed seventy-seven men; more than those I had immobilized with the straitjacket, more than those Sergeant York had killed in World War II."

But seriously, how do you stop crying? Moreover, how do you get over a book of such magnitude? With characters so human that you feel them on every page, in every conversation, in every letter. It is a very, very good book. So much so that I'm even reconsidering that it's the one I liked the most by this author and that's not what King usually writes. The only thing certain is that it became one of my favorite stories of the master. And definitely King is often talked about as a reference in horror but the one who moves away from this genre and approaches realism is equally or even better because of the level of sensitivity with which he portrays reality, the environment, the themes and the characters with their different relationships. And a good proof of that is this book, and short novels like The Body and Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption that I had read before and also highly recommended.

"—We're going to kill a chosen one of God," he replied. "Someone who never hurt anyone. What will I be able to say in my favor when I meet the Creator and he asks me for an explanation, what will I tell him? That it was my job, my obligation?"

The story follows Paul and everything that happened there in 1930 when he worked as a prison guard in Cold Mountain Penitentiary. Through a subsequent narration, the protagonist gradually begins to unfold a very sensitive and human story about evil and innocence, injustice and kindness without expecting anything in return, about how cruel, depressing and murky a place like prison is both for those who are serving their respective sentences and for those who work there. A story that with as few details as the appearance of a very curious and striking mouse puts into practice the simplicity and the wonderfulness of life when you find reasons that can brighten your day or bring people closer together more than before. It is phenomenal that just that is enough material to tell and remember anecdotes that leave you undoubted teachings.

Now, the plot of the story comes when John Coffey arrives at the prison, a man guilty of having murdered two twins. From there it is a non-stop of empathizing, worrying or wanting to know if someone who shows so many signs of humanity can actually be as disgusting as to commit such an atrocity. The story plays with the dilemma of whether John Coffey is really guilty of the crime he is accused of, since when the protagonist meets that huge black man, with big and imposing hands, he thinks it could be true; but when he looks at him he only sees a scared, crying and desolate child who is afraid of the dark. But then another more complex question comes in that leads him to question whether all those sensitive and so lamentable reactions are only the product of the same repentance and guilt of having committed such a monstrous act with the girls or if on the contrary he has always been innocent but there is no way to prove it.

"Like it or not, time heals all. Time takes everything away and in the end there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in that darkness and other times we lose them in it."

The most curious thing about a reading like this is that it allows us to show that in that dark, putrid and abusive environment there can be small lights of hope, empathy and a little generosity on the part of some characters, but also to show the harsh reality of others who are in charge and use their power to position themselves above others and do despicable things that can be compared to atrocious crimes; where the fine line that divides them from the bars that separate them from the prisoners sometimes seems to dissolve and they end up seeming just as inhuman as them. Or worse.

And it can't be denied that one can gradually put oneself in the place of some criminals who seem to have a trace of repentance after the barbaric and repulsive acts for which they are paying there, locked up, waiting for their judgment in the electric chair. A discouraging panorama in which life and death, good and evil, the moral and the amoral, the incorrect and the politically correct do not have very clear limits both for them and for the reader who empathizes with various situations that both the prison guards and the prisoners go through. And although the best-selling title is The Green Mile, the truth is that The Death Corridor is what best defines a place full of people who are waiting for the end of their lives at the hands of others who never quite get used to playing the role of executioners in a task that is not at all simple and is just as monstrous to them as the bad things that happen every day out there, far from that prison.

A Wondrous Book on Multiple Levels

This is a truly remarkable book that delves deep into various aspects. Two extremely young white girls are brutally raped and murdered. The search party for the missing girls stumbles upon a distraught and crying, huge black man named John Coffey, who is holding their corpses (!). This is the story of what truly transpired during his incarceration, trial, and sentencing, as recounted by his warden many decades later.

It is a Stephen King masterclass, with an excellent use of pacing, tone, and historical setting. The semi-reliable and definitely biased narrator tells a story where almost every key development is clearly foreshadowed. Yet, the book remains a delight. As King often does, it is damning of America's treatment of African-Americans. However, King manages to overly, almost engulf this with a concurrent supernatural and beautiful tale about Coffey's humanity. It is truly a gem! I would rate it 9 out of 12.

The images accompanying the text add an extra layer of visual interest. They help to bring the story to life and engage the reader on a deeper level. Overall, this is a book that is well worth reading for its engaging story, masterful writing, and thought-provoking themes.

A very emotional experience reading this.

I must be one of the only people not to have seen the movie and didn't exactly know the story.

As I delved into the text, I was immediately drawn in by the vivid descriptions and the palpable emotions that seemed to leap off the page.

Although I lacked the prior knowledge of the movie, it didn't hinder my ability to connect with the essence of the story.

The words painted a picture in my mind, allowing me to imagine the scenes and the characters' experiences.

Each sentence carried a weight that tugged at my heartstrings and made me feel a range of emotions.

It was a unique and captivating experience, one that made me realize that sometimes, not knowing the full background can enhance the mystery and allure of a story.

#gomr.jingles