A Novel Critique

1996 would prove to be a big year for Stephen King. By the end of the year, three new novels plus the first two chapters of the next Dark Tower novel, Wizard and Glass, would see print. And it all began with a slim, 96-page "chapbook" entitled "The Two Dead Girls."

Stephen King decided to reach into the past with the novel The Green Mile both in the presentation of the material and within the book itself. He utilized a Dickensian method: issuing the "parts" of the novel seperately, one per month, without having finished it before the readers began buying it. The serialization method created a sensation: between the months of March and August 1996, it seemed as if everyone was walking The Green Mile.

However, the brilliant concept wouldn't have worked if the tale itself was substandard. King went to great lengths to ensure it was not.

Paul Edgecombe is the head security guard of Cold Mountain Penitentiary in the middle of The Great Depression. He heads E Block, what is more commonly known as Death Row; in the course of his employ, he has sent over thirty men to the electric chair (known as "Old Sparky" by the screws and residents.) Old Sparky sits smugly at the end of a long hall made of tiles "the color of tired old limes," thus the title of the novel.

Paul tells the tale of John Coffey, a prisoner convicted of murdering two twin girls, and sentenced to die. He is a large black man who seems to be slightly retarted (kind of a black version of Of Mice and Men's Lenny.) He tells Paul "I couldn't help it, boss," and Paul takes that as a confession of helpless guilt ... at first. Because there are things hidden within John Coffey, and things hidden in E Block as well. Little things like mice named Mr. Jingles...

The story begins slow, but not plodding. King sets the scene grimly, the South's version of Shawshank Prison, only more depressing. Characters are well drawn, lives are neatly sketched. Then: action. From Part Three ("Coffey's Hands") on, King charges through with an unstoppable story brimming with insight and surprise. It is not until the very end of Part Six ("Coffey on the Mile") that the story once again slows to allow itself to catch up. The ending of The Green Mile is perhaps King's saddest, and most downbeat (with the exeption of the Bachman novels and perhaps Insomnia.)

The Green Mile is one of King's best recent novels, rich in detail and character. Nothing is ever what it should be, and there are little surprises (and in Part Six, some pretty big ones!) at every turn. A highly reccomended read, even if one is not allowed the fun of the serialization as it was happening.

Personal Observations

The Green Mile was the first King novel since Dolores Claiborne that I actually had to wait for. I got the Ziesing limited of Insomnia and the "reader's copy" of Rose Madder, so I actually wasn't real prepared for this. I remember coming into the book store on my day off to purchase "The Two Dead Girls," (both book and casette), and because it was the night of an Oscar Party I was attending I could only get through half of it before and the end after the party (I was up till 2 AM!)

I highly enjoyed this book. Like many, I was wondering King was taking me in the center of Part 2, but by the end of that one (with Wharton freaking), I couldn't wait. It was also a lot of fun discussing theories with my SKEMERs friends and customers at the store. Turned out, all my theories were wrong, but, still. It was cool to be a part of an experience in writing, not just the reading of it but the participation of it. Leave it to Stephen King to go back to the past to jump into the future.

Audio Adaptation

I have only one gripe about the audio adaptation of The Green Mile: the pricing. When the books were released monthly, so were the tapes, at $7.99 each. Then, when the box set arrived, it was only $40. Essentially, I got ripped off $8.00!

But the product itself is wonderful. Frank Muller, called "the first true superstar in spoken word adaption," lives up to his reputation here. Carefully sounding aged, but still intellegent, Muller provides a homey atmosphere for a listener to enter. Well-excectued, well spoken, highly reccomended.

(Brief trivia: Muller also did the audio adaption of "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption," making this the only time author, reader, and director are the same twice!)