For the month of March, the Night Owls read and discussed the supernatural novel The Green Mile by Stephen King. The novel centers around the fictional prison of Cold Mountain Penitentiary and the inmates sentenced to its death-row facility, The Green Mile. Told from the perspective of Paul Edgecomb, once the acting superintendent of The Green Mile, the story unfolds between past and present as Paul recounts the events of the year that John Coffey was sentenced to death-row and came to be under Paul’s watch. Originally conceived as a serial novel, The Green Mile was published in six monthly installments and then later collected and published as the complete serial novel.
Reading Stephen King has become somewhat of a yearly tradition for the Night Owls. While he may not be the author for everyone, it certainly does lead to some of the best group discussions we’ve had in the past, and The Green Mile was no exception. The group was evenly divided into those that just liked it and those who loved it. Common remarks in favor of the book were King’s writing style and his ability to craft such impactful passages that connect with readers. Oftentimes his writing can be quite visceral to readers especially with his imagery, but members did not feel it was gratuitous in The Green Mile when compared to his other books we have read. Members also enjoyed King’s willingness to explore and dissect the darker, uglier sides of human nature. Some of the less liked aspects of the book for some members were the sections that they felt meandered with no purpose or parts that felt repetitive, which could have been due to the original publication format of the novels.
Overall, the book was favorably reviewed, receiving a whopping four five-star ratings from seven members and no less than a 3.5 from the remaining members, which landed it with an overall score of 4.3 stars. A highly recommended novel for fans of Stephen King or readers looking for a good entry point to the author’s prolific works.
Final Rating: 4.3
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = It was amazing
⭐⭐⭐ = Liked it
⭐⭐ = It was ok
⭐ = Did not like it
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