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Showing posts with label Small Town. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Small Town. Show all posts

The Green Mile Review

The Green Mile

Published: 28, March 1996 – 29, August 1996
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Contemporary, Drama, Fiction, Ghost, Literature, Media Tie-In, Occult, Psychic, Rural, Small Town, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller

Check the summary of this book here:
The Green Mile Summary


The Review

Stephen King's serial novel The Green Mile was published in 1996. It relates the narrative of Paul Edgecombe, a death row supervisor who meets John Coffey, an exceptional convict with unexplainable healing and empathy powers. Before being reissued as a single book, the serial novel was initially published in six volumes. The novel exemplifies magical realism.

I feel this is one of Stephen King's greatest novels; it is among my top few favorite books of all time (the ones you can't put on a list of top fives or tens since they transcend beyond any list,) and I don't care what anyone thinks whether I award it a trillion points or recommend it to everyone.

I had the idea that I was reading about a man who may be "Jesus," but it was just my imagination; perhaps the author did it on purpose and is mocking the readers who missed the "Gift of God" link.

Perhaps I feel this way about the book because of the late great Michael Clarke Duncan's performance and the way the film tugged at my heartstrings, but it wasn't just him; almost everyone in this movie was excellent.

If you've watched the Oscar-winning film starring Tom Hanks, you already know what to anticipate from this book. That's not to suggest you shouldn't read it because you're afraid it'll be obsolete.

In fact, I would really recommend watching the movie before reading the book. The film virtually exactly recreates the text, with the exception of a few small omissions, and cites most of the dialogue verbatim.

I recommend watching the movie first because if you read the book, you'll find yourself picturing each of the characters as the actor who played them in the movie.

Each actor was perfect for the role as described in "The Green Mile," thus anyone who has problems putting words into a face and accent would benefit greatly from the film.

A word of caution, though: while 3/4s of the novel is virtually wonderfully translated to the cinema, the movie takes out many passages from later in the book and alters the finale significantly for the better.

Without a doubt, the book's concluding scenes are terrific, but they lack emotional power compared to the film.

This novel is a fascinating read since it is structured as a collection of virtually short stories that are linked by similar characters and themes.

It's now time to talk openly about the movie and the book. Yes, the characters in the film were complex, and the performers were excellent, making you want to read the book even more, but they pale in contrast to those formed by Stephen King in the novel.

It's almost as if you're reading a separate version of the story: virtually the same, yet different enough to be a whole other journey. However, both are excellent and complement each other nicely in many aspects.

If you've watched the movie, that's pretty much the outline of the novel, even if it's similar to what I described before in the first few paragraphs; however, the novel covers a great deal of the narrative behind the characters, such as What was Del's crime? What happened to Percy after he went insane and was removed?

The Green Mile is a difficult book to put down! You'll be fascinated from the first page, and you'll quickly discover the pages won't stop turning. You'll be left wondering where the time has gone since you won't be able to put the book down once you start reading.

This is by far the most character-driven story I've read in a long time. Paul comes out as an enlightened individual who has witnessed a miracle, but John comes across as a miracle himself.

Character growth drives this work, and it does so without veering off course. The Green Mile also has a stunning, yet thought-provoking, life epiphany.

If the characters aren't enough to make you want to read this novel, the reveal will. The book's delivery is equally as superb. Written in the first person, Stephen King does more than introduce us to Paul; he befriends us as he tells his narrative.

The Green Mile is a fascinating and entertaining book with a surprising and inspirational finale.

I bought the six mini books for my brother since he liked the movie as much as I did, and then I bought the complete bundle when the series was released as a single book.

Unfortunately, my brother is no longer interested in reading since he is too focused on his work, so I kept the six-book set for myself and hopefully for my nephew in the hopes that when and if he is interested in reading like me, I will be able to share these books with him.

I buy every copy of every book produced by every one of my favorite authors. I have everything from an Audiobook to hardcover to paperback.

This way, I feel like I'm assisting and supporting the authors in creating even more amazing stories for me and future generations without having to worry about money, and I hope that all of the readers may do the same.


Final Thoughts

Stephen King, in my opinion, is a genius with The Green Mile. This work, first released as a six-part serial in 1996, is his masterpiece.

The author's writing is clean, compelling, and insightful, as he tells the story of a group of inmates and their keepers on a death penalty block, the Green Mile, in depression era Mississippi; through the personal memories of Paul Edgecombe, in charge of overseeing the Mile.

Stephen King's enchanting storytelling brings to mind the full spectrum of possible emotional experiences, as we are told the intertwining stories of Paul, John Coffey, Brutal, Dean, Harry, Janice Edgecombe, Delacroix, Percy, Wild Bill Wharton, and Hal and Melinda Moores.

All of them are brought to life by Stephen King, who makes them credible and all too human—people interacting in a tough and unpleasant setting.

The Green Mile is a moving and melancholy narrative written by a gifted author. It isn't just his finest work; it's one of the best books out there.

Typically, readers identify Stephen King with horrors such as Christine, The Shining, The Dark Half, and a slew of others.

That said, I don't think this belongs in the horror genre; it's almost as if Hitchcock's psychological horror/thriller genre was put to paper.

Author's work is a fantastic example of creative storytelling, with flashbacks smoothly blending into the present and linking characters and storyline together. A fantastic read!


Synopsis

“Masterfully told and as suspenseful as it is haunting, The Green Mile is Stephen King’s classic #1 New York Times bestselling dramatic serial novel and inspiration for the Oscar-nominated film starring Tom Hanks.

Welcome to Cold Mountain Penitentiary, home to the Depression-worn men of E Block. Convicted killers all, each awaits his turn to walk “the Green Mile,” the lime-colored linoleum corridor leading to a final meeting with Old Sparky, Cold Mountain’s electric chair. Prison guard Paul Edgecombe has seen his share of oddities over the years working the Mile, but he’s never seen anything like John Coffey—a man with the body of a giant and the mind of a child, condemned for a crime terrifying in its violence and shocking in its depravity. And in this place of ultimate retribution, Edgecombe is about to discover the terrible, wondrous truth about John Coffey—a truth that will challenge his most cherished beliefs…”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords

Barry Pepper, Bonnie Hunt, Cold Mountain, David Morse, David Valdes, Death Row, Doug Hutchison, Electric Chair, Ever Read, Frank Darabont, Graham Greene, Harry Dean Stanton, James Cromwell, Jeffrey Demunn, John Coffey, King At His Best, Michael Clarke Duncan, Michael Jeter, Mountain Penitentiary, Patricia Clarkson, Paul Edgecombe, Sam Rockwell, Shawshank Redemption, Tom Hanks


Rating: 100/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

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The Green Mile (1999) (16+)

Salem’s Lot (1979) (G)

Salem’s Lot: The Miniseries (2004) (NR)

The Dark Tower 8 Book Boxed Set (Paperback)

The Dark Tower (2017) (PG-13)

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Cujo Review

Stephen King, American, Animal, Fiction, Horror Fiction, Horror, Media-Tie-In, Psychological, Rural, Small Town, Suspense, Thriller

Cujo

Published: 8, September 1981
Author: Stephen King
Genres: American, Animals, Fiction, Horror, Media Tie-In, Psychological, Rural, Small Town, Suspense, Thriller

Check the summary of this book here:
Cujo Summary


The Review:

Stephen King's novel Cujo was partially inspired by a visit to a mechanic in the spring of 1977. Author recalls how problems with his motorbike led him to an auto shop on the outskirts of Bridgton, Maine, in an interview. When he got to the shop, his motorcycle died, and a Saint Bernard appeared from the garage, barking at him and clawing for his hand.

Despite the fact that the mechanic used a wrench to stop the dog from injuring Stephen King, he was nevertheless terrified by the experience. This occurrence, as well as a tale of a little kid mauled by a Saint Bernard that appeared in a Portland, Maine newspaper, served as inspiration for the novel.

At the time, the author also owned a faulty Ford Pinto, the same car model that the novel's heroine, Donna Trenton, brings to the mechanical workshop where she meets the rabid Cujo.

If you've never seen the movie or read the book, the first thing you'll notice when you start reading this book is that you get a true sense of why Cujo went insane and attacked humans.

Cujo turned virtually mad after contracting rabies, according to the book. Furthermore, the author does a fantastic job of immersing the reader in Cujo's psyche, since the dog's hazy thoughts are occasionally conveyed, which was a real joy for me.

The location and subplots were well-done, and the novel didn't feel out of date. In fact, a book like this would be better placed in the 1980s, when people couldn't use their mobile phones or send text messages when they were in danger or needed assistance.

That adds to the suspense because it reduces things to the bare fundamentals with a level playing field, as desperate situations pit man against the dog, or woman against the dog, with no technology to intervene.

There are lots of other sidetracks in the plot that don't include Cujo; it's not simply a dog following humans for 400 pages, but Cujo is definitely the straw that breaks the camel's back. Overall, no dog has ever been more stunning on paper or on-screen than Cujo, which is why the title will always be remembered.

Because I am an animal lover who does not want to watch animals being hurt, I did not consider this a fantastic book at first, but the book and writing are excellent, as one would expect from Stephen King, but what made me unhappy was Cujo's condition.

To solve this problem, I decided that Cujo was not a dog, but rather a monster that needed to be exterminated, thus I enjoyed it as a creature feature. If you've read any of his other books, you should give this one a go.

This novel really exceeded my expectations. I heard it was about a rabid dog, but I was expecting a straightforward horror story. I wasn't expecting such a diverse cast of individuals or a complicated narrative.

I liked how realistic the characters were. The youngster afraid of creatures in his closet, the pair dealing with marital issues, the lovelorn lover, and the mother desiring a better life for her son were all touching and relatable.

I was concerned for every one of them. I even felt sad for the tenacious, dominating, and abusive dad, which, made me think, what a fantastic work of literature, if I can feel sorry for a man like that, and it was because he wasn't completely black and white.

Although he was a darker shade of gray than the story's protagonists, there was still plenty about him that I could relate to. I didn't feel sorry for the lovelorn, fanatical lover, the sort that goes off the handle and throws a terrifying big boy attitude when he doesn't get what he desires, but I can say I've known individuals like him.

All of the characters were genuine people. The dog's character was also well-written. I haven't read any other stories with such well-written pets. Call of the Wild was one of the first books I read, and the dogs in that novel felt far too human.

I don't know what it's like to be a dog, but I thought this dog character to be convincing. The finale was gloomier than I had anticipated or desired, but it was not unsatisfying.

Cujo reminds me of a period when Stephen King's writing was more free-form when unfettered masterpieces like Firestarter and The Stand were still new on bookstore shelves.

Cujo represents a period in my life when the author would place pedestrian characters in exceptional situations and leave them to figure things out on their own. It's less delicate than Lisey's Story and Duma Key, but it's more dynamic. And you constantly have the feeling that anything may, and probably will happen. That's what makes Cujo so special.


Final Thoughts:

I'm telling a story based on one of my own nightmares. I had several dreams as a child of being attacked by dogs and other creatures, and they always attacked the side of my neck, and I always woke up at that point. But as I grew older, I began to dislodge these creatures' jaws like Tarzan. I'm sure I didn't have these nightmares because of reading/watching Cujo, but this story reminded me of them.

The supernatural component is almost entirely absent, leaving the reader to question whether this is merely a consequence of rabies or something even more malevolent. Regardless, the shocks and thrills are constant.

I like Stephen King's sympathy for Cujo; the dog has moments when he realizes something is wrong with him but is perplexed by his ailment. This story will not disappoint; strange circumstances leave a mother and boy alone on a lonely property with the dog.

Cujo is a Stephen King novel about a well-mannered St. Bernard that goes rabid after being bitten by a Rabies Positive bat and terrorizes the quiet town of Castle Rock, Maine.

The author creates a terrifying creature that becomes the standard representation for all violent and horrific creatures to follow. I couldn't put the book down because I couldn't wait to know what happened next, who would be the next victim, and whether they would survive the meeting with the ferocious creature.

The reader will be completely enthralled by this page-turner. If you haven't already read it, I highly encourage you to do so since it is an old classic for the times we live in.


Synopsis:

“The #1 New York Times bestseller, Cujo “hits the jugular” (The New York Times) with the story of a friendly Saint Bernard that is bitten by a bat. Get ready to meet the most hideous menace ever to terrorize the town of Castle Rock, Maine.

Outside a peaceful town in central Maine, a monster is waiting. Cujo is a two-hundred-pound Saint Bernard, the best friend Brett Camber has ever had. One day, Cujo chases a rabbit into a cave inhabited by sick bats and emerges as something new altogether.

Meanwhile, Vic and Donna Trenton, and their young son Tad, move to Maine. They are seeking peace and quiet, but life in this small town is not what it seems. As Tad tries to fend off the terror that comes to him at night from his bedroom closet, and as Vic and Donna face their own nightmare of a marriage on the rocks, there is no way they can know that a monster, infinitely sinister, waits in the daylight.

What happens to Cujo, how he becomes a horrifying vortex inescapably drawing in all the people around him, makes for one of the most heart-stopping novels Stephen King has ever written. “A genuine page-turner that grabs you and holds you and won’t let go” (Chattanooga Times), Cujo will forever change how you view man’s best friend.”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

Castle Rock, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Danny Pintauro, Dead Zone, Dee Wallace, Donna And Tad, Donna Trenton, Edge Of Your Seat, Frank Dodd, Monster In The Closet, Rabid Dog, Saint Bernard, Trapped In The Car, Well Written, Years Ago


Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

Buy the Kindle Version Here

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Cujo (1983) (R)

The Stand (2020 Limited Series) (NR)

The Stand (1994) (NR)

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Emma Review

Emma Review

Emma

Published: 23, December 1815

Author: Jane Austen

Genres: Classic, Comedy & Humor, Drama, European, Family Life, Fiction, Friendship, Historical, Literature, Regency, Romance, Rural Fiction, Small Town, Teen, Victorian, Young Adult


Check the summary of this book here:



The Review:

Emma by Jane Austen is a character study of a person who, because of her social standing, has a complex or nearly perverted sense of ethics when it comes to the value of socioeconomic status. This anecdote is significant because it demonstrates how upper-class individuals establish their own subculture based on money or, in Emma's case, familial ties. These shifts in the socio-climate might result in some very nasty-spirited persons, such as Emma's negative attributes, even if they are unaware that they are being cruel or terrible to others.

As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, this is like a character study and this sort of character lays the backdrop for some fascinating insights into human nature, particularly in terms of the many forms of influence that individuals have over others. Emma loves rearranging people like chess pieces. She enjoys the cause and effect of social events involving people and has an abnormal desire to influence the fate of others.

This was Jane Austen's last novel published while she was still alive, but it is not her final novel; before she began writing it, she had already stated that she would create a character that people would probably dislike, but Emma has been liked and continues to be liked, as we see her develop in this story.

Emma comes to see the light and makes positive adjustments throughout the story. I'm not giving anything away by mentioning this because it's obvious from the start. Reading what is happening to her is the most beautiful part of this novel.

This appeared advanced to me in terms of psychological/satirical components, such as the father's intellect level being obliquely poked fun at on a regular basis. Austen's resentment of her father is darkly humorous, with references to the weather or the temperature of the room indicating Emma and her father's cultured or academic contrasts.

I've just skimmed Austin's work for anagrams, but I believe the father figure represents the usual male authority of the period. I believe she is making an early woman's power statement disguised behind the character of her father and Emma's intellectual division as an author communicating via her fiction.

It was also entertaining to compare the films offered. A question always comes up while reading this and other books like this, what would your reaction be if you married someone 16 years your senior? Austen's period had various challenges that we would not be able to deal with as well. The book provides a fascinating look at Austen as a proponent of early women's liberation. We don't appreciate how fortunate we are. These days, we can do whatever we want.

I believe some readers' disdain for Emma is misconstrued because, as always, she was intended to be the way she was, and the author created her in such a manner that the reader dislikes her at first, but gradually begins to change the sentiments towards her with her own, and eventually begins to enjoy her by the end.

And this takes me to my most reviled topic: we must not despise a novel or a writer just because of a character we dislike or because the character is defective; we must recognize that some tales require flawed characters to advance.

A book and plot will never progress without these characters. Sometimes there is no villain in a novel, and we just despise the main character until we realize that this figure was misunderstood by us and was both the hero and the villain of his or her own life and story, much as we do to ourselves in real life.


Final Thoughts:

Because of the period, it was written, I didn't get the impression that it was outdated. I felt as if I were reading a complex character study with clever psychological components.

One of the reasons I wanted to read all of Jane Austen's writings was that the very macho author of Master and Commander Patrick O'Brian would frequently dedicate his books to Jane Austen. Patrick O'Brian's few available interviews also mention Austin as one of his key literary inspirations, which is enough to make you want to read an author you've never read or who solely writes about a subject you're not interested in.


Synopsis:

“Oft-copied but never bettered, Jane Austen's Emma is a remarkable comedy of manners.

Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is illustrated by the celebrated Hugh Thomson and includes an afterword by David Pinching.

Austen follows the charming but insensitive Emma Woodhouse as she sets out on an ill-fated career of match-making in the little town of Highbury. Taking the pretty but dreary Harriet Smith as her subject, Emma creates misunderstandings and chaos as she tries to find Harriet a suitor, until she begins to realize it isn't the lives of others she must try to transform.”


Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:

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Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 95/100 Yes.

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The Complete Works of Jane Austen:


Emma. (2020) (13+):


Emma (1996) (PG):


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Damnation Spring


Published: 3, August 2021 (Hardcover)
Author: Ash Davidson
Genres: Small Town & Rural Fiction, Contemporary Literary Fiction, Family Life, Literary Fiction

I normally am not interested in books and movies about the environment because I know the reality of the situation in real life and it makes me uncomfortable reading about it. But I had to read this book because it was recommended to me by someone who reads a lot of books like me and I must say, I was not disappointed. A bit slow to start, not because it’s boring. It is slow because you are getting info about the logging and the industry involved in it plus the characters are being introduced to you and by the end, you’ll be invested in them. So don’t stop or get disappointed in the start, just read on and you’ll love this book.

It doesn’t feel like a debut novel because the author made sure that you are actually going to feel you are in that area near California’s rugged coast having a picnic and smelling the trees and grass. I am not a fan of that kind of detail but it feels good sometimes if it’s done properly like what Miss. Ash Davidson did.

This book is going to tell you the other side of the story of loggers because all the books that we read are always about the people who want to save the trees or tree huggers. So instead of tree huggers, we are reading from the viewpoint of tree loggers and how they lived and how hard it was becoming for them in the dwindling industry in the 1970s because this story takes us to that time and shows us what was happening to these loggers and what was the situation of the families they supported. The story of their wives and kids and neighbors.

It is kind of long because for the first twenty-plus percent of the story you don’t know what is actually going to happen but as soon as you realize what this story is all about, you get hooked and that first half is the only flaw it has; only if you are not into learning about the industry and what these people are doing. And that is why I am not able to give this book full points. I loved the book because it has a very powerful story with living breathing characters that I am sure you are going to miss when the book is finished. So don’t miss or skip the first part. I am only giving low points because of the people who want fast paced action from the first page.

This book is beautiful in a way that is going to make you realize we are our environment and a part of mother earth, what we do is coming back to us in the same way we treat her.


Synopsis:
“An epic, immersive debut, Damnation Spring is the deeply human story of a Pacific Northwest logging town wrenched in two by a mystery that threatens to derail its way of life.

For generations, Rich Gundersen’s family has chopped a livelihood out of the redwood forest along California’s rugged coast. Now Rich and his wife, Colleen, are raising their own young son near Damnation Grove, a swath of ancient redwoods on which Rich’s employer, Sanderson Timber Co., plans to make a killing. In 1977, with most of the forest cleared or protected, a grove like Damnation—and beyond it 24-7 Ridge—is a logger’s dream.

It’s dangerous work. Rich has already lived decades longer than his father, killed on the job. Rich wants better for his son, Chub, so when the opportunity arises to buy 24-7 Ridge—costing them all the savings they’ve squirreled away for their growing family—he grabs it, unbeknownst to Colleen. Because the reality is their family isn’t growing; Colleen has lost several pregnancies. And she isn’t alone. As a midwife, Colleen has seen it with her own eyes.

For decades, the herbicides the logging company uses were considered harmless. But Colleen is no longer so sure. What if these miscarriages aren’t isolated strokes of bad luck? As mudslides take out clear-cut hillsides and salmon vanish from creeks, her search for answers threatens to unravel not just Rich’s plans for the 24-7, but their marriage too, dividing a town that lives and dies on timber along the way.

Told from the perspectives of Rich, Colleen, and Chub, in prose as clear as a spring-fed creek, this intimate, compassionate portrait of a community clinging to a vanishing way of life amid the perils of environmental degradation makes Damnation Spring an essential novel for our time.”


Rating: 90/100
Recommended: 95/100 Yes.


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