This is my second King book and I don’t know if I am disappointed per say, but I definitely enjoy this one as much as I did with the Shining. My biggest issue with this book was the pacing. I think it probably worked great when the book was originally released and readers could only read the book in progressive installments. But nowadays, it seems to be available primarily in a collection of all 6 novellas stitched together! That’s how I read it. In this format, the book just feels bloated.

Things take a while to start building, which is essential for horror and something I loved about the shining, but here it feels like a flat line with a sharp peak at the end rather than a slow build. I really had to force myself to sit down and finish it, which is sad because there was so much about the book that I did like. Namely, the characters! The characters in this book are so fully developed and feel so distinct. I don’t think this was as true in the shining. I loved, in particular, the interactions between those living and working on the Green Mile.

I did a bit of taste of horror with this book which I enjoyed! Mr. Jingles’ first death and Delacroix’s, both at the hands of Percy, were gruesome and super unsettling. The descriptions of the electric chair in particular created a chilling image. For as much magical realism as there was in this book, things on the Green Mile seemed frighteningly realistic!