Book Review: In A Cottage In A Wood by Cass Green

Ohhh this was a good one!

An easy, compelling story I just could not tear away from.

I think the whole mystery of the cottage and my love for such places is what drew me in so much.

I would be reading by lamplight at night and feel myself being pulled into sleep, telling myself "I'll just finish this chapter" but there was such a twist at each end that I couldn't not read on!

As I churned through the pages I tried to piece the puzzle together and had little inklings of the truth of the strange happenings.

The end sweeps up in a fast, but well done reveal that made me half say "I knew it!", and "woah, I didn't see that coming!".

I go through a few creepy crime thriller/mysteries but this is a stand out to me. I have decided to no longer hoard old books and to just keep those I really enjoy. This one is a keeper.

5 out of 5 dead magpies.

I haven't been well lately.

For a while now, really.

We are on holidays from work but will soon be back at it.

I have achieved nothing this break except finishing a few books, completing many jigsaw puzzles and watching countless movies on SBS.

Some say I am relaxing.

Others say my body is catching up on rest.

But this is beyond that.

I am so, so tired all the time.

I am forcing myself to stay awake during the days, which is odd to me because I'd never previously been able to day-sleep no matter what.

I am trying to find answers though.

I dont like this feeling one bit.

I miss doing things with and for my family.

I like getting things done.

During my darkest days I used to tell myself that making the bed in the morning is achieving something for the day.

I have stopped following that advice and figure I'll just curl back up in there soon enough.

For now, I will keep forcing myself on little walks to the backyard to say hello to the chickens.

Baby steps.

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Book Review: The Green Mile

Last night I laid in bed by the dim light of my bedside lamp.

The air was still and cool outside,  slowly seeping through the open window.

Despite being the middle of summer I was snuggled under my fluffy doona, KittyPuss and Boof snoring their way through the night beside me.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I turned through the pages of the final chapters of Stephen King's, The Green Mile.

King has released the story in a 7 part series, but I was fortunate to find a pre-owned copy of the full collection in one novel.

Having seen the movie countless times, each time resulting in tears, the ending of the book got me right in the heart.

As with most books, there is more detail than the movie and The Green Mile is no exception. 

In the book we learn of 'Cheif's' and Del's crimes, the extent of how disgusting Wild Bill was, and a character omitted from the film but fitted perfectly in the story.

The movie certainly has done the book justice, and although the movie doesn't divert too strongly from the storyline, reading the book has enough extra detail to keep it interesting and provoke all the emotions the film did.

The ending in particular was quite different than the movie.

The inevitable happens, but it gives detail into each character's future after The Mile.

After building emotional connections to these characters, it was a big surprise to find out what becomes of them.

I keep comparing the book and movie in the manner that I had seen the movie before I read the book, but if you can, read the book first.

I always suggest it that way around, but only just recently discovered that the movie was inspired and based on the book.

I find that a nice surprise sometimes, loving a movie so much and then discovering I can fall in love with it as a book too!

Each year for Boof's birthday I order a movie poster of one of our faves, have it framed and hung in the lounge room. The Green Mile (and The Shawshank Redemption) was his 2020 gift.

Overall, despite my middle-of-the-night sobbing into my pillow, this was a fantastic book.

I had actually started reading a different book and was a few chapters in but couldn't stop thinking about The Green Mile. 

It was like it was calling me.

So the other book went back on the shelf for another day and I got stuck into it and could hardly put it down.

5 out of 5 faded limes.

Now, what to read next?

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