“It always comes down to just two choices. Get busy living, or get busy dying.”
So... 2023 started with a book I've been meaning to read for a long time. I have wanted to read this book ever since I first saw the movie adaptation and absolutely loved it.
The movie itself succeeds on many levels; the acting is on point, the directing is fitting, and, most importantly, the storytelling is flawless. This is the reason this story always has always stuck out to me and still ranks amongst my favorites of all time and which is also the reason that led me to want to read the book so much.
It was a short and easy read. It's written simply but not simplistic or shallow in any way. It reads very enjoyably and it has all the suspense and depth in storytelling and character development that this genre needs. The narration (from Red's POV) is vivid and believable, and, the way it's written, makes you feel like you can really hear his voice and get into his head.
This book is a simple and eloquent depiction of endless hope, friendship, and redemption. It is a story about the durability of the human spirit. A story about managing to maintain dignity and humanity even through the toughest of circumstances... A story about patience and endurance... A story about justice and how it's found or, on the other hand, often lost.
Andy is an amazing character overall, and one of my favorite characters in fiction generally. But in this story Andy is not just a character, no, it goes way beyond that. Andy is a symbol. He is a symbol of hope, dignity, and freedom for Red - and probably the other prisoners as well - but he can also become a symbol of hope for the readers as well. A symbol of hope for life in general and how to go through hardships unbroken and... clean... even if you had to get through some stinky situations. Andy's character is so pivotal, that even though this is Red's narration of his own life, it's all about (or mostly about) Andy.
The characters in the book are physically described differently than what the actors look in the movie, and I don't really mind this change, because both depictions are good and bring something different to the story. Each character's voice however is very accurate to the source material and that was very satisfying. The actors did a great job portraying their respective characters and transferred their voices and distinct characteristics very well to the screen, so much so, that while reading I could hear the actors' voices reciting the words.
The book leaves the ending more uncertain and open, while the movie gives us a glimpse of the future, which is actually something that I loved about the movie and preferred to the book. I find the movie ending to be more fitting to the story as it gives a sense of optimism and hope.
This is an absolutely beautiful story that I would recommend to anyone as it has so much to offer not only in terms of enjoyment but also in terms of themes, meaning, and messages. This is the significance and beauty of a timeless work. Few stories are so memorable and at the same time so well-crafted. A very well-deserved 5/5* rating!
Thanks for reading!
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