The Girl in Green

By: Derek B. Miller

Narrated by: Will Damron

Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

It's 1991. Near Checkpoint Zulu, 100 miles from the Kuwaiti border, Thomas Benton meets Arwood Hobbes. Benton is a British journalist who reports from war zones in part to avoid his lackluster marriage and a daughter he loves but cannot connect with; Arwood is a Midwestern American private who might be an insufferable ignoramus or might be a genuine lunatic with a death wish - it's hard to tell. Desert Storm is over, and peace has been declared, but as they argue about whether it makes sense to cross the nearest border in search of ice cream, they become embroiled in a horrific attack in which a young local girl in a green dress is killed as they are trying to protect her. The two men walk away into their respective lives. But something has cracked for them both.

Twenty-two years later, in another place, in another war, they meet again and are offered an unlikely opportunity to redeem themselves when that same girl in green is found alive and in need of salvation. Or is she?

©2016 Derek B. Miller (P)2017 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Stay with this book. You will be glad you did.

I was not at all sure that I would like this book when I started it. But I stayed with it and I encourage you to do the same. It is a well-told story with characters who offer us insight into the complexities of modern Iraqi and Middle Eastern life and conflict and how we from the West do our best to help. I am a better man for having read this book.

Belive the good reviews

If I could could rip the stars off the 1- and 2-star books in my life this last year and pile them on this book, I'd do it in a heartbeat. This book was made for Goodreads 10.0--the version where you can ratchet up the star rating to "Milky Way."

But don't let me raise your expectations too high. I'm a firm believer in going into experiences with low expectations. Many a perfectly delightful book, movie, TV show, joke, or trip to the ice cream shop has been ruined for me by holding on to absurdly high expectations.

Suffice to say, it's my NEW! FAVORITE! SO-GLAD-I-READ-IT! book of 2017. I feel a mad desire to call up new and old friends and press them into committing to reading it at the soonest opportunity. Slip copies onto library shelves. Stand around with it displayed in my hands so I can casually use it as a conversation piece when people walk by. Mania turns people off, though, so I'm going to try and tamp down my eagerness with a dose of controlled and approachable restraint.

Believe the good reviews. Read the book. I think you'll like it.

- Also, check out this awesome interview for more Derek B. Miller goodness.
- Also, also . . . nice cover, don't you think? Excellent font, great colors, simple and classic.

A Disconnect

I am a huge fan of Miller's first fantastic book, Norwegian by Night. I was thrilled when I saw he had published a second book. Well, the new book isn't what I had hoped for or expected. I've read the other reviews and have tried to stick with this as suggested. It has been several hours of listening and I still don't feel any connection to the characters or the story being told. The book is focused on Desert Storm through the Gulf War and has a cynical and even distant tone. Do read the other reviews--many people seem to love this book. Just not for me.

Spectacular

This is a phenomenal book. This story follows the main characters from 1991 in the first Gulf War through 2013. It begins and ends in Iraq. The middle is filled with some of the best action, funniest dialogue, poetic justice, and philosophical debate available in fiction.

Not only is this story wildly entertaining, it also gives the reader a lot of insight into how soldiers, NGO aid workers, innocent bystanders, and even terrorists think & make decisions.

Stunning, quietly life-altering

One of the best books I've read this year. Provides a well-written and heartbreaking story, while integrating the very complex political reality of American involvement in the Middle East. I will listen to this book again, after taking the time to digest its effect and information. Reminded me a bit of sections of David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks (Ed the adult reporter/war junkie), not in style but in the particular way that good writing and insightful character development deepen our understanding of humanity's failures and strengths. Have also read Norwegian by Night by Miller, and though I enjoyed it, found this book to be much more profound.

Meh

The best part of this book was the excellent narration. The plot just seemed very unlikely and no matter how I tried, I just found this book to be uninteresting. It was a chore to finish.
3 stars

Not what you would think from the title

I found this one surprisingly well written. The prose was almost poetic in places while being informative and entertaining. I’ll watch for this author.

A Wonderful Ride Through Modern World Crisises

I adored this book. It frightened me, it held me in its gripe, it tried to teach me about conflict on all levels. I hope I am wise enough to learn. The characters are terrific and I can't imagine how Mr. Miller got them so right. In the worst of times, you had to laugh, laugh out loud.#tagsgiving#sweapstakes#nosleep#hangon

Slow

Book drags and gets superficial at times. I skipped through most of it. Narrator struggles with foreign accents.

An absolute must-read!

Derek is absolutely masterful at capturing war and strife from the broadest possible big picture, down to the most excruciatingly intimate details - and manages to leaven it all with just the right touches of humor. I could simply not put this one down!