Reviews

Joyland by Stephen King

corgilover1's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

joelypop's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

jess_mango's review

4.0

I rate this somewhere between a 4 and a 5. This is not one of Stephen King's scarier books but it's not meant to be. I've read a handful of King's books and most of them so far are his "not scary" books like On Writing, The Green Mile, and The Stand (all time fave!!). I'm hoping to finally read The Shining within the next year. I can't resist a book set at a circus or carnival! Joyland is set primarily at a seaside amusement park in the 1970's, the story is told from the perspective of Devin Jones, a college student who gets a summer job at the park. 4 years prior to Devin's employment, a woman was murdered on the park's only dark ride and it is said her ghost is occasionally spotted in the ride. Yes, the book has ghosts and murder but it isn't really a ghost story or a murder mystery. This is a great little book.

glynis's review

emotional funny mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

jenul13's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

readinghoneybee's review

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I was looking for the perfect summer horror/thriller read and I found it! Ghosts in a horror house in an amusement park set in the 1970’s is a fabulous setting. Joyland is perfect to read while sitting by the swimming pool on a hot day, sipping on your favourite cold beverage. This book is like strawberry ice cream. The first taste is sweet, the plot is the tasty waffle cone and the ending leaves you hungry for more. This isn’t the typical Stephen King horror. It’s a murder mystery filled with tons of suspense, an unsolved murder, carnival vibes and pure nostalgia. 

King is a master story teller and he writes characters in such a way that always keeps you invested. Devin was interesting, likeable and trustworthy and it was easy to sink into the story of his life in the summer of 1973 when he worked at Joyland. I wanted to keep reading, it’s a page turner! The end of the book sparked an emotional impact and I felt nostalgia for an era I never lived in. Loss and heartbreak affects everyone in different ways and the ending was bittersweet and handled with such care.

The charm of the book is that it’s short and sweet. I think Joyland would be a great introduction if you want to start reading King books. A perfect summer read! 4 stars.

midwifereading's review

3.0

I really enjoyed the story and the carny 70's vibe, and definitely never guessed who dunnit. Had to skip a page or two (I don't do sex scenes), and there's definitely some language.

That said, while the main character feels a bit bland, it kinda works. The plot has plenty of color and texture and I had a hard time putting it down. Still, it kinda reminded me why I don't read Stephen King. I always think I should try him again. Then, even if the story is good, it wasn't worth the f-bombs.

nataliamar's review

3.0

Nada acontece nesse livro. Nada. Mesmo assim não dá pra parar de ler. Stephen King ne? O homem escreve bem.
A história é de um moçoilo que vai trabalhar num parque de diversões onde, anos antes, uma jovem havia sido assassinada. Nunca descobriram o assassino.
O moçoilo curte o parque, faz amizades com os locais, entre eles uma mãe e seu filho, que possui problemas de saúde e é médium. Fica nessa historinha o livro todo e no finalzinho descobrimos o assassino. Sem mais nem menos, sem motivos do além nem nada, como é característico do Stephen.
Mas é um livro gostosinho de ler.

alheadrick's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

chelseatm's review

3.0

Sometimes Stephen King's work can be very campy but you always (almost) know what you're going to get. This was a wonderfully written coming-of-age novel that had a great pace and just a few light undertones of mystery and the supernatural.