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adiajamille's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
This is more a murder mystery with a little bit of a ghost story. It built up nicely, with a tense conclusion.
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Ableism, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Sexual assault and Rape
carlytenille's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Terminal illness, and Suicidal thoughts
nicole_cob_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Violence, Classism, Death, Child death, Chronic illness, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness
aleesquer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
- I love a good coming of age story
- Ghosts
- Setting (amusement park). Very involved in learning the new lingo and how to work there. Immersive and interesting
- Predictable (had very few genuine surprises)
- The way the background characters of color are treated is... not ideal.
- Boy howdy, does King not write women well. Jesus christ.
- That one "gallant men rarely getting pussy" line 🤮
Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Blood, Rape, Sexual content, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Death, Grief, and Medical content
tifftastic87's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really enjoyed this one, as per usual for King it is heavily character driven, until the last 50 pages when everything happens. We get to really know the main character, Dev, we spend time with him and get down into his soul. We follow him the summer he really grew up, even though he's 21, and watch him go from a whiney infatuated boy to a strong and kind man. A wonderful small theme park, with the colorful cast of characters that brings in, serves as a delightful background. But as per standard, things arent what they seem. A touch of ghost, a touch of sociopath, and a good ol' southern woman with a gun.
Graphic: Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Gun violence, Murder, Blood, Cursing, and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Infidelity, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Ableism, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Rape
stampest's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Murder, Sexism, Blood, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Grief, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Gore, Pregnancy, Ableism, and Child death
Minor: Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts
pkc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Blood, Chronic illness, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, and Vomit
soobooksalot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I've read a couple of handfuls of his books over the years, tending toward the well-knowns and classics - Carrie, IT, The Shining, Misery, The Green Mile. On the newer side, the Mr. Mercedes trilogy, 11/22/63 and The Outsider.
But Joyland. What an excellent addition to an already-impressive list.
It's 1973, and Devin Jones is on summer break from college and on the cusp of his first heartbreak. He takes a job at the amusement park Joyland, and all at once makes friends while learning of the park's dark history. Four years prior, Linda Grey was killed by a suitor in the Horror House and he has never been found.
As King is so ept at doing, he sews together elements of mystery with emotional coming-of-age and a skiff of the supernatural.
There are some amazing characters here, and this novel hit me on the perfect level of intrigue and heartstrings.
Recommended!
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, and Murder
werewolvesnotswearwolves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Gun violence, and Murder
Minor: Blood, Cultural appropriation, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
sheryl_macca's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This same skill is also translated to King's locations and settings. With Joyland, its name alone tells us this is an amusement park clinging on from a bygone age, we can picture the peeling paint and the tired costumes of the knock off characters. We can feel the irony and smell the desperation.
This incredible efficiency is clever, it's impactful and engrossing. It works incredibly well for King in all of his works but in a novella like Joyland it ensures that you still get the full novel experience in a much shorter read. Note: the copy I read had 178 pages.
Joyland is a spooky mystery about murder, heartbreak, grief and belonging. Like it's amusement park, Joyland is sad and old school but with a pure soul. It deserves so much more recognition amongst King's amazing back catalogue.
Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, and Terminal illness
Minor: Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Medical content, and Suicidal thoughts