Reviews with content warning for Child death - Joyland

There's a reason Stephen King is the master.
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!

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rachel_here's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

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werewolvesnotswearwolves's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

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amandaquotidianbooks's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

2022: I still really enjoyed this quiet, coming of age, nostalgia-heavy story that happens to involve a serial killer and ghosts. This time around, Dev seemed to know how to interact with a dying kid way too easily given his lack of experience. This also manifested in him “knowing better” than Mike’s own mother what he needed. The book really didn’t give Annie enough credit in that regard. I didn’t like how much weight Dev’s loss of virginity was given. However, the carnival summer vibes were amazing and I enjoyed most of the characterization. This is still my favorite King.

2018: This is definitely my favorite King so far. I loved the atmosphere of this so much! Apart from the ghosts and serial killer, this was a cozy and heartwarming read. The descriptions of Joyland reminded me a lot of The Night Circus, though Joyland is a much more realistic carnival experience by far. I enjoyed all of the characters and was invested in their stories. The ending also made me cry, which is always a good thing in my book. I really enjoyed this and so wish I could continue reading more Stephen King right now.

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sheryl_macca's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Stephen king has the unique ability to give you the very essence of a character in just one sentence. With a single phrase, mannerism or stance his characters are living, breathing people in the readers mind.

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.

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