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zoth's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
trin's review against another edition
4.0
The psychic kid is stock Stephen King, the mystery and ghost feel almost like afterthoughts, but the atmosphere of the amusement park and the ruminations on life, death, depression, and love were really wonderful. I kind of wish King had let this be the realistic novel I think it wanted to be -- but I'm glad I finally read it regardless.
clynnbevens's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
papaswole's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mcgoogle12's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bookmar0's review against another edition
5.0
4.5, la façon dont je me lasserai jamais de la plume de stephen king c'est abusé, même un roman court comme ça il arrive à nous faire rentrer dans l'histoire dès les premières pages j'adore cet homme
tyler_dickson's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Awful book that has every negative Stephen King trope without any positive elements to counterbalance them.
It’s filled to the brim with dull, flat characters. King clearly wrote the dialogue on autopilot. The description is clunky, and we never have a good sense of how the locations in the park relate to each other. It’s hard to get your bearings.
Devin Jones is a boring 21-year-old kid, but he’s not boring like most younger people who are boring because they’ve not experienced much; he’s boring because he has zero character traits, and King writes him as this perfect, moral kid who never makes a wrong decision.
Every female character has their breasts, butt, and figure described—even during moments of extreme distress. King has a heavy interest in this character navigating the sexual landscapes of young adulthood, but he’s so awkward with it that it turns into fantasy rather than any coming-of-age “how I lost my virginity” story.
A dull mystery at the heart of the story serves as nothing more than an occasional “Oh yeah, aren’t we supposed to be doing something in this book?” rather than a narrative that pushes you to keep turning pages. 90% of the investigation occurs offscreen with a character who is not the main character!
Only read this if, like me, you love carnival settings and carnies. The one positive aspect of the book is that King lets the scenes in the carnival breathe, and he did a decent amount of research into how an amusement park in the 70s would have been constructed. I enjoyed reading the pages where Devin or another character works on the rides or games at the park.
I would skip this book and read Nightmare Alley by William Lindsey Gresham instead. There’s also an incredible film adaptation from 1947 starring Tyrone Power that will knock your socks off. It’s a must-read and a must-watch.
It’s filled to the brim with dull, flat characters. King clearly wrote the dialogue on autopilot. The description is clunky, and we never have a good sense of how the locations in the park relate to each other. It’s hard to get your bearings.
Devin Jones is a boring 21-year-old kid, but he’s not boring like most younger people who are boring because they’ve not experienced much; he’s boring because he has zero character traits, and King writes him as this perfect, moral kid who never makes a wrong decision.
Every female character has their breasts, butt, and figure described—even during moments of extreme distress. King has a heavy interest in this character navigating the sexual landscapes of young adulthood, but he’s so awkward with it that it turns into fantasy rather than any coming-of-age “how I lost my virginity” story.
A dull mystery at the heart of the story serves as nothing more than an occasional “Oh yeah, aren’t we supposed to be doing something in this book?” rather than a narrative that pushes you to keep turning pages. 90% of the investigation occurs offscreen with a character who is not the main character!
Only read this if, like me, you love carnival settings and carnies. The one positive aspect of the book is that King lets the scenes in the carnival breathe, and he did a decent amount of research into how an amusement park in the 70s would have been constructed. I enjoyed reading the pages where Devin or another character works on the rides or games at the park.
I would skip this book and read Nightmare Alley by William Lindsey Gresham instead. There’s also an incredible film adaptation from 1947 starring Tyrone Power that will knock your socks off. It’s a must-read and a must-watch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Rape
Moderate: Chronic illness and Child death