Scan barcode
glynis's review against another edition
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 against another edition
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 against another edition
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.
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 against another edition
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.
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 against another edition
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.
midici's review against another edition
4.0
This book, like all Stephen King books, began existence by appearing spontaneously within a box of used books. Judging the book by it's cover, I assumed that this was one of his older works. I only got 20 pages in before I realized that I was probably wrong, and flipped to the beginning to see this book came out 2013. Then I really got into the story and stopped thinking about anything else.
Joyland is a delight. It's a who-dunnit crime novel involving a murder mystery, a haunted amusement park, and a heart-broken college kid. It has a wonderful cast of characters. I loved the details in the story, the secretive sort of second skin to the amusement park that only the workers knew: the slang, the underground tunnels, the close-knit teams of workers... Even with all the clues laid out for the readers I honestly didn't clue in until the very last minute which was great. I loved being surprised by the answers and then retroactively remembering all the clues that I had previously missed.
Joyland is a delight. It's a who-dunnit crime novel involving a murder mystery, a haunted amusement park, and a heart-broken college kid. It has a wonderful cast of characters. I loved the details in the story, the secretive sort of second skin to the amusement park that only the workers knew: the slang, the underground tunnels, the close-knit teams of workers... Even with all the clues laid out for the readers I honestly didn't clue in until the very last minute which was great. I loved being surprised by the answers and then retroactively remembering all the clues that I had previously missed.