A review by zakcebulski
Joyland by Stephen King

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0


Well this was an interesting read, that is for sure.
This is the first of two (I believe) books published under Hard Case Crime as part of their "hardboiled" detective crime series.
Admittedly I was unsure what to expect when I saw this book- was it going to be a complete departure from King's usual works? Was it going to be a hardboiled detective work with King's usual flair for characters and dialogue full of vulgarity?
Well... no, to put it simply and succinctly. This book takes place from the point of view of Devin Jones a 21 year old guy who recently had his heart broken. In an effort to escape the feelings of heartbreak and loneliness, coupled with the malcontent of a life he is unsure and unhappy with, he opts to go to the titular Joyland- an amusement park where he works as a carny.
This is actually the part of the story that enticed me to read this book. The setting of a crime book that takes place in an amusement park? After the toy factory in Child's Play or the research center in The Thing I don't know if I can think of a setting for a horror work that would draw me in more.
But, to be honest, there is not much horror in this horror book- at least not in the sense that I think of when I think of King.
There is, supposedly, a haunted house that is actually haunted by the ghost of a young girl who is murdered while inside the house. That in itself is horrific, especially when it is discovered that the murderer is likely responsible for four certain other murders and is never caught. But, to be completely honest, the resolution of this book with the reveal being one of the carnies that befriends Devin immediately- Lane- being the killer fell flat for me. As soon as he was introduced I had a feeling that he would have something to do with the crime, and lo-and-behold- he did.

I also felt that the inclusion of Annie and Mike- a single mother and her son who is ailing with muscular dystrophy- was sort of half baked. In fact, that is my main gripe with the story is that most of these characters feel like they were very one dimensional. This is a critique that I never give to King's works, and I think because this book is by King and I know his characters are usually a strong point, that I am so disappointed with the showing here. It is odd, if this book was just another hardboiled crime novel, I would have likely liked it much more, or, at least, would not feel as harshly toward it.
I will say that the scene with Mike, Annie and Devin in Joyland exploring and experiencing carefree jubilation is one of my favorite passages of any fiction book that I have read recently. 
Overall, this book was cool, but, it is definitely one that left me wanting more. It is unfortunately full of forgettable characters and a conclusion that didn't really mesh well with the vibe that King established with this book being a coming of age story. 


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