A review by lunababybat
Joyland by Stephen King

emotional funny informative mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

So good. Is it a bit of a campy horror? Yeah. But it's short for a King book and it still packs a punch. It was more of a slice of life tale with a pinch of paranormal, mystery, and horror sprinkled in here or there. I love the characters, the mystery was pretty good, and it tugged at my heartstrings at the very end. I'm happy we got such a realistic narrator, someone who is flawed but inherently human. Everyone was realistic and likeable; even the killer, which made it even more of a punch once you realized who it was. I really recommend this for anyone who wants to experience King's style without having to read 600+ pages (and tbh, the characters really are some of his best in my opinion, sometimes he has trouble with making people flushed out and likeable).