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A review by lethaldose
Joyland by Надя Баева, Stephen King, Stephen King
5.0
Loved this book and loved the audio performance by Michael Kelly.
This is not a Stephen King horror novel, there is a bit of the paranormal and supernatural in it. But it is mostly a coming of age story with a crime story at it's heart.
For me there is one thing that Stephen King has always been better at than any other writer ever, making believable and interesting characters. That is on full display here, you don't love all the characters but you are drawn to all of them and you find each of them fascinating. Devin the main character is likable and relatable, while we can't really relate to the adventure and intrigue of his 21st year, we can certainly relate to dealing with our first heartbreak and trying to find yourself in your early twenties. Joyland and the surrounding community is populated by people that it is a true shame that you don't get to know better.
For Stephen King this is actually a fast paced story, world building here is sufficient but is kept to a minimum, this being one of King's short books. You almost never see what is coming next in the story and each twist feels exciting because of it. This is the kind of book you just crawl into and enjoy the journey.
If you're a Stephen King fan this book is a must, and I would still recommend it to anyone that didn't like Stephen King books. because it is just far enough off from his normal style that it wouldn't matter.
This is not a Stephen King horror novel, there is a bit of the paranormal and supernatural in it. But it is mostly a coming of age story with a crime story at it's heart.
For me there is one thing that Stephen King has always been better at than any other writer ever, making believable and interesting characters. That is on full display here, you don't love all the characters but you are drawn to all of them and you find each of them fascinating. Devin the main character is likable and relatable, while we can't really relate to the adventure and intrigue of his 21st year, we can certainly relate to dealing with our first heartbreak and trying to find yourself in your early twenties. Joyland and the surrounding community is populated by people that it is a true shame that you don't get to know better.
For Stephen King this is actually a fast paced story, world building here is sufficient but is kept to a minimum, this being one of King's short books. You almost never see what is coming next in the story and each twist feels exciting because of it. This is the kind of book you just crawl into and enjoy the journey.
If you're a Stephen King fan this book is a must, and I would still recommend it to anyone that didn't like Stephen King books. because it is just far enough off from his normal style that it wouldn't matter.