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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/product_reviews/pr_id/113307-Joyland----By-King-Stephen--Author-on-Jun-04-2013--Paperback-
ASIN: B00DI3JOHG
ID #113307
Product Type: Book
Reviewer: Fivesixer
Review Rated: 18+
Amazon's Price: $ 7.81
Not currently available.
Product Rating:
  Setting:
  Story Plot:
  Characters:
  Author's Writing Style:
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Summary of this Book...
This is sort of a coming-of-age tale gone horribly wrong to an extent. A college student takes a summer job at an amusement park to get over his ex-girlfriend, but the place is pretty haunted. The narrator tells the story from a "looking back" perspective, almost as if he's reminiscing in parts. It's full of little quirks and sidebars and segues and nuggets of "huh?", but as far as stories that contain elements of murder, surprise, horror, and sexual tension go, it's pretty cool.
This type of Book is good for...
A nice summer read, if you're into mystery. It's not super-heavy on the gore and violence, and it doesn't beat you over the head with drawn-out scenes of murder or passion...it strikes a balance between horror and an almost-typical summer romance (there's a nice sub-plot with the main character and an older woman with a sick child). Everything- the sexy parts and the violent parts- is tasteful and well-conceived.
I especially liked...
Honestly, I liked the whole friggin' thing! It's a bit of a ride (no pun intended) and it's easy to get lost into. It's not long (283 pages in the paperback edition I read) but it's captivating and each chapter leaves you wanting to find out more. The narrator's folksy tone is warm and inviting, like a cool grandpa telling you about "that one summer" he always wishes he "could go back to". The imagery and attention to detail is spot-on and doesn't seem overdone; in fact, I'm not sure in places if it could've been done any better. And as I stated before, nothing is overdone detail-wise as far as violence or sex. I'd say it's suitable for a mature teenager who can handle the adult themes of sex and violence.
I didn't like...
The length...which isn't a bad thing, actually. As I mentioned, it's 283 pages, but it felt short and read fast. The pace seemed to be at war with itself sometimes...you felt like it was over too fast and could've gone on longer without loss of quality. It would've been interesting at 300, 500, or 800 pages, I get the feeling, and it doesn't seem like it would've taken any longer to get through.
When I finished reading this Book I wanted to...
...visit a theme park! I'm not a big "let's ride all the rides" guy, but I enjoy the atmosphere of theme parks and carnivals like some people like roller coasters. I like walking the midway and taking in the sights, sounds and even smells...and who doesn't enjoy people-watching? This book was like an episode of Scooby-Doo for adults, minus the dog and Mystery Machine, but leaving the violence uncensored and unedited. I wanted to be a part of the journey the characters were on.
This Book made me feel...
...nostalgic, and as I alluded to in the previous section, I wanted to be part of the story and hang out with everyone. I could see a lot of myself in Devon (the main character) in the way he handled many of the situations he was in, and he seemed like a decent guy who had some good times in what started off as an unfortunate summer (with the ending of his relationship).
The author of this Book...
Duh, Stephen King, bruh! I'm admittedly not a huge fan (I know, right?!) because I've always been more into comedy, biographies, and non-fiction, so when I read this it was based on a whim when I saw it at the library. I was not disappointed, and King is obviously the real deal...whatever you've heard about him, I believe it all to be true. Now if only I could bring myself to be interested in some of his more famous works...
I recommend this Book because...
Joyland is ultimately, without a doubt, a 100% satisfying read from cover to cover. There are but only a few books (mainly in the classics" category) I'll read more than once, and I think this is gonna wind up falling in that group sooner rather than later. It's got a little bit of everything: drama, suspense, humor, and things that might give you the creeps were they to happen to you in real time. It's not a heavy read, yet it's chock full of solid writing on each page. King doesn't take a paragraph off the entire book.
Further Comments...
Like I said, this was my introduction to King, and now I see why people love him so much. This is a book that doesn't take itself very seriously, yet manages to create intrigue and mystery without becoming a bloody mess. As someone who really doesn't read horror or mystery much, I could appreciate that and it's made me more willing to check out other King titles in the future. I hope if you haven't read this yet you'll find this as enjoyable as I did.
Created Jun 16, 2017 at 3:20pm • Submit your own review...

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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/product_reviews/pr_id/113307-Joyland----By-King-Stephen--Author-on-Jun-04-2013--Paperback-