Reviews

Joyland by Stephen King

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daisymaytwizell's review against another edition

4.0

Short, sweet and pacy. Coming of age story meets amateur detective novel, with a fun setting in the amusement park and a Shining-esque element that could thread it into the rest of King's canon. Fun read, would recommend!

Small warning for language though, Mike's disability isn't always discussed with the best phrases. Although sometimes that is more of a character condemnation than an actual error.

sconroy9697's review against another edition

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4.0

This is something I never would have picked up. But, I heard King talking about it on NPR & it sounded good. I really liked it. It is the story of a young man working at a amusement park & figuring out his life. It reminded me of my year working at Knott's Berry Farm when I was 19. It just has a little bit of crime & ghosts mixed in.

emiiz's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-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

Content Warnings

eyeball83's review against another edition

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mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

kflinn182's review against another edition

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5.0

A nice change of pace from SK. A slice of life novel that is an easy and rather quick read painting a nostalgic picture of youth and growing up... with a little murder thrown in for good measure. A quick read with fun characters, perfect for balancing out some of King’s more intense stories.

4.5/5

pagingdrmudkip's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense 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

The last good time always comes. I’m still seething about the idea that a story about a down on his luck young man, recently dumped, spending his summer as a carnival worker, evoked emotions of mortality, grief, and hope.

Say what you want about King, but the man is a master of painting genuine human emotion, particularly in children. Maybe it is because of the similar nature of feeling lost, like the main character, but I am profoundly connected to this story.

While not full blown horror at its core, the supernatural still manages to squeeze itself in into Joyland, giving you just enough to satiate your spirits.

If you’re any fan of mysteries or appetizer-level ghost stories, I implore you to give this one a shot. While it may not be considered King’s “best”, it certainly is up there for me.