Those Summer Days…

Joyland by Stephen King

Devin Jones is a college student who needs money, so he takes a summer job working at the magical Joyland amusement park.  While there he makes friends with two of his coworkers and fellow boarders as well as saves the lives of two people.  For Devin Jones, that summer is something special.  He finds his calling bringing joy to children as a dancing dog and what started as a summer job turns into something Devin doesn’t want to give up.  But, as with all carny run amusement parks, there is more than just joy going on at Joyland.  Devin finds out about a murder that happened there years ago through the ghost stories the oldtimers tell about the haunted house ride…and the girl who haunts it.  As soon as Devin learns about the ghost he has to see her, and in his quest to see the ghost, solve her murder.

As I’m sure many other people have stated, this is not your usual Stephen King story. 

While there are a few of those tried and true Stephen King techniques: the ghost plays to the supernatural-horror, there’s a young dying child with psychic abilities that can see her, etc… the majority of the story does not revolve around these usual elements.  This is a crime story, with elements of noir and the dark, gritty worlds that these mysteries always revolve around.  If this book was simply a hard-case crime book by an unknown author it would still be good.  While Stephen King’s name sells books, he’s hardy resting on his reputation to publish mediocre books in a new genre.
Devin makes a likable hero, even if he is a little slow catching up to the criminal.  The story is told from the perspective of an older, adult Devin, and through his narrative we’re able to experience the desperation of the 20-something-year-old.  Devin is lost.  His mother is dead.  His girlfriend has dumped him for someone else.  He’s looking for his way in the world, desperate for things to start making sense, for his life to find a place.  We’ve all had those kinds of feelings about our lives, maybe brought on by different events, but with the same result.  This makes Devin almost an ‘everyman’ type character.  There is nothing  that makes him really extraordinary, he’s not gifted with the shining or a Sherlock Holmes crime solving ability.  This makes him undeniably relatable, and that alone makes the reader care about the story.

As usual Stephen King has also brought his talents for painting a scene into the novel and

 the country of Joyland comes together beautifully.  You can see he rides and the lights, smell the corndogs and cotton candy.  It’s like you’re living it.  From the second you start this book you will be pulled into not only the mystery but the life of Devin as he grows up.  What separates a good book from the truly excellent is how you think about it, and from the second you pick up this one instead of thinking “I really want to finish my book” you’ll be thinking “I really want to escape back to Joyland.”