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Joyland

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Joyland

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Michael Kelly
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About this listen

"I love crime, I love mysteries, and I love ghosts," says Stephen King, who has combined these elements into a wonderful new story. Joyland is a whodunit noir crime novel and a haunting ghost story set in the world of an amusement park.

It tells the story of the summer in which college student Devin Jones comes to work as a 'carny' in small-town North Carolina and has to confront the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and the way both will change his life forever. It is also a wonderful coming-of-age novel about friendship, loss, and your first heartbreak. Who dares enter the funhouse of fear?

©2013 Stephen King (P)2013 Schuster Audio Coming of Age Crime Crime Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Ghosts Historical Horror Modern Detectives Mystery Traditional Detectives Haunted Scary Heartfelt Detective Fantasy Paranormal

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Critic reviews

"A beautiful book, warm and honest, about a boy becoming a man, and his tempered transformation really does pack a punch… In short, Joyland is a joy." (Niall Alexander, Tor)
"An engrossing and ultimately uplifting tale" (Rhian Drinkwater, SFX)
" Joyland describes being young with the necessary vigour, and the slow agony with which a broken heart heals with the necessary tenderness." Laurence Phelan, The Independent)
"What makes King special is that he's an unusually imaginative horror writer who's as interested in characterisation as he is in fright." (Tom Cox, Daily Express)
All stars
Most relevant

Before I review this book it's only fair to say I am a huge SK fan.

Joyland is a crime thriller set in an amusement park in 1973 told (flashback style) by Dev in 2013.

This story really grabs you and is typical SK (in a good way).

Just a few more weeks to wait now for Doctor Sleep, but if you are a King (or crime) fan get this book... you won't regret it.

Superb

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Not a typical Stephen King but nostalgic and romantic with a little background mystery. the 70s carnival scene very evocative. The narrator was perfect.

Fantastic

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Like one of the reviews if you are a big Stephen king fan then you do expect much more from Mr king, it was a little short for what we are used to but its a good little story and made me cry so I think it deserves a five.

Joyland Stephen King

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If you could sum up Joyland in three words, what would they be?

Easy, interesting, simple

What did you like best about this story?

The main character was easy to associate with and the descriptions of the language used was interesting.

Have you listened to any of Michael Kelly’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Never heard him before, but would listen out for him again, very good narrator!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, and too be fair it could be, lacked the usual depth of King's novels, but moved well.

Any additional comments?

If you want a book that does not require too much thought and you have not listened to one of Stephen Kings none horror novels, then this is a good starting point.

Easy listening, but not one of his classics!

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Where does Joyland rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Amongst the top 10

What was one of the most memorable moments of Joyland?

The descriptive aspwct of the first dog dance

What about Michael Kelly’s performance did you like?

Intonation was apt.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Emancipation

Any additional comments?

Thanks again Stephen.

Thriller delight

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