Paperback Spotlight: Stephen King's "Joyland"

Frankly, I had some issues with Stephen King's latest effort, Joyland (Hard Case Crime), but they were of my own making. Despite understanding that Joyland is a crime novel, not a horror story, I was intent on the events depicted in the book becoming more creepy as I turned the pages. That did not happen, despite the presence of a ghost, albeit a friendly one. Joyland is set in coastal North Carolina during the early 1970s where Devin Jones finds work for himself far away from his home in New England. Devin, or Dev, is trying to forget a first, unrequited love, who clearly had no intention of becoming his girlfriend. Of course, young love blinds many of us and we refuse to see the truth until it smacks us in the face, so Dev is certainly not alone.

I would describe Joyland as more of a coming of age story than crime novel, complete with a character study of a solid young man who has faced difficult times, but keeps a sense of hopefulness about him which serves him well in his new job at an amusement park where the patrons expect to be treated to fun and excitement. In that respect, Joyland is aptly named. While Devin is at the center of events, many supporting characters are introduced along the way, including a wealth of carnival workers, Devin's father, and a potential new love interest for the protagonist. Casting a shadow on the everyday lives of the aforementioned characters is the alleged ghost of a young girl who was murdered at Joyland years earlier. Devin is intrigued and sometimes bordering on obsessed with the murder and sets out to uncover what really happened, since the killer was never apprehended. He enlists a few allies along the way, but the closer he gets to the truth, the more his life is in danger because the killer is someone he knows and who realizes that Devin is on to him or her.

Devin is certainly likable, but some of his actions border on being saintly, which I just did not believe. For instance, after saving a young girl's life, he is offered a cash reward, but turns it down, even though he needs the money for his college fund. His reasons for turning down the reward are also unselfish, but not completely believable. My point is that Devin is likable enough without the author trying to canonize him. On the other hand, I did enjoy the inclusion of a psychic character (what amusement park would be complete without one?), Madame Fortuna, who plays a major role in Devin's life, for better or for worse. Fortuna's presence also adds to the possible supernatural events surrounding Joyland and its suspenseful atmosphere.

In the first paragraph, I alluded to the fact that I initially had problems with Joyland. When I was 100 pages into the story, I wondered when something was going to happen with the ghost in the amusement park and when things were going to start getting creepy. They really never do, but that is not a criticism, since the story is more about Devin's journey in early adulthood. Joyland is a quick, easy and enjoyable read that would be perfect to take to the beach, where you could finish it in a few hours. Of course, reading it at a North Carolina beach may be appropriate, but not essential. Finally, reading Joyland brought back memories of West View Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania which I had the pleasure of attending as a young child in the 1970s. Unfortunately, many of those independent theme parks have gone the way of the dinosaur, but they still hold cherished memories for their patrons.