Ive always been a fast reader. Honestly, I can read a tome in a few days---no problem. Part of my issue is having a little one; when your kids are little, it is difficult to read.
These sound like excuses...in truth, I can't tell you why it took me so long to finish Joyland, but I'll try.
It was a good little novel, complete with all of the usual Stephen King characters and colloquialisms. As an English teacher, I look for the basic elements of plot in any book. That and the central point of conflict. King's novels are normally a rich mixture of plot and characterization, and Joyland may be the exception here. I don't want to have to hide this little commentary behind a spoiler, so I will say that this was a very character driven book. I enjoy the first person point of view; a technique few can successfully pull off. I also like the little hearts marking the top and the bottom of each section.
Oh heck ....here
These sound like excuses...in truth, I can't tell you why it took me so long to finish Joyland, but I'll try.
It was a good little novel, complete with all of the usual Stephen King characters and colloquialisms. As an English teacher, I look for the basic elements of plot in any book. That and the central point of conflict. King's novels are normally a rich mixture of plot and characterization, and Joyland may be the exception here. I don't want to have to hide this little commentary behind a spoiler, so I will say that this was a very character driven book. I enjoy the first person point of view; a technique few can successfully pull off. I also like the little hearts marking the top and the bottom of each section.
Oh heck ....here
this whole book is basically a flashback sequence, and a good one at that. I can't tell you what an utter joy it was to read about places I'm so thoroughly familiar with, like UNH and the dining hall, and Hamilton Smith (the actual English department building). Even Joyland itself carried a hint of Canobie Lake, a New England amusement park. His description of the little secret passages for Howie throughout Joyland were enticing; almost as though the reader were privy to inside information(that and all the carny talk). I lived (loved....silly autocorrect)this book!