Just finished this...

[ClaireB76]

I put Joyland back on the shelf after starting it many months ago. Like a few on this thread, I just couldn't get into it.

So it sat there. Until, a few days ago I thought, well this just isn't right. I need to finish it (having read most of SK's work). My thoughts? It's a strange book isn't it? not really what I expected at all. I agree that it picks up speed the more you read, but I was a little disappointed it all in all.

I don't know why this bothers me, but it does. It always does when I (rarely) can't get into an SK book. My next challenge and example of this is The Colorado Kid, which has sat on my shelf for months too, having been out down after around 20 pages....ah well...

Can't win em all SK

 

[mustangclaire]

Hey, can't love everything he's written eh... I really enjoyed Joyland mind.

 

[HollyGolightly]

I loved it. It was a very fast read. My husband didn't like it at all. It's been a book of great divide on the board.

 

[Bryan James]

The writing's a little "loose" for my reading taste, probably because it reminds me of my own stuff when I go for that old-school pulpy feel.

The story--always, always, ALWAYS the most important thing--seems to be shaping up fine.

I'm not that far into it. My opinion might change, and it's relatively worthless either way.

 

[morgan]

I put Joyland back on the shelf after starting it many months ago. Like a few on this thread, I just couldn't get into it.

So it sat there. Until, a few days ago I thought, well this just isn't right. I need to finish it (having read most of SK's work). My thoughts? It's a strange book isn't it? not really what I expected at all. I agree that it picks up speed the more you read, but I was a little disappointed it all in all.

I don't know why this bothers me, but it does. It always does when I (rarely) can't get into an SK book. My next challenge and example of this is The Colorado Kid, which has sat on my shelf for months too, having been out down after around 20 pages....ah well...

Can't win em all SK

I enjoyed Joyland more than The Colorado Kid. We all have our own SK faves!

 

[doowopgirl]

I actually preferred Colorado Kid. I thing the vibe was just weirder. I like Joyland even though it was a real departure.

 

[GNTLGNT]

...I like gum...

 

[Rrty]

Claire, we are in the same boat. I started reading this during the summer -- it has excellent summer atmosphere, I'll give it that -- and had to stop around page 95. The problem is, for me, it isn't what was advertised. The writing, though, is, as always, exemplary.

I started to pick up where I left off this week and I got to the part where Tom, Erin, and Devin ride "three to a caa" (for those who remember that) in the haunted house (in fact, I arrived there just this morning). Now, I am sure we'll see the inside of the haunted house later in the story, but I was excited for this moment because I figured this is where the tale would pick up, that King would describe in detail the trio's ride inside the attraction. Unfortunately, they got on, and we cut to the exit of the ride immediately thereafter. Not bad in terms of a pacing device, but I was disappointed. The narrative, at least up until the part I am at, needed more plot and less character studies for the mainstream. Perhaps those needs will be met later.

 

[prufrock21]

It happens with Stephen King. It's called a SK wormhole. To get out of it, you have to read something by Bachman. May I suggest Rage.

 

[skimom2]

It happens with Stephen King. It's called a SK wormhole. To get out of it, you have to read something by Bachman. May I suggest Rage.

And I'm of the opposite mind None of the Bachman books really rang any bells for me besides Blaze (and that was so heavily influenced by Steinbeck that I couldn't NOT love it). I don't hate them, but they're all sort of mid to lower list for me.

 

[prufrock21]

I would suggest The Dark Tower but then you might fall in deeper.

 

[Manxkitti]

My neighbor bought Joyland for me a couple weeks ago just for going to the Apple store with her because her computer crashed (there is a Barnes and Noble store next door, lol.) I resisted getting it because I thought I wouldn't enjoy it, but I actually did.

We do have our favorites. The Tommyknockers is the one I have a hard time reading. I get 50 or 60 pages into it, and I just can't get into it. I go onto something else, lol.

 

[Mr.Ace]

I liked it, I read it the whole story in three days. This book has slow pace in the beginnig (all that stuff about Devin's former girlfriend, etc.) and then it's speeding up, so you just can't come off from it.