Joyland

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Michael Kelly

Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

"Joyland is a breathtaking, beautiful, heartbreaking book.... Even the most hardboiled readers will find themselves moved."
—Charles Ardai, Edgar- and Shamus Award-winning editor of Hard Case Crime.

Set in a small-town North Carolina amusement park in 1973, Joyland tells the story of the summer in which college student Devin Jones comes to work as a carny and confronts the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and the ways both will change his life forever. Joyland is a brand-new novel and has never previously been published.

©2013 Stephen King. All rights reserved. (P)2013 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ignore negative reviews

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Great book. Not predictable imo. I. Finished it in 2 days because I couldn't stop listening!

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It is not a tense nail biter. It is just good. Stephen King crafts a world that you find yourself feeling a part of.only his books have created such a sense of feeling part of the story.

Which character – as performed by Michael Kelly – was your favorite?

They are all good. But he does a great ny jewish mother.

If you could take any character from Joyland out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Milo. But theres a catch.....the Jesus kite has to come too..

Any additional comments?

Awesome read for any time of the year. A lot of reviews say great summer read but I think its good for any season.

Enjoy a Mystery by Kind that is Not so Scary

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

Top 25%

What other book might you compare Joyland to and why?

Don't know

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

No

If you could rename Joyland, what would you call it?

I would not rename it

Any additional comments?

Sometimes King books drag with too much detail, but this was a fast paced who done it that was completely enjoyable.

Wow! You did it again Mr. King.

A wonderfull story performed beautifully. This is a book i will read again. loved it.

Awesome

I really enjoyed this book , I would highly recommend it to people who want to go with lighter horror of Stephen King. The story was very interesting and the narration was well done.

A Masterpiece.

Would you listen to Joyland again? Why?

Absolutely. I could listen to this story again and again.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Joyland?

Mike's trip to Joyland.

Which character – as performed by Michael Kelly – was your favorite?

The whole cast of characters.

Who was the most memorable character of Joyland and why?

Mike. For a kid dealt such a terrible hand he had such an amazing outlook on life, and a great personality and sense of humor. He's such a good kid.

Outstanding Old School King

Sometimes you read a book that makes you realize that you over-rated the other books you've been reading. This is one of those. King's storytelling is so descriptive and his characters so crisp, you quickly remember that he is head and shoulders above most of the rest. This is only slightly a horror story, but more a coming of age story. It sucked me in from the start, and I loved every minute of it.

Optimistic and unexpected

Really enjoyed the story, how it was told and above all the kindness of Devon being more of a theme than the evil of "the Joyland killer".

Undoubtedly one of the best books I've ever "read"!

I was a little dubious when I bought this book but wow! I listened to it and immediately listened to it again. It was so well done, I mean from the writing all the way to the narration! Richly plotted, awesome characters, excellent storyline, and the narrative was so well done that I could actually picture the characters interacting. I just say enough good about this book. I also intend to purchase it for my nook so that I will have it to read as well. I would recommend this book to you whether you have never read King or have already read everything else he's ever written. Even though I have read nearly everything he has ever written and I know that he is a genius I was still amazed at the quality of this story. He really keeps getting better and better! I can't wait to see what's next!

Whatta Ride!

Would you listen to Joyland again? Why?

I would. I love the story - and equally important - the narration. Michael Kelly's reading feels like the book was written to tell *his* story. I thought he was able to emulate King's written narrative spot on. I felt I was listening to Devin Jones tell it like it was back then. Depth to character without sounding trite and forcefully deep. Sadly I didn't see other books in Audible read by Michael Kelly. Checked IMDB and couldn't confirm other works there, either. As mysterious as the killer he is...

What does Michael Kelly bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

See first paragraph. He brought the narrative to life like nobody's business. I would be certain to listen to any other works read by Michael Kelly - but apparently there are none.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yep, but too much of a spoiler alert to even hint. You gotta hear the carny tell it - hear Michael Kelly the carny tell it.

Supernatural takes the back seat in a great story.

This is a lighter, softer version of King I really enjoyed. More Hallmark than Hell.