Stephen King's Joyland is a blast from the past and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I believe part of my enchantment with this short (for King) novel has to do with my past life as a teenager living in Panama City Beach. I spent summers with my friends Magi, Carol, Chris, and Donna, visiting the Miracle Strip Amusement Park - a small, provincial theme park that was not unlike the Joyland park so lovingly described in King's thriller. You've probably been to this type of park...it could never compete with the commercialized and sanitized Disney and Universal theme parks; yet on a visceral level, a park like Joyland has the ability to transport you into a complex fantasy experience, complete with gypsy fortune tellers and an ultra-creepy horror house run by grizzled carnies.

The main character, Dev, is a hard-working, New England college kid who takes a summer job working at a run-down, rapidly fading amusement park in North Carolina. He's bummed out from a love affair that never really took off, and ready to get away and make some money for the upcoming school year. The story, set in 1973, totally resonated with me as a memory piece for the time frame, and also contains great storytelling and insight into the human condition. Take yourself on a spooky ride and visit Joyland yourself. Along the way you might find some chills when you realize that all is not as it seems, and that what is hidden will become revealed, whether or not you desire that outcome. 

I dread the day Stephen King no longer creates new works, but take comfort in knowing that I can re-read his books many times and still find new ideas and insights. He is a master storyteller!