Returning To Joyland

Joyland Journal #6

Warm weather often brings me back to familiar Stephen King books.  I just finished reading a small pile of John Grisham books.  Good stuff.  And as I await the new books by King, I decided to return to a book I loved the first time through; Joyland.

I return a little hesitant.  Often when I really look forward to something, I come away disappointed.  Will I enjoy it as much as I did the first time through?  Here's what I've discovered in just the first few pages:

It's been long enough since I read Joyland, that the little twists, turns and even characters are not familiar to me.  So while I know the main thrust of the plot, the details are still vague enough to surprise and delight me again.  Devin's first visit to Joyland, meeting various characters -- all feel fresh and new, even though I've been here before.

Knowing the plot puts my mind to ease a bit.  I'm free to watch for other things and not just try to keep up with the mystery elements.

Returning to Joyland is a return to the 1970's.  I realized as I drove, listening as I went, that Joyland is special to me because I grew up int he 70's.  King perfectly captures the flavor of the era in his narration.  And in many ways, this book doesn't "feel" like a Stephen King book.  At least, not a modern King book.  This feels like something written by the kid who wrote The Stand, and Carrie.  But -- better.

Even with just the first few pages down, I can't believe how much I love this book.  Because it wasn't a big hardcover release, I'm afraid many readers will tend to overlook this little treasure.  Unlike Blockade Billy, which was a great read, but difficult to read over and over because once the surprise is sprung, it can't be unsprung -- Joyland has more staying power with the reader.

Will Joyland ever be a movie?  I hope so.  And I hope it correctly captures the sweet flavor of the book.

So, here I go on an old adventure down trails I love to travel.