A review by lauraspages
The Creative Writing Coursebook: Forty Authors Share Advice and Exercises for Fiction and Poetry by Julia Bell

I can’t explain it but Joyland gave me all of the same feelings as The Body, or even 11/22/63 in miniature. I loved this book! It explores so many things in so few pages. Yes, it’s a murder mystery but it’s also about first love, first heartbreak, coming of age and is a little bit speculative. Speaking of which: does Mike have “the shining”? I know King’s books are all linked in some way and I couldn’t spot any other link besides this possibility! I loved the carnie vernacular, the 70s Americana vibe and the bitter sweet ending.