Review: Joyride by Jack Ketchum

Review of the book “Joyride” by Jack Ketchum.

“Joyride” is a novel written by American author Jack Ketchum. Originally published in 1994, the work tells the story of a group of teenagers who embark on a weekend trip in one of their cars, but which soon turns into a nightmare of violence and death.

If you are a fan of the horror genre, you have surely heard of Jack Ketchum, one of the masters of contemporary horror. His novels are characterized by being raw, violent and disturbing, exploring the darkest corners of the human mind. Among his best-known works are The Girl Next Door, The Forest of the Damned and The Woman, all of them adapted to film with great success.

But today I want to talk to you about one of his lesser-known, but no less impressive, novels: Joyride. It is a psychological thriller that immerses us in a hellish journey along the roads of the United States, in which three people will be trapped in a spiral of violence and madness.

The story begins when Carole and Lee, a couple of lovers, decide to murder her ex-husband, a man who mistreated and humiliated her. What seems like a perfect crime becomes complicated when Wayne, a young waiter with a notebook full of names of people he hates, witnesses the murder and decides to follow them. Wayne has an unhealthy obsession with death and wants to learn from Carole and Lee, whom he considers his heroes. So he kidnaps them and forces them to accompany him on his joyride, his bloody walk through the country, in which he will kill anyone who crosses his path.

Joyride is a novel that does not leave you indifferent. It is a harsh, ruthless and uncompromising work, which portrays evil without filters or embellishments. Ketchum has a direct and agile style, which does not dwell on unnecessary descriptions or secondary subplots. Its objective is to create an oppressive and distressing atmosphere, in which the reader feels as trapped as the protagonists.

The characters are complex and contradictory, none of them are totally good or totally bad. Carole and Lee are victims and executioners at the same time, guilty of a crime but also subjected to a greater one. Wayne is the main villain, an unbalanced and cruel psychopath, but also a human being with his own traumas and frustrations. The only positive character is Detective Rule, who tries to hunt down Wayne and save Carole and Lee, even though he arrives too late.

Joyride is a novel that will make you tremble, but also reflect on human nature and the limits between good and evil. It is a work that will not leave you indifferent nor will it let you go until the end. If you like realistic and extreme horror stories, you can’t miss Joyride, by Jack Ketchum.

The novel opens with a seemingly innocent scene of teenagers hanging out at a McDonald’s, but as the story unfolds, Ketchum once again demonstrates his ability to create a steadily increasing sense of terror and tension.

The plot centers on two friends, Debra and Jimmy, who join a group of three teenagers for a weekend trip. The teens decide to steal a car and go on a road trip, but they soon realize that the car’s owner, a violent and dangerous man, is willing to do whatever it takes to get it back.

The novel moves quickly into dark and disturbing territory, with scenes of violence and sexual abuse that are difficult to read. Ketchum, however, does not use violence as an end in itself, but instead uses these moments to explore themes of cruelty, abuse of power, and the fragility of the human condition.

One of the things that makes “Joyride” so effective is Ketchum’s ability to create realistic, multifaceted characters. The teenagers who star in the novel are portrayed with great depth and complexity, which makes them feel like real people and not just archetypes of rebellious teenagers.

In short, “Joyride” is a dark, violent and disturbing work, but it is also a deeply human portrait of people who are trapped in extreme and dangerous situations. Ketchum is a master at creating tense atmospheres and handling difficult themes, and “Joyride” is an excellent example of his talents as a horror writer. However, this novel may not be suitable for all readers due to its graphic and violent content.