The Funhouse
Published: 1980
Author: Dean Koontz (written as Owen West)
Genre: American, Contemporary, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literature, Mystery, Psychological, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
The Funhouse is a novelization by American author Dean Koontz based on a screenplay written by Larry Block alias Lawrence J. Block and adapted into the 1981 film The Funhouse, directed by Tobe Hooper. The book was released before the film since the film's production took longer than planned. Koontz first published the work under the pen name Owen West.
I initially read this book many years ago and truly enjoyed it. I've read it several times over the years since it's always excellent for a nice shock! However, the film adaptation fell flat and did not adequately convey the tale.
The audiobook edition was fantastic. Giving the characters voices brought this narrative to life. Although the story focused mostly on Amy, I appreciated how the author introduced you to Gina, Joey, and Liz. Their experiences all fit together nicely, and the backdrop leading up to Amy's ordeal was effectively handled.
The only thing I would have preferred is a bit more towards the end. It concluded with Liz doing what she thought was best for her circumstances, but I would have wanted to see Amy confront her mother Gina about the actual story behind the funhouse.
It's weird because the first time I read it, I related with the daughter because of her troubles with her mother, which were far more extreme than my own experiences with the individuals I met, and the second time I can't help but identify with the mother and genuinely feel empathy for her.
Overall, a nice novel. More for the story-telling component than for the shock value. Who knows, maybe I'll pick it up again in ten years. And, in my opinion, if you want to re-read and re-purchase the same book more than once, it says a lot. It has to be good.
I find that Koontz's characters must change and become more than they were when they were introduced, and there is usually a good reason for this. This work, on the other hand, appears to believe that character growth, as shallow as it appears to be, should please us despite of its lack of advancement.
The only slightly developed character in the entire novel is the two-dimensional daughter of a rigid religious mother, who becomes into the person she most feared: her mother, therefore degrading her own daughter with even more fervor and enthusiasm, albeit there is a good explanation for this. Even this character fades as the pages pass since there is no development, understanding, redemption, or even hope.
Mr. Koontz's best guess is that this woman periodically questions who she has become. There were a few times when I believed the light would alter this woman, as the real Dean Koontz could be seen molding her, but he immediately reverted to pen speed and lost any pretense of bringing this character forward.
This novel appears to have been put together from a succession of plot boards that may have appeared coherent but were just slapped together. Points of interest? Quite predictable.
Finally, an ancient and worn brush is used to paint the "Religious" woman. Novelists nowadays are either unfamiliar with actual spiritual characters or just refuse to depict any religious person as a three-dimensional, sane, reasonable, or even joyous individual.
I see why this lack of "normalcy" is associated with the characters of both religious ladies, but a little more investigation may have given this novel a true story point: salvation.
In a few words, I'll explain why it seems this way: it's a screenplay that Dean Koontz turned into a novel, so keep that in mind when reading this book, and don't blame him for its flaws.
This was a pleasant read, but it left me wanting much more, perhaps a hundred more pages. I desperately wanted the youngsters to inform their mother what had occurred. I was curious about what occurred as they grew up and had their own children. I sought to know if they will have regular children.
It took me three days to read it the first time when I was reading around ten other novels, but on the third day, I just proceeded from the hundredth page to the last page. I simply wish the finale continued through Amy and her brother exiting the funhouse. And I'd love to see a sequel to this novel, for which I've been waiting for years.
The narrative seemed to finish abruptly, leaving me wanting more. We seemed to end in the middle of the narrative rather than at the end. However, the reason for this sort of sentiment and tale is because it was taken from a script for a movie that was released after the novel rather than before it.
Final Thoughts
I agree with many of my friends that a better-developed finale might have been achieved with an additional 100 pages, but it remains one of my favorite Koontz readings.
The fact that it takes place in fictitious Coal County, PA makes you question if it's intended to be Coal Township in the Shamokin region or southwestern Pennsylvania. In any case, the characters are typical of small-town rural Pennsylvania, which adds to the amusement.
This is a fantastic book. I read it once when I was younger, then many times over the years, and now I'm listening to the audio version before writing the review. I didn't recall much about it back then, except that I enjoyed it. Reading it again, I see why I enjoyed it so much.
The tale is fine albeit a little predictable, but what I truly appreciated was the characters' well-developed depth. You have access to each of the primary characters' brains and consequently the motivation behind their acts.
Dean Koontz will send shivers down your spine. If a horror/paranormal writer can scare you to that extent, believe me when I say it's a truly terrifying read. As seen by his primary characters, Koontz is a superb storyteller and character developer.
Amy was conflicted until the very end when she matured and could distinguish between evil and everyday life. From beginning to end, The Funhouse is a captivating, enthralling novel that was impossible to put down for such boring duties as earning a livelihood.
I really suggest this book to any horror/paranormal readers. Congratulations, Mr. Koontz. Even with all of its imperfections, it is a fantastic story that I am proud to recommend to all Koontz aficionados and other readers.
Synopsis
“Evil comes in frightening and familiar forms in this terrifying novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz.
Once there was a girl who ran away and joined a traveling carnival. She married a man she grew to hate—and gave birth to a child she could never love. A child so monstrous that she killed it with her own hands...
Twenty-five years later, Ellen Harper has a new life, a new husband, and two normal children—Joey loves monster movies and Amy is about to graduate from high school. But their mother drowns her secret guilt in alcohol and prayer. The time has come for Amy and Joey to pay for her sins, because the carnival is coming back to town... “
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
AMC Plus Horror, Amy And Joey, Character Development, Derek Power, Derek Powers, Edge Of Your Seat, Funhouse Loose Ends, Good Read, Jack McDermott, Koontz Books, Largo Woodruff, Long Time, Miles Chapin, Odd Thomas, Owen West, Shawn Carson, Stephen King, Steven Bernhardt, Tobe Hooper, Years Later
Rating: 80/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
Buy the Kindle Version Here
Free With Free Audible Trial
The Funhouse (1981) (R)
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