[.ca] Skinny Dip (ISBN 0739320874)

Here's the deal . . .:
Normally one to stick with some national bestseller or cult classic such as "Da Vinci Code" or "Katzenjammer" (McCrae), I was recommend this book by a friend. Thank goodness it wasn't a bad recommendation. I loved it from cover to cover. Fans of Hiassen's clever wit and descriptive storytelling will find Skinny Dip a quick read, but the overall book lacks some depth. The plot progression is a bit predictable and the characters aren't as interesting as in other Hiassen novels. As always with Hiaasen, underneath the laughs here are a lot of anger and sadness. He makes the reader uneasy about the fate of our rapidly disappearing wilderness. His usual culprits are land developers, corrupt politicians and judges, carpetbaggers, and sometimes, promoters and tourists (e.g., Tourist Season). This time, he skewers as corrupted by corporate greed the scientific establishment that supposedly is trying to save what little is left of the Everglades. Let's hope his books awaken some sense of urgency or shame in the powers that be. On the other hand, let's not hold our breaths. Also, try the novels SKIN TIGHT (another great Hiaasen work), KATZENJAMMER (McCrae at his best), and the rapid-fire funny David Sedaris book, NAKED. All are great and worth every cent. You can't go wrong with any of these. I also plan to read ALL of Hiassen's works!

Hilarious!:
Chaz Perrrone is one big loser. A man who never would have attained his doctorate without the help of family connections. A marine biologist who doesn't even now which way the Gulf Stream runs. As proof of what a total idiot this man is, he decides to kill the one good thing in his life, his wife Joey, by throwing her over the side of a cruise liner during their anniversary cruise. But Chaz seems to have forgotten Joey is an athlete who swam for her college team. His reason: he thinks she's onto the fact that he is doctoring water samples for Red Hammernut, a millionaire farmer dumping fertilizer contaminants into the Everglades. Joey literally clings to life via a bale of marijuana and is plucked from the ocean by Mick Stranahan, former investigator now island beach bum. Instead of reporting Chaz to the police, Joey decides to get him back with the help of Mick. And the fun really starts! This is one of the wackiest books I've ever read. The characters are off the wall, from Tool, a hairy giant walking around with a bullet up his rear,to the investigating detective, Karl Rolvaag, a misplaced Norwegian who pines for the calmer life of Minnesota. Kind of like reading a Southern Fargo. The dialogue is great, the plot fun, and the read one I definitely did not want to end.

Can I have my wasted time back please?:
I don't know. Maybe this book wasn't written for people like me because after reading some of the reviews here, and even in speaking with some, everyone seems to speak highly of Carl Hiaasen. But me, I wish I could have the week's worth of evenings back that I spent reading this book. Simply put, I didn't find the book funny. For someone who is supposed to be an author who writes with humour, I had a hard time laughing at anything in this book. And the characters? It is really heard to believe that anyone in the world is as simple-minded as the characters he writes about. Now I know this is supposed to be fiction. And I know that because it is fiction, I should give the author a bit of leeway. But even so. I've read countless other fictional books and each one of those the author has managed to convey real characters. So why couldn't Hiaasen manage to do it here? And this really is too bad too, because the underlying plot (bad guy dumping chemicals into an environmentally sensitive area and trying to cheat the system) is a good one. I just wish Hiaasen had managed to do more with it. Suffice to say this is my first and last Hiaasen book.

Wacky:
I noticed no one star ratings on this book, and for good reason. It's really a lot of fun. Now, if you don't enjoy over the top books, stop reading now and don't think about purchasing Skinny Dip, because that's exactly what you'll get. Hiaasen has a way of mixing religious nuts, villians, humor, underlying serious situations, and truth all in one big happy mess of a good time. He might be a lot of things, but boring is not one of them. The characters: Chaz--the scum-bag husband who tosses his wife overboard. Joey--the tossed overboard wife. Mick Stranahan--the ex-cop who rescues the wife---no I'm not giving anything away. Throw in some Everglades polluters and corrupt politicians and you've got the recipe for a great funny read. The only reason I'm not giving this a full five stars is that it took me a while to get into. The writing style takes about then pages to get used to and Hiassen has to warm you up first, which is understandable. Okay, that's fine, but I wished it had whisked along a bit faster. This is not the first Hiassen novel I've read, but the first I've reviewed. I did like his SICK PUPPY and TOURIST SEASON better, but unlike other author who you need to be introduced to before getting into they style, you can start with any Hiassen book. Would also very highly recommend the novels ANOTHER ROADSIDE ATTRACTION and the wonderful and witty DOUBLE WHAMMY. Also, if you want to check out Christopher Moore's books, those are along the same line as Hiassen's. Either way you cut it, you can't lose.

Take a dip:
This is my first Cal Hiaasen book. I'm glad I read SKINNY DIP. It is Wacky with a capital W. Joey Perrone is murdered by her sleazy marine biologist Chaz on their second anniversary cruise vacation. Well, Chaz thinks he's killed her, but Mick Stranahan, former detective, rescues Joey from the Gulf waters. Together they "gaslight" Chaz Perone and he doesn't know what hit him. Strangely Joey is all at sea as to her husband's motive for murder. Some things in this book seem expected such as the romance between Stranahan and Joey, but the secondary characters, they're something else! Karl Rolvaag, the detective assigned to Joey's case loves snakes and he would rather live in the frozen tundra of Minnesota than the steamy jungles of Florida. The apish Tool, who becomes rather endearing at the end. There is an underlying theme regarding the environment in the form of the Florida Everglades and its erosion. This theme is personified in a real interesting, enigmatic character called the Captain. He is a Vietnam vet, but he is also the Greenman or Wild Man of mythology. What a great character and what a great, fun story. Also recommended: CHILDREN'S CORNER by Jackson McCrae. A brilliant collection that will keep you up at night. And try the novel GLASS CASTLE for something really different. If you're like me, you don't like to read the same genre over and over, and these two books are completely different yet just as good as SKINNY DIP.