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Summary: Florida's Dumbest Criminals are on the loose!
Review: Not to mention wild animals, a couple of wily prostitutes, a young man who juggles skulls for relaxation, a bride who falls in love with another man on her honeymoon, and an ex-governor who resides in the woods and lives off roadkill. Sounds crazy? Well this is one crazy book!A hurricane has blown through south Florida and in its wake has unleashed every manner of con artist hoping to make a buck off the residents. Also on the prowl are several people who have a serious bone to pick with Tony Torres, the former Salesman of the Year for PreFab Luxury Homes. It seems the seventy-seven double wides Tony sold to earn the award did not stand up to the force of the hurricane and these people are slightly upset about it. Especially mobster Ira Jackson whose mother was killed by a flying barbecue grill and Levon Stichler, an elderly resident whose deceased wife's ashes are now gone with the wind. This is the first novel I have read by Carl Hiaasen and I loved it. He has a very offbeat sense of humor which really works well with his characters, and a zanier bunch I have never encountered! If you've never read anything by Hiaasen before then pick up one his books soon. You are missing a treat ( and lots of laughs!)
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Summary: Another hit by Hiaasen!
Review: Hiaasen has done it again with Stormy Weather. This is the second book of his that I've read this week, and both have been a complete joy. The books revolves around a couple going through their first marital problems, and on their honeymoon of all times! A hurricane has ravaged south Florida and it brings out the worst in everyone. Hiaasen once again brings Skink into his story. Skink is a fun and colorful character that gave up on politics to live the life of a recluse in the everglades. He is appalled by what is happening to Florida and every once in a while goes off the deep end. The story is fast passed, and kept me interested from cover to cover. The characters are well developed and I found myself truly feeling for the good guys, and repulsed by the bad guys. Over all I found this to be a very easy read, and very entertaining.
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Summary: Wacky, wacky stuff
Review: "Stormy Weather" is just plain wacky. Carl Hiaasen deftly casts a diverse group of characters whose only common bond is being in post-hurricane ravaged Florida. But this bond inescapably links these characters in a land of moral destitution and the book details their life changing and in some cases life ending experiences. This book walks the fine line between zany and bizarre; going just far enough to test the even the limits of fiction without going as far as insult. It keeps you laughing throughout the outlandish journey. I don't think I could stomach a steady diet of Hiaasen tales, but it hits the spot for those looking for a lite but entertaining snack. A very good story and inventive fiction. I recommend this book.
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Summary: Quirky fun in the aftermath of a hurricane
Review: I lived through several hurricanes when I was a child living on the coast, and this book by Carl Hiaasen makes me feel just like I'm living through them again. That's not a criticism of the book, but a statement to show how accurate this story is to the type of events he describes. And the hurricane is really only the beginning of this story, providing a very surreal and interesting setting for the adventures that follow. The story is a mixture of organized crime, insurance fraud, escaped wildlife (rampaging monkeys, primarily), and a young couple on their honeymoon in Disneyworld drawn into the seedy underbelly of South Florida. Some of Mr. Hiaasen's most memorable characters are in this book, not this least of which is his recurring character who goes by the name of Skink. A true anti-hero, Skink is an ex-governor of Florida who decided to throw it all away for a life of homeless bliss deep within the Everglades. He emerges in this story because of his abiding belief that a hurricane might someday wipe Florida clean of the greed and corruption infesting it. He hangs around to kidnap an advertising executive and teach him the error of his ways. And he ends up as one of the most beloved characters Carl Hiaasen has ever invented. This book really has it all (romance, danger, natural disaster, deadly criminals, bumbling criminals, and even skull juggling) and is the perfect book to read when starting a tropical vacation somewhere. It's definitely beach reading, and if you can't get to a beach, it's the perfect book to make you feel like heading for a beach.
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Summary: Wacky, wacky stuff
Review: "Stormy Weather" is just plain wacky. Carl Hiaasen deftly casts a diverse group of characters whose only common bond is being in post-hurricane ravaged Florida. But this bond inescapably links these characters in a land of moral destitution and the book details their life changing and in some cases life ending experiences. This book walks the fine line between zany and bizarre; going just far enough to test the even the limits of fiction without going as far as insult. It keeps you laughing throughout the outlandish journey. I don't think I could stomach a steady diet of Hiaasen tales, but it hits the spot for those looking for a lite but entertaining snack. A very good story and inventive fiction. I recommend this book.
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Summary: Laugh-out-loud funny
Review: In this comic mystery novel, Carl Hiaasen has created a cast of zany characters whose paths cross in the aftermath of a devastating Florida hurricane. Hiaasen masterfully blends a sharp wit with hints of social criticism in a writing style that is truly distinctive. As a Florida resident, I am most impressed with Hiaasen's ability to capture the essence of Florida's unique "culture" in his writing. Not to mention the crazy characters he creates and the wild situations in which he places them makes for some highly entertaining reading!
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Summary: Great read!!
Review: One of the most enjoyable books I have read in quite some time.Hiaasen has taken an amazing cast of characters and woven them into a plot line that keeps you guessing and laughing at the same time. I was hooked after about 5 pages and couldn't put the book down. This was the first book by Hiaasen that i've read, but certainly not the last.
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Summary: vintage Hiaasen: Miami plagued with loonies, post-hurricane
Review: Carl Hiaasen's books fall largely in the domain of "if you've read one of them, you've read them all". This is especially true of the characterizations, but thankfully not the wacky story lines. And Hiaasen has a hiliarious way with words, which can sometimes be rather vulgar (yes, some folks might be offended). In Stormy Weather we have greedy out-of-towners and locals trying to make a fast buck after a hurricane wipes out half of Miami. Of course these folks are violent, crude, and more often than not do not get their way due to hilarious mishaps. Hiaasen is well-known for his hatred of crooked politicians, racists, polluters, and big business. And in Stormy Weather all these elements suffer rather badly, to no surprise. Bottom line: while it doesn't hold a candle to his classics (Skin Tight, Strip Tease), Stormy Weather stands firmly among Hiaasen's better works. Recommended.
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Summary: Forgive me, but I just can't resist anything by Carl Hiaasen
Review: I mean, I can't really give one of his books 5 stars, because somehow I think that accolade ought to be reserved for serious literary achievements, like Kavalier and Clay or Atonement. But, really, I love Hiaasen and just can't resist reading everything he writes. He's wacky, loony, impious, a total lunatic. I went to a book signing when Basket Case was released, and he's just as funny in person as he is on the printed page.
Hiaasen is a full-speed ahead man when it comes to the use of similies; being a fellow author and a simile-lover myself, I treasure his gems and wish I could come up with even half as many that were as good as all of his, things like: 'She looked about as Latin as Goldie Hawn,' 'he blinked like a sleepy porch lizard,' ' he scratched at his Old Testament tattoos,' and 'he had about as much charisma as a bowl of cold oatmeal.'
You gotta love it!
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Summary: Strange cast of characters, fast paced tale.......
Review: Hiaasen creates a clear view of hurricane devastated South Florida. The physical damage is daunting, but the moral devastation is inescapable. The characters he draws together in this novel are, as always, an amazing collection of the strange and extreme with a few "normal" types thrown in. This group includes insurance rip off artists,"drive-by" building inspectors, trailer salesmen, a honeymoon couple (the husband abandons his wife to take video of devastated people), Skink, the former governor of Florida who lives in the swamps, State Police officers doing their job, disappearing roof contractors, and some people who sacrifice animals. The story centers on people taking advantage of people in crisis and those who are attempting to right the balance of good and evil. As always Hiaasen creates a fast paced book with an amazing array of characters and his unique humor winds it's way through out this tale.
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