Skin Tight

Rating:
Summary: Carl Hiaasen's best one!
Review: I've read five of Carl Hiaasen's books, and this is definitely the funniest one. If you're looking for your first Carl Hiaasen book to read, start here!

The part that I liked best was when Demi Moore's friend inserted a cockroach into a yogurt container and tried to convince the yogurt manufacturer that it was contaminated when he bought it. And then he.....oh, wait a minute....that was a different Carl Hiassen book. Oh...never mind!

Rating:
Summary: Great Book, a Lot of Fun
Review: This was my first Carl Hiaasen book and I thought it was terrific. The characters are excellent, the story moved along at a brisk pace and some of it was downright hilarious. After reading more serious crime/thriller type novels, this was a great break. I tore through the book quickly. People looked at me funny when I laughed out loud on the exercise bike or treadmill trying to read as much as possible, anxious to find out what happens next. I will definitely order more books from Hiassen in the future!!

Rating:
Summary: A very funny but superficial mystery.
Review: This is an extremely entertaining book filled with great quotes and interesting characters. The plot builds as it goes along and the mystery of who's trying to kill who all comes to a clear conclusion.

So what's wrong? The problem is that all of the characters are flat. None of them go beyond a couple sentences of descriptions. The main character, what'shisface swamp guy, is utterly superhuman. He can do everything, know everything, and even when he gets hurt, he's still Superman(TM). After a while, you start to lose a bit of anticipation because you KNOW he'll do everything right and will come out on top with nary a scratch. He's never really challenged by anyone in this book.

Don't get me wrong. You won't regret reading it, because it's very funny and well-plotted. But protagonist's lack of depth was an annoyance.

Rating:
Summary: Skin Tight is for the reader who craves excitement and humor
Review: I stumbled across this novel in my friends pile of books, and on his recommendation, started reading. Never have I flew through a book with such ease.

I am not claiming this is a literary masterpiece, but if you are looking for a fun, hilarious (laughing out loud) mystery, Skin Tight is a must!! It was my first Hiassen book, and won't be the last.

Rating:
Summary: Funny book about nightmarish South Florida
Review: On the plane home from two weeks of looking at the destruction of the habitat for anything but tourists and retirees in Florida I read this (the first Hiaasen novel I've read). People around me were curious about what was making me laugh out loud. It is very over the top, not least in grotesque violence worthy of Itchy and Scratchy. Still, the motivations (headed by cupidity) are recognizably human, and I can attest that the unconcern about the basic ecology of South Florida is accurately portrayed. Some Edward Abbey and Philip Roth mixed with Elmore Leonard? The realities of South Florida corruption and "development" are so absurd that satirizing them is difficult, but Hiaasen manages.

Rating:
Summary: What a Disappointment!
Review: I ordered this book after reading the superlative online reviews it recceived here. Perhaps Hiassen is an acquired taste, but this book left me cold. The characters were not well developed, the plot was not compelling, and the writing was not crisp. It was an effort to get through to the end. The moral of the story is: If you want Elmore Leonard, but Elmore Leonard.

Rating:
Summary: Hiaasen's High Water Mark
Review: I love Hiaasen. He is irreverent, honest, sarcastic, annoying and a pleasure to read. Skin Tight is his best, and I have read them all. I am excited to see he now has three new books in the works. For a Hiaasen junkie like me, that is good news.

Rating:
Summary: A Funny, Yet Serious Novel
Review: My sister recommended Carl Hiaasen to me, so I immediately purchased a copy of Skintight from Amazon.com, because she said it was her favorite. I like reading new authors, and Hiaasen did not disappoint. In fact, I laughed out loud in places. Never had I read a serious novel that was laced with so much humorous observation. I am looking forward to reading more of Carl Hiaasen

Rating:
Summary: The most hilarious characters ever encountered
Review: Hiaasen runs hot and lukewarm, and Skin Tight is the hottest! Commuting by car 2 hours a day, the audio version made me laugh out loud, a rarity. The hero inspires empathy, and the many villains are a fine band of hilarious characters. If you like Elmore Leonard's Florida novels, you will love Skin Tight.

Rating:
Summary: Witty, elaborate plot, and well-developed characters
Review: As an avid Hiassen reader, I found Skintight to be one of his best ever. I thought all of the characters in the novel were fully-developed and each had a personality of its own. I like Hiassen's creative description of people, places, and things, such as Chemo's weed-whacker prosthesis, the "Gay Bidet", and Mick Stranahan's personality. All in all, Skintight was a funny book that I couldn't bring myself to putting down for more than a few minutes.