Much ado about nothing!

If someone were to inform me that Seminole peyote buds existed and then insinuate that Carl Hiassen indulged in a few too many when concocting the crazy plot of NATURE GIRL, well, I would have no hesitation in believing it wholeheartedly! Let's just take a moment to consider this.

Could anything other than a zany, off-the-wall black comedy assemble such a diverse cast of wild and wonderful characters? There's Honey Santana, a manic-depressive longing to find basic decency in the world but constantly distracted by the music in her head. Sammy Tigertail, a half-breed Seminole Indian, is certain that the white world will accuse him of murder if they discover the body of an obnoxious, fat tourist who died of a heart attack on his airboat. There's also a demented fish-monger who, on a good day, reeks worse than his product on a sweltering Florida day without refrigeration. Eugenie Fonda, an over-sexed six-foot Amazon, is famous for writing a book about the man who killed his wife to be with her. A private investigator proudly saves his raunchiest video material as mementos of his professional achievements. Boyd Shreave, a wimpy telemarketer with a silky voice but an irritating presence, and an exceptionally bright and endearing young university co-ed who plays the California girl and dreams of being a television weather personality.

Struggling to envision the story that would unite this motley crew? Well, I won't ruin your enjoyment by attempting a synopsis. Suffice it to say that there is indeed a story, a real plot, non-stop laughs that rival the best of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series or Bill Bryson's hilarious travelogues, and some very human, heart-warming moments that will add a smile of pleasure and gratification to the one you already have from all the chuckles. Definitely recommended.

Paul Weiss

A raucous satire that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

From the very beginning, all the characters you are introduced to play a crucial part throughout the story. Each one adds their own unique flavor and personality, making the narrative come alive.

The story unfolds at a brisk pace, ensuring that you are constantly engaged and entertained. It's a fun fast read that will have you laughing out loud one moment and gasping in surprise the next.

Whether you're a fan of satire or just looking for a lighthearted and enjoyable read, this article is sure to satisfy. So sit back, relax, and let the antics of these characters take you on a wild ride!

Don't miss out on this hilarious and engaging story. It's a must-read for anyone who loves a good laugh and a great adventure.

If “Florida Man” was a book, it would likely be filled with a cast of quirky characters that would provide harmless fun for many readers.

However, for me, it just wasn't the right fit. I'm sure a lot of people would thoroughly enjoy the light-hearted and comical nature of the story. But I don't typically gravitate towards comedy books as my first choice.

Nevertheless, I'm the kind of person who is willing to read anything, so I gave “Florida Man” a chance. In the end, I would rate it closer to 3 stars. I did manage to finish the book, but it just wasn't in line with my personal style of reading.

Maybe if I had a different sense of humor or was more inclined towards comical tales, I might have had a different experience. But as it stands, “Florida Man” will likely find its niche among those who enjoy a good laugh and a collection of strange and entertaining characters.

There are far too many so-called normal people in this world. They seem to lack a soul and have no courage.

There's too many so-called normal people with no soul and no balls. [p. 304]

However, you will not come across these normal people in Carl Hiaasen's novels. In his fictional worlds, to balance out the crazy and bad characters, there must be the crazy and good ones as well. Take Honey, for example. She is a character who stands out with her unique charm and qualities. While the bad characters may do all sorts of crazy and unethical things, Honey represents the opposite. She is full of life, has a kind heart, and is not afraid to take risks. In a way, she is a breath of fresh air in the otherwise chaotic and crazy worlds created by Carl Hiaasen. Through her, we can see that there is still hope and goodness in the midst of all the madness.

I've had to add a new category to my bookshelf. This is just in case I decide to re-read and review some of the earlier books I read by Hiaasen.

I've often struggled with how to classify them. Are they "mysteries" since I'm never quite sure what will happen next and sometimes can't figure out who's behind the crazy schemes and anomie that these novels are made up of? Or should I call them "black comedy" because Hiaasen uses his work to offer a cathartic release from the frustration he felt while covering conspiracies, cover-ups, and corruption for a major Florida newspaper that just wanted to "get along"? For this one (and I suspect several others as I go back and review them), I created the comedy thriller genre. You won't find it in your local bookstores, but I think it's a useful classification.

There are those who don't like Nature Girl as much as I did. I'm often amused by the zany antics and attitudes of Hiaasen's characters, but this one had me laughing out loud. At first, I was very uncomfortable with the bi-polar protagonist who has a passion for justice. I wondered if I was being insensitive. Then, I realized that there was a bit of my own personality in her desire to strike back at those who hurt her and her family. In this case, since she was a single mother with an only son, her family was her son who, in many ways, seemed more mature than she was.

But the truth is that the protagonist had an idealistic and subjective view of justice, and I realized that I do too. The son was amazing. The ex-husband was interesting. The telemarketer who provides the "tipping point" for one side of the horrendous circumstances, the fish market boss whose sexual harassment provides the "tipping point" on the other side of the scale, and the Native American torn between the current state of the "nation" and the proud history of his native ancestry are all both credible and fascinating. In short, Hiaasen has assembled yet another cast of characters who intrigue and fascinate, while making us glad that we don't know anyone exactly like them. We truly want the best for them, but just don't know if we'd like to have any of them over for dinner.

As usual, the author weaves together themes from Florida life (such as alligators as a protected species, environmental vacations, land scams, and the like) into a fascinating mixture of good intentions gone wrong, antisocial behavior challenged, motives misunderstood, and danger lurking around every tree. In a unique blend of Murphy's Law meets human flaw, I found myself with my adrenalin pumping one moment, my body shaking with stifled laughter the next, and tears welling up in my eyes at another. Where the late New Yorker critic (Dorothy Parker) once condemned an actor for running the gamut of emotion from A to B, Hiaasen uses the whole alphabet with some Hebrew characters and Egyptian hieroglyphics to boot.

"Not my favorite Hiassen"

Carl Hiaasen is a well-known author, but his works are not always to my taste.

His writing style can be quite unique, filled with vivid characters and outlandish plots. However, sometimes I find his stories a bit too zany or over-the-top for my liking.

That being said, I can still appreciate the creativity and talent that goes into his books. He has a knack for creating memorable characters and situations that keep readers engaged.

Perhaps my lack of enthusiasm for his work is simply a matter of personal preference. There are many other readers who absolutely love Carl Hiaasen's novels and can't get enough of his unique brand of humor and storytelling.

In conclusion, while Carl Hiaasen may not be my favorite author, I can still respect his contributions to the literary world.

Loved this book!

Gillian was my absolute favorite character. The concept of being kidnapped and taken to one of the 10,000 islands with no supplies and then meeting such a diverse and crazy group of people - an Indian on the run, a crazy lady, a narcissist and his mistress, a private investigator, a perverted psycho, a concussed kid in a football helmet, a vice mayor/pot smuggler, and a cult - it all sounds like a wild and exciting adventure.

The author did a great job of writing this story. The only thing I would change is that Piejack would have met a much more gruesome end. I also really wanted to know how things turned out for Tigertail. Hopefully, he ended up married to the dreadful ditzy white woman.

This book had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, and I can't wait to read more from this author.

This is a highly entertaining and easily readable tale that delves into the complex plot of rectifying a telemarketer's poor attitude. The story is hatched by an enraged and slightly crazy Floridian whom the telemarketer unfortunately insulted.

The characterization in the book is somewhat shallow. Written in 2006, it depends to a certain extent on "inside jokes" or critiques of contemporary issues that the reader is expected to be familiar with. Some references, although surprisingly not too many, are a bit outdated or "creaky." The book was also penned in the pre-great recession era, when there was a great deal more euphoric optimism. The characters in Hiaasen's book had no particular concerns or anxieties about where their next dollar would come from, as various jobs and credit seemed readily available.

A telemarketer colleague of the rude telemarketer, who is actually his mistress, had no trouble charging airfare, a few days at the Ritz-Carlton, expensive meals, and other purchases to her credit card, all on a telemarketer's salary.

I had previously read some other Hiaason book years ago and enjoyed it, which is probably why I borrowed the present volume from the library. He is a great humorist, and this book offers fun and laughter on every page, including memorable and hilarious episodes. From the perspective of our current muddled political and environmental situation, this book provides a good escape.

The author transports the reader into different worlds, such as the Dallas, Texas, world of the callous telemarketer and the world of trailer park resident Honey Santana (the "Nature Girl") near the mangrove swamps of West Florida. The pretensions and phoniness of the more affluent characters in the book are constantly ridiculed, but another seemingly jaded and heartless character, the telemarketer's mistress Eugenie, is not portrayed as a one-dimensional, chronically bored young woman only seeking thrills.

The mostly eccentric yet endearing residents of the Everglades town where Honey lives are mostly depicted sympathetically, except for the arch-villain Piejack. However, even Piejack is given some background, perhaps to humanize his unrelenting evil. That's the nice thing about this book: there are no completely "good" or "bad" characters, and for the most part, what happens to the characters in the novel seems to ironically suit their character flaws.

Honey's ex Skinner has to defend himself by hitting Piejack when Piejack is about to kill him, along with Honey and Fry, Honey and Skinner's son.

Several subplots or storylines in the novel unfold simultaneously, and the threads of the plots are intertwined in the final part of the book. The book begins with the tragic misadventure of a drunken and boorish tourist taking a canoe sightseeing trip in the mangrove swamp led by Sammy Tigertail, a half-breed Seminole Indian. The tourist suffers a fatal heart attack when a harmless snake attaches to his throat. Although Sammy didn't cause the random accident, he knows he would likely be blamed for the tourist's death, so he attaches weights to the body and throws it into a river in the Everglades.

Subsequently, he retreats to what he believes is an isolated island in the swamp to recenter himself and deal with the spirit of the dead tourist, which regularly haunts his dreams. The contrast between the serious young Indian, hoping to achieve spiritual peace (even though he had nothing to do with the tourist's death and tried to revive him after the heart attack), meditating and communing with nature, and the parade of campers - all somehow related to the unfolding main plot involving the telemarketer, as well as an additional plot line involving Piejack - that descend upon the uninhabited island, creates an automatically "funny/ironic" setup: the crass world of materialists, college student partiers, religious fanatics, Honey and her telemarketer "friends" - contrasted with the Seminole's desire to escape the world for a while and find peace.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a humorous escape, even if it is slightly outdated in terms of technology and references. It is mostly on-target as a general critique of yuppie culture. The most sympathetic characters are the hard-scrabble residents of Honey's small town (except for Piejack) and, of course, the Indian, caught between the world of his tribe (also a corporation due to casino wealth) and the world of the whites. It is a well-written page-turner, written economically, and every page is a pleasure to read.

Great ending!!!!!!!

It truly made me smile from ear to ear. The way the story concluded was simply perfect.

It had all the elements that one could hope for in a great ending - a sense of closure, a touch of magic, and a feeling of satisfaction.

The characters' arcs were completed beautifully, and the final scene left a lasting impression on me.

I couldn't help but feel a warm glow inside as I finished reading.

It was like a wonderful dream that I didn't want to wake up from.

This ending will surely stay with me for a long time, and I will recommend this story to others just for the sake of this amazing conclusion.

Overall, it was a great read, and the ending was the cherry on top of the cake.

I can't wait to see what other great stories the author has in store for us.

3.5 stars. This book offers a fun and fairly quick read that can easily capture the reader's attention. However, goodness gracious, most of the characters within it are extremely dysfunctional. At times, it becomes truly painful to read about their chaotic lives and the mess they find themselves in. Their actions and behaviors are so out of the ordinary and often lead to rather uncomfortable situations. But on the other hand, there are also those moments that make the reader laugh out loud. The author has managed to create a story that elicits a wide range of emotions, from cringing in discomfort to erupting in fits of laughter. It's a unique reading experience that keeps you engaged from start to finish.

Zany. That's the short and sweet of this review.

If you have a penchant for zany fun, irreverent humor, a hint of sex, and characters that you can both love and loathe, then this book, or indeed any of Hiaasen's novels, is a must-read.

As you turn the pages, you'll encounter a bevy of strange characters meandering through the story. Our focus, however, will be on a pair of beautiful yet nutty women, and the men who either lust after them or love them, along with the consequences that follow.

Front and center is Honey Santana, the "nature gal" for whom the book is named. She's likely bipolar and off her meds, but she feels deeply and compassionately about combating irresponsible, selfish, and rude behavior in others, especially those pesky salespeople who interrupt her dinner. This is precisely how we meet Boyd Shreave, the lowest of the low-life telemarketers, who lacks even a shred of decency or fortitude. He's unfaithful to his wife, who has hired a PI to document his trysts for an incontestable divorce. Little does the PI know that this will be the worst decision of his career, but it does help to move the story along as we follow Shreave, his rather indifferent mistress, and some other rather nutty characters to one of the ten thousand nameless islands in the vast Everglades of Florida.

I won't spoil the plot by revealing why much of the story unfolds on these mosquito-infested islands. Suffice it to say that we'll meet yet another few memorable characters, including a half-Seminole, half-white fellow with blue eyes and a Gibson guitar that once belonged to Mark Knopfler. He wants to live as his ancestors did but can't seem to摆脱 the unwanted company of a motley crew of crazy whites and one very randy college co-ed who manages to steal his heart.

Do you get the idea? There's little point in applying logic or credulity to these novels. Just be in the mood to relax and沉浸 in the revelry created by Hiaasen's strange imagination and his knack for creating truly unforgettable characters. If you're ready to smile, occasionally laugh out loud, and forget about the troubles of the world for a while, then you could do a lot worse than read this or one of his other nutty novels. Four very enjoyable stars.

The second book that I have read this week is by Hiaasen.

It is truly an entertaining read.

Hiaasen has a unique writing style that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.

The story is filled with interesting characters and unexpected plot twists.

Each page turn brings something new and exciting.

I found myself completely immersed in the book and didn't want to put it down.

It's the kind of book that makes you forget about the outside world and just enjoy the journey.

Whether you're a fan of mystery, adventure, or just a good story, this book by Hiaasen is definitely worth checking out.

I'm already looking forward to reading more of his work in the future.