Reading most Carl Hiaasen novels is an experience that can be likened to plummeting off the edge of the earth.

You find yourself in a continuous freefall, eagerly awaiting something tangible to latch onto. Fortunately, for the most part, you'll be chuckling throughout the entire descent.

Briefly put, the plot of “Lucky You” revolves around two winning lottery tickets, each worth a whopping $14 million. JoLayne Lucks manages to win one, while Bodean Gazzer gets the other.

JoLayne has noble intentions for her windfall, but Bode's plans are far from altruistic. He and his pal, Chub, intend to use their money to finance a militia in anticipation of a NATO invasion. They believe that communists, homosexuals, and people of color (phrases Bode would never use) are amassing powerful weaponry to defeat white America.

JoLayne, of course, is stunningly beautiful and black. Bodie and Chub attack her, steal her ticket, and thus begins the chase.

Reporter Tom Krome, in an effort to cover the story as a feature for a mid-sized Florida newspaper, follows JoLayne. One can only imagine the prejudices that are overcome on both sides as they survive their search for the missing ticket.

There are also turtle infants, affectionately called “cooters,” which are JoLayne's pets. They become embroiled in a religious scam operation centered around a highway Jesus and a plastic Madonna that miraculously sheds blood-red and perfumed tears on a strict schedule coinciding with peak tourist hours.

Tom also expends a minimum of effort to rid himself of his actress-wife and his mistress, the wife of a corrupt judge, all while hunting down the lottery ticket that gets hidden in various places, including an empty shell casing that remains in the rifle from which it fired a bullet to make room for the ticket.

The militia movement grows rapidly, soon encompassing a hapless convenience store clerk and a Hooters waitress who serves as a hostage to the group.

If this all sounds crazy, then read this rollicking adventure through Hiaasen's Florida to discover just how wild things can truly get. Hiaasen is always entertaining and often downright hilarious. It's the perfect summer read, even if you happen to live in Maine.

Lucky You, by Carl Hiaasen, is truly an outstanding and enjoyable read.

It is filled with redneck, hillbilly, and southern twang, along with countless laughs that will have you chuckling even after you've turned the final page.

The story is set in Florida, where JoLayne Lucks, after playing the same numbers repeatedly in the state lottery for five years, hits the jackpot and wins a whopping 28 million dollars. However, as fate would have it, there are actually two winners.

The other winner consists of two of the south's grungiest lunatics, a pair of white wannabe supremacists named Chud and Bodean. They get the crazy idea that they also want the other ticket and promptly beat and burgle the unfortunate Miss Lucks.

JoLayne then chases after the thieves, accompanied by her reporter friend Tom Krome, who has his own set of personal issues following him around Florida.

This novel is packed with suspense, twists, turns, and the most colorful and freaked-out characters that will both charm and entertain you.

In the end, JoLayne manages to purchase the land she had long desired to protect, and with Tom by her side, they relax and enjoy being millionaires together.

It's a zany book with Hiassen's characters being as wild as his imagination. I absolutely loved it!!

Este libro comienza de una manera súper buena.

Creo que ha logrado despertar mi deseo de leer, ya que el anterior... Bueno, no es necesario decir demasiado, la sinopsis lo explica más que bien.

Te cuenta a la perfección de qué trata la novela.

JoLayne Lucks gana la lotería, pero en el otro lado del país, un par de individuos despreciables tienen la misma suerte y deben dividir el premio en dos.

Ambos se sienten felices hasta que a uno de ellos se le ocurre que no desea compartirlo... Logran encontrarla y, después de una paliza, ante la resistencia que opone, se hacen con el boleto ganador.

A partir de allí, sucederán dos cosas:

1) JoLayne intentará recuperar ese boleto, es suyo. Le pertenece y cuenta con pruebas para demostrarlo.

2) Chub y Bodean Gazzer, los dos individuos despreciables, intentarán cobrar solos los boletos ganadores. Intentarán, pero se encontrarán con dos personas más, un periodista y, por supuesto, JoLayne.

Es una historia bonita, de esas antiguas que te dejan algo al finalizarla.

PD: Chub y Bode son supremacistas blancos. Si tienes problemas con eso (y con entender que es ficción), tal vez esta novela no sea para ti.

4,2⭐️

A good book for wasting time and escaping real life.

It has the usual cast of Hiaasen's zany characters. They are always so unique and full of personality, making the story come alive in a strange and wonderful way.

Although this story seemed to be a bit more hate filled than others. There were some really strong emotions and conflicts that added an extra layer of intensity to the plot.

However, it still had the usual interestingly fun plot line. The twists and turns kept me engaged from start to finish, and I was eager to see how everything would unfold.

And, of course, it had a predictable happy ending. While this might not be to everyone's taste, I found it quite satisfying. It gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling at the end.

This was not the usual laugh out loud story I've come to expect from Hiaasen. But it was still a good book nonetheless. It had its own charm and吸引力, and I'm glad I read it.