The Vietnamese translation is truly natural, smooth, humorous, shocking, using "it" for most of the characters to create a sense of commonality and closeness. The phrases are very Vietnamese, sometimes literary and sometimes vulgar, but very suitable for the context and not offensive.

The story begins with Joey being thrown off a luxury cruise ship by her husband, just in time for the 2-year wedding anniversary cruise. Shocked and desperate, Joey tried to swim to survive and was fortunately rescued. But why would her husband, Charles - a biology doctor, want to kill his wife even though he would not inherit the family fortune according to the prenuptial agreement? This question and the inhumane betrayal have led Joey to plan an investigation and revenge.

The story has many +18 scenes but does not give a pornographic feeling. Instead, it reveals what it needs to describe: the husband's extravagance, the wife's love, the lover's obsession, etc.

The content has touched on social issues such as ecology, politics, business, corruption, the mafia, the chaos and incompetence, the sale of counterfeits, etc. Each detail is linked to a series of other details like a domino chain of power and greed, and it is not known when it will stop.

A good book with a very distinctive and successful Vietnamese translation.

So I just completed reading "Skinny Dip" by Carl Hiaasen. I had read his "Strip Tease" and "Lucky You" some time ago, but had forgotten just how hilarious he can be.

While I am eager to read more of his works, they definitely don't give me the urge to visit Florida anytime soon.

Strong women appear to be a recurring theme in his writing. This made me think of Maureen Dowd's essay in the NYT Magazine titled "What's a Modern Girl to Do?". It is a rather disjointed collection of her thoughts on feminism, post-feminism, the feminization of feminism, and the backlash against it.

Anyway... she quotes several single women in her article who discuss how men are deterred by strong, accomplished, powerful women (presumably referring to themselves). However, her sample of women seems to consist only of those in the New York publishing scene. You can draw your own inferences.

Let me return to my point. I am a huge admirer of strong, accomplished, powerful women (one in particular) and I find it somewhat offensive that Maureen Dowd can assert that all men want to "marry down" based on her group of feminist friends.

I truly have a passion for indulging in the works of Carl Hiaasen. His characters are simply the crème de la crème when it comes to being endearing, bizarre, and flaky all at once. A botched attempt to kill his wife sets a fantastically sleazy, comical, and thoroughly unlikable pseudo-biologist on a sweltering, humid, mosquito-plagued, crocodile-infested, and absurdly ill-fated journey. He goes from a previously uneventful life in a housing development in Boca Raton to the murky depths of the swampy Everglades. The crimes against the environment and a succession of miserably failed murder attempts definitely make this read a fast-paced, enjoyable, and captivating one. As always, Hiaasen's outrageously quirky characters are the driving force behind the story. I really enjoyed this particular work, but in my opinion, "Nature Girl" still holds the top spot.

I initially had some interest in this thing, but as I delved into it, that interest gradually waned.

By the time I reached the 30% mark, I had completely lost my enthusiasm and decided to DNF (Did Not Finish).

There could be several reasons for this. Maybe the content wasn't as engaging as I had expected, or perhaps it didn't meet my personal standards.

Whatever the cause, the fact remains that I simply couldn't bring myself to continue.

Losing interest in something can be a frustrating experience, especially when you had high hopes for it at the beginning.

However, it's also important to recognize when something isn't working for you and be willing to move on.

In this case, DNF at 30% was the right decision for me.

Old reviews seem to have gone missing. It's really strange. How could the save function not be working? This is quite a disappointment. I truly love Hiaasen's books. His writing style is engaging and full of creativity. The stories he weaves are always captivating and keep me hooked from start to finish. I just can't get enough of them. However, the only drawback is that he needs to write faster. I'm always eagerly waiting for his next masterpiece. I hope he can speed up the process and bring more wonderful books to us readers. :)

I wasn't entirely certain what my perception would be of this novel initially, but to my great surprise, I absolutely adored it.

Hiaasen has an incredible talent for crafting wonderfully realistic characters. Each one is distinct and lifelike, jumping off the pages. Joey, the protagonist, is sharp and witty, instantly capturing the reader's attention. Chaz, on the other hand, is one of the most hilariously useless antagonists I have ever come across. And then there's Tool, the lovable rogue, who steals the show with his charm and his wonderfully human journey.

These characters, along with many others, blend seamlessly into a refreshing and well-paced plot set against the backdrop of the beautiful Everglades. The result is an immersive and highly entertaining comedy-crime novel that keeps you engaged from start to finish.

What I really appreciated about this book is the way Hiaasen incorporates environmental issues related to the Everglades into the story. He does it in such a natural way that it never feels like a forced or clunky add-on. Instead, it adds depth and substance to the narrative, making the novel not only a source of laughter but also a catalyst for thought, learning, and questioning. It's a truly remarkable achievement.

Hiaasen with a heart.

I really enjoyed this book a great deal, simply because of its pure silliness. And there was a cameo appearance of Skink!!! My only gripe is that I read it at night, which made my dreams become quite Hiaasenesque. In fact, my favorite character was Tool, the hairy hit man. (Well, he's not really a hit man, but the alliteration was just too good to pass up!)

Amazon Editorial Review:

Charles "Chaz" Perrone fancies himself as a take-charge sort of guy. So when this "biologist by default" suspects that his curvaceous wife, Joey, has discovered a lucrative pollution scam he's running on behalf of Florida agribusiness mogul Red Hammernut, he immediately sets out to solve the problem - by throwing Joey off the deck of a luxury cruise liner and into the Atlantic Ocean, far from Key West. But - oops! - Joey, a former swimming champ, doesn't drown. Instead, as Carl Hiaasen relates in his 10th adult novel, Skinny Dip, she makes her way back to shore, thanks to both a wayward bale of Jamaican marijuana and the lonerish ex-cop Mick Stranahan (Skin Tight, 1989), and then launches a bogus blackmail campaign that's sure to drive her lazy, libidinous hubby into a self-protective frenzy.

You have to give it to Hiaasen: He's perfected a formula for sharply written, satirical crime fiction that makes the best use of imaginatively repulsive villains, as well as less thoroughly corrupt scoundrels and victims who ultimately overcome their antagonists, all while advocating for the preservation of Florida's environment, especially the Everglades. In Skinny Dip, we see Chaz (who'd rather be golfing than messing around in the "hot, buggy, funky-smelling and treacherous" areas of nature) falsifying water samples to help Hammernut turn the 'Glades into "God's septic tank." That scheme, however, is endangered not only by Joey's sudden disappearance, but also by the suspicions of a python-loving police detective and Chaz's own remarkable inability to control his Viagra-enhanced arousal. Even by assigning Chaz a babysitter - the hulking, hairy, and painkiller-addicted Tool - Hammernut can't keep his pet biologist out of trouble. As Joey and Stranahan unfold their revenge plot, and Tool's conscience grows in competition with Chaz's ego, the reader can only wonder at the magnitude of the train wreck that lies ahead.

Do you feel that your life is lacking a bit of light-heartedness? Do you wish to put aside the烦心事 such as your car being in the shop, not receiving the expected income tax refund, your doctor's advice to cut down on drinking, and your 65-inch flat screen suddenly going black? Then this book might be the perfect choice for you.

I had never read any of Carl Hiaasen's works until my brother-in-law recommended this one, and now I can't stop laughing. I'm not sure if the other passengers on the plane to Sacramento last week were amused by my constant chuckling and occasional guffaws, but after all, it's a free country, isn't it?

The main character, Chaz Perrone, is a marine biologist who has a strong aversion to the outdoors and wildlife. However, he has discovered a rather ingenious, albeit fraudulent, method to make a fortune using his "biology skills." Unfortunately, his wife Joey might have uncovered his scheme. Well, there seems to be no other option but to throw her overboard during their anniversary cruise and feed her to the sharks. But here lies the problem. Chaz is not a very competent murderer, despite having several attempts as the novel progresses.

This is a story that showcases criminal incompetence at its "Coen-Brothers-Best." If it were beach weather, I would suggest taking it to the shore. Since it's not, you can curl up by the fire with it. But first, make sure to reach an understanding with your partner or house guest that you won't be held responsible if you suddenly burst out laughing and disrupt their binge-watching of Game of Thrones.

I used to habitually read Carl Hiaasen in the last century.

Recently, I decided to revisit Skinny Dip (2004) to see if the magic was still there and, to my delight, it is.

The story begins with a young woman, Joey Perrone, who is pushed off a cruise ship by her sociopathic husband, Chaz. He doesn't expect her to survive, but of course, she does. And rather than reporting him to the police, she decides to stay dead and seek revenge.

Another inventive and rollicking plot delivers all the familiar ingredients that make Hiaasen's novels so enjoyable. There's a rich vein of dark humour, hapless and egotistical men, clever women, and astute observations on the cynical local politics of Florida.

Filled with a host of endearingly offbeat characters, and a narrative that is hilarious, romantic and thought-provoking by turns, Skinny Dip takes us on a journey through the warped politics of Southern Florida and through the madness created by the human heart.

Overall, I would rate Skinny Dip 4/5. It's a great read that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a touch of humour.

More about Skinny Dip (2004) can be found on Goodreads.

This book was recommended as great light, pulpy reading by two of the people I love and respect most in this world. And it is with all respect to those two people that I say here, I just don't get it.

The first chapter was good enough to grab my attention. It had a certain charm that made me eager to continue. But as I progressed through the book, by the time I was 1/3 the way through, I just kept thinking it's got to get better, it's got to get better. Sadly, that hope was soon dashed. Turns out, the third act just gets worse.

I mean I know it's supposed to be pulpy, but the dialogue in this book reminded me of a Michael Bay screenplay. The words spoken by the characters seemed so unnatural and forced. People don't talk like this in real life. They just don't. It also didn't help that I didn't find many of the characters sympathetic. If Joey is the cream of the crop, this is one sorry lot.

And the end was so perplexing. I mean he managed to tie up all the plot points in as contrived a way as possible. It felt like he was just trying to force everything to fit together, rather than creating a smooth and satisfying conclusion. At the same time, he completely managed to miss anything that resembles a satisfying ending.

Maybe I'm just not cut out for pulp. It seems that this type of reading just doesn't resonate with me. Excuse me, I need to go find some Sylvia Plath to cleanse my literary palate with.

This is truly great fun as it features a brilliant group of characters.

Each of them has their own distinct good, bad, and strange points. There is the laidback hero who seems to take things in stride, and then there is the even more laidback and very dogged detective.

The story is a joy from start to finish, filled with heroes, villains, revenge, and redemption. It keeps the reader engaged and entertained throughout.

Moreover, I also like Hiassen's conservationist ideals. His works not only provide an exciting and thrilling read but also raise awareness about important environmental issues.

Overall, it is a wonderful piece of literature that combines entertainment and a meaningful message.

5/5 Stars!

Loved this novel! It's the first novel of Carl Hiaasen that I've read, and I'm completely in love with the man! I'm really looking forward to reading more of his novels. In all honesty, I truly hope this novel becomes a movie one day!

This story was filled to the brim with such witty and charming characters. Well, most of them were charming. The story line did bounce around quite a bit between the 6 main characters. However, Carl Hiaasen managed to tie it all together and made it flow beautifully from beginning to end. "Skinny Dip" had a little bit of each genre for every reader. There was romance, mystery, thriller, comedy, and of course, murder. It was a real treat to read!

I will highly recommend this novel to all my reader friends who are looking for a quick and fun summer read. It's the perfect book to relax with on a sunny day. @thesexylibrarian