Marginally recommended
Just finished Carl Hiaasen's Star Island, his first adult fiction title since 2006's Nature Girl. It focuses on the absurdity of starlet fame (think Britney, Lindsay, Paris, etc) in Florida and features one of Hiaasen's more edearing characters, Skink, the ex governer who lives in the Everglades and feasts on roadkill.
Unlike his previous books, in which the author creates and fleshes out the most eccentric characters and gives them wonderful supblots, this book reads more like he was just phoning in the appropriate parts and someone else put it together. One of his hallmarks was how well he could weave diverse characters and subplots into a finish that made sense. In this book, he had to create an Epilogue, the cheater's way to tie up loose ends.
Don't get me wrong, I have loved his other books, and I mildly enjoyed this one, but after a four year wait, I was disappointed because I had high expectations.
This book is available in hardback, adiobook or kindle edition.
i agree - a most disappointing book from a writer I usually enjoy - I would rate it a loser and not worth reading.
Posted by: Dave Davison | 08/27/2010 at 11:27 AM