It's a lot to ask any student at U.Va. who's just spent hundreds of dollars on American Government: 7th Edition, Applied Calculus and Financial Management to get excited about a book recommendation a week into fall semester. But bear with me.
Carl Hiaasen's latest novel, Skinny Dip, is a summer read I wish I'd saved for mid-September, at which point I'm sure to be desperate for some form of intellectual vacation.
From start to finish, Hiaasen's eccentric characters and kinetic storyline make for a delightful read. Readers dive headfirst into Dip's plot as Chaz Perrone, a phony environmentalist (who ironically drives a bright yellow Hummer) attempts to murder his wife, Joey, by tossing her overboard on their anniversary cruise.
Joey, a champion swimmer from her college days, manages to stay alive by clinging to a bale of marijuana until she is rescued by former cop Mick Stranahan. Mick is a loner in the truest sense: Living in a remote cabin-on-stilts off the Florida coast, he rarely interacts with anyone, though he feels an immediate attraction to Joey -- and vice versa. A romance flourishes between the two, and they enjoy a steamy, secluded hiatus while contemplating what to do about Joey's delinquent husband.
Instead of immediately rushing to the police, Joey persuades Mick to let her have a little fun first. With the help of her rescuer, a "deceased" Joey plots a series of ingenious tricks and cruel jokes to screw with Chaz, and readers gleefully watch as his life spirals out of control.
Sexually frustrated, in trouble at work and confused beyond belief, the sleazy Chaz deteriorates before our eyes amidst a constant interplay of intriguing plot twists and outlandish characters. A personal favorite is Red, a hulking bodyguard with a heart of gold, chest hair like animal fur and a fondness for those white wooden crosses placed along the highway in memory of loved ones killed in car crashes. A bullet lodged awkwardly in his tailbone sends Red on a series of missions to steal pain medication from the elderly at nursing homes, a habit that leads him into a loving, albeit dysfunctional, relationship with one of his donors. This unexpected friendship is one of the many highlights of Skinny Dip.
A quirky combination of screwball comedy, eccentric characters, sex, betrayal and revenge, Skinny Dip is a truly delightful read that conjures the carefree summertime smile Toolkit articles can only aspire to.
From one stressed-out student to another: Try something different and do a little (gasp!) pleasure reading during the school year.
Just sit back, relax and get naked.
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