Star Island

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: Stephen Hoye

Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

A hilarious spin on life in the celebrity fast lane from “Florida’s most entertainingly indignant social critic” (New York Times Book Review) and the bestselling author of Squeeze Me.

Meet twenty-two-year-old Cherry Pye (née Cheryl Bunterman), a pop star since she was fourteen—and about to attempt a comeback from her latest drug-and-alcohol disaster.

Now meet Cherry again: in the person of her “undercover stunt double,” Ann DeLusia. Ann portrays Cherry whenever the singer is too “indisposed”—meaning wasted—to go out in public. And it is Ann-mistaken-for-Cherry who is kidnapped from a South Beach hotel by obsessed paparazzo Bang Abbott.

Now the challenge for Cherry’s handlers (über–stage mother; horndog record producer; nipped, tucked, and Botoxed twin publicists; weed whacker–wielding bodyguard) is to rescue Ann while keeping her existence a secret from Cherry’s public—and from Cherry herself.

The situation is more complicated than they know. Ann has had a bewitching encounter with Skink—the unhinged former governor of Florida living wild in a mangrove swamp—and now he’s heading for Miami to find her….

Will Bang Abbott achieve his fantasy of a lucrative private photo session with Cherry Pye? Will Cherry sober up in time to lip-synch her way through her concert tour? Will Skink track down Ann DeLusia before Cherry’s motley posse does?

©2010 Carl Hiaasen (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

“Carl Hiaasen [is] Florida’s most entertainingly indignant social critic... He presents us with Cherry Pye, a 22-year-old pop star whose every display of narcissistic excess will send a frisson of horrified delight up your spine... The outlandish events soar on the exuberance of Hiaasen’s manic style, a canny blend of lunatic farce and savage satire.” (New York Times Book Review)

“Fans of Carl Hiaasen will feel right at home when they plunge into Star Island. There’s the familiar collection of deliciously tawdry characters, each angling for a piece of the action in Florida... And there’s the fast-moving plot, and the writing that makes you laugh out loud... Hiaasen has turned out another gem. Readers of his previous novels can settle in for more wacky fun in the Florida sun.” (Associated Press)

“Hiaasen is at his gleeful best skewering the morally bankrupt. He has plenty to poke fun at here, from a reprehensible real-estate developer with an excruciating groin injury to twin publicists Botoxed within an inch of their lives. This is classic Hiaasen - demented, hilarious, and utterly over the top.” (Booklist, starred review)

Skink

This is my favorite along with the serge storm series and I love the fact some of the crazy can be verified

What Happened To George Wilson???

Although the book itself is classic Hiaasen, I was disappointed by the narrator. Stephen Hoye did Skinny Dip as well. Chemo sounds just like Tool, and Skink without George Wilson is just not Skink! If the characters are reoccurring please make sure the narrators are as well!

Every bit as good as all Hiaasen

I loved this as much as every other Carl Hiaasen novel I have read, but the narrator was very dry and disappointing. As always, the characters are over the top and entertaining as heck, but a good narrator could have enhanced the experience immensely.

Carl did it again

Funny, sad, ridiculous, true in so many ways. A Hiaasen character is as unique as his story lines. He is one of my all time favorite fun and satirical writers!!

I love this book!

This has many laugh-out-loud moments and great characters. I cannot wait for the next adventure!

TERRIFIC!

Carl Hiaasen’s books, set in South Florida, are perfect summertime listening - and Stephen Hoye is my new favorite narrator! Right now, when it seems like all the news is terrible, it’s refreshing to listen to Stephen Hoye read Carl Hiaasen’s crazy novels. Laugh-out-loud-till-Margarita-squirts-out-your-nose-funny! If you’re looking for a novel to lighten your mood, look no further. I started with Skinny Dip, which was hilarious, and then moved on to Star Island - both are fantastic. More please... :-)

amusing

not my favorite Hiassen book but as a Hiassen fan definitely still a good read!

Snarky and Fun

Easy listening, good narration and interesting characters. Carl Hiaasen always writes with humor and has a nack for snappy, fast paced dialoge.

Hiaasen...funny as usual

Would you listen to Star Island again? Why?

I am new to audible.com but I am not new to audiobooks or Carl Hiaasen. I've read all of Hiaasen's adult books and enjoy his unorthodox comedy. Star Island does a great job mocking the pampered celebrity and poking fun at the public who fuel this celebrity infatuation. I enjoyed the narrator and thought he did a great job adding to the story with his presentation.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Skink, although i wish he was more involved as in past books

Have you listened to any of Stephen Hoye’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

n/a

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

laughed

Any additional comments?

great book for a long car ride or hours walking the dog as I used it for.

Hiaasen spoof of South Florida hits the mark again

No matter how outlandish the characters, Carl Hiaasen manages to create them in such a way that I see someone I know in every one.

My one complaint with the narrator is that he did not research the pronounciation of the location names. Islamorada is pronounce like island not izzland.