Trashy novel alert! I have read a lot of Mr.
Hiaasen's books and they are all a tad junky but this one seems to really take the cake.
Way graphic in some chapters and some of the nastiest characters you ever thought to avoid but I have to say in a tongue in cheek way that this book is quite brilliant.
Star Island follows about 10 different story lines but the main one is a train wreck of a girl who is not unlike the starlets of today (see Lilo, Britney, Paris etc.
) I even found myself imagining them in some of the ridiculous scenarios little Cherry Pye finds herself in.
Yes I did write that correctly - can you even imagine making this stuff up - he's a clever man this Carl.
Anyway, Cherry is a starlet who, come on now, is completely without talent! For any of you who despise any kind of pop music that is completely realistic, the rest of you bear with me now.
She, the 'talent', is surrounded by enabling parents, managers and publicists - oh and not forgetting her body double.
She needs the double as Ms.
Pye has a fondness for excessive amount of alcohol combined with just about any pill she can get her hands on.
When she is being rushed to a hospital for another stomach pumping session or even just dragged home wasted, they need to either avoid paparazzi cameras or give the 'maggots' something else to photograph.
Throw in a new CD that is due to be released followed with a tour, a new bodyguard who is not susceptible to Cherry's whims and a celeb photog who has a fixation on the singer and you have quite a raucous book - and I haven't really even scratched the surface.
Some bad real estate deals, criminal developers, and a very cynical view of the lives of celebrities and you have a great read.