Conversational and Young
Besides the odd fifty-dollar word thrown in here and there—like denizens—Hiaasen keeps it simple. His writing style is uncomplicated and conversational, which makes this book a very quick read. The first line of the book is a great example of Hiaasen's writing style: "Mickey Cray had been out of work ever since a dead iguana fell from a palm tree and hit him on the head" (1.1). It is straightforward, factual, and kind of funny (we know it isn't nice to laugh when people get hurt, but getting conked by an iguana is a funny image).
While much of the writing is factual, it is kept conversational and oriented toward young people by including lots of interesting or funny details. This keeps the writing light and the story engaging, like when Hiaasen describes Derek as looking "more like a groggy tourist than a sturdy survivalist" (4.38), which is both humorously stated and a great image that we can see in our minds, while also giving us insight into who Derek is.
The narrative also jumps around from main character to main character. In nearly every chapter, if the main characters are apart, then we get to see what each is doing within the same time period until they come back together. The author uses this to create tension and build excitement, often leaving off with one character and moving to the next at really tense moments.
You can pretty much take whatever Hiaasen says at face value. There aren't any elaborate metaphors in this book. It is a book just for fun, something to kick back with in a lawn chair and enjoy.