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Rattled
Set in the fictional subdivision of Galapagoes Estates,” Rattled is a very funny look at what happens when soccer moms, animal rights activists, dishonest real estate developers and, of course, rattlesnakes get together and fight for ascendancy in the rapidly developing New Jersey suburbs. Heather Peters is anxious to move to the newly minted development. All she wants there is a nice house. Well, a nice house and a nice piece of land. And of course a basement gym, a master bath with radiant heat, Jacuzzi and his-and-her toilets. She could make do without a media room if she had to. After all, the pioneers hadn’t had plasma TV, and they’d survived. Heather is not your average suburban housewife—or maybe she is. Her fortuitous meeting with a endangered species of rattlesnake sets this first novel in motion. You may find yourself feeling sorry for the snake.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published February 21, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
August 8, 2022
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We're the Big House now.
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When we first bought our modest little townhouse, there was an enchanted wood behind us. And in that wood were chipmunks and raccoons, white-tailed deer and woodchucks and the songs of bluebirds. Then a great evil came out of the North. Dozens of giant 4500 square-foot McMansions began popping up in the wood like malignant mushrooms. The songs of the bluebirds are gone, and so are the cute animals. My wife and I often wonder what manner of evil creatures dwell in those houses. (We like to imagine that they are pale and only come out at night to feed.)
Rattled is the hilarious story of a woman who moves into a McMansion home development like the one in my backyard. She is a self-centered, materialistic, upwardly mobile, overly-assertive, hyper-energenic yuppie housewife who ends up battling just about everyone and everything in the community (including neighbors, rattlesnakes, rattlesnake lovers, corrupt developers, other 3rd grade class moms, and a lot of rats) in order to achieve the life she feels entitled to.(Imagine the Eva Longoria character from Desperate Housewives on Hydrocortisone.) And while Rattled may sound like a "woman's book", it is not. Everyone (adults only, please) will enjoy it. It is the kind of book Carl Hiaasen would have written if Carl Hiaasen were a woman and lived in New Jersey and . . . you know. . . had hundreds of rats in his basement.
Also, I have to admit, reading this book made me feel much better about my new neighbors: maybe they'll be invaded by rats and rattlesnakes too.
We're the Big House now.
__________________________________
When we first bought our modest little townhouse, there was an enchanted wood behind us. And in that wood were chipmunks and raccoons, white-tailed deer and woodchucks and the songs of bluebirds. Then a great evil came out of the North. Dozens of giant 4500 square-foot McMansions began popping up in the wood like malignant mushrooms. The songs of the bluebirds are gone, and so are the cute animals. My wife and I often wonder what manner of evil creatures dwell in those houses. (We like to imagine that they are pale and only come out at night to feed.)
Rattled is the hilarious story of a woman who moves into a McMansion home development like the one in my backyard. She is a self-centered, materialistic, upwardly mobile, overly-assertive, hyper-energenic yuppie housewife who ends up battling just about everyone and everything in the community (including neighbors, rattlesnakes, rattlesnake lovers, corrupt developers, other 3rd grade class moms, and a lot of rats) in order to achieve the life she feels entitled to.(Imagine the Eva Longoria character from Desperate Housewives on Hydrocortisone.) And while Rattled may sound like a "woman's book", it is not. Everyone (adults only, please) will enjoy it. It is the kind of book Carl Hiaasen would have written if Carl Hiaasen were a woman and lived in New Jersey and . . . you know. . . had hundreds of rats in his basement.
Also, I have to admit, reading this book made me feel much better about my new neighbors: maybe they'll be invaded by rats and rattlesnakes too.
August 8, 2014
The blurb on RATTLED says "Galant does for the McMansions of New Jersey what Carl Hiaasen did for the swamps of Florida."
I would amend this to "...does for the Pine Barrens of NJ what Hiaasen did for the Everglades of Florida" because both authors are exposing the assaults by developers upon each state's indigenous wild areas. And strangely enough, the outlaw nuts that Hiaasen has immortalized have a lot in common with the occupants of the aforementioned McMansions.
I will say that I like this book (RATTLED) much more than Galant's second book (Fear and Yoga in New Jersey) because it satirizes indulgence at the expense of our natural legacy; whereas the later book is focused more on social and religious/cultural issues, rather than on environmental concerns.
I hope Galant returns to the consciousness of this first book in any new ones she writes, and I do hope she writes many more.
*****
I also want to add that Galant is fair in her portrayals of all the disparate characters in this story. She seems to be able to channel the consciousness of a prickly old female environmentalist, a hopelessly self-centered, self-indulgent suburban housewife, a libidinous older businessman, and a much-reviled young boy, who in spite of his bad behavior toward classmates is revealed as a bewildered yet curious fellow with an affection for furry baby rats. I would say that the only character I did not really get an insight into was her husband, who seems to be just a placemarker in this wild tale of nature vs. developer.
I would amend this to "...does for the Pine Barrens of NJ what Hiaasen did for the Everglades of Florida" because both authors are exposing the assaults by developers upon each state's indigenous wild areas. And strangely enough, the outlaw nuts that Hiaasen has immortalized have a lot in common with the occupants of the aforementioned McMansions.
I will say that I like this book (RATTLED) much more than Galant's second book (Fear and Yoga in New Jersey) because it satirizes indulgence at the expense of our natural legacy; whereas the later book is focused more on social and religious/cultural issues, rather than on environmental concerns.
I hope Galant returns to the consciousness of this first book in any new ones she writes, and I do hope she writes many more.
*****
I also want to add that Galant is fair in her portrayals of all the disparate characters in this story. She seems to be able to channel the consciousness of a prickly old female environmentalist, a hopelessly self-centered, self-indulgent suburban housewife, a libidinous older businessman, and a much-reviled young boy, who in spite of his bad behavior toward classmates is revealed as a bewildered yet curious fellow with an affection for furry baby rats. I would say that the only character I did not really get an insight into was her husband, who seems to be just a placemarker in this wild tale of nature vs. developer.
January 31, 2012
"Rattled" is a fantastic take on the clash between exurban living and environmentalism. The story is about a family who move into the outer suburbs (also known as the exurbs) into a fancy housing development. The mother of the family, one of the book's main characters, is a "keeping up the Joneses" type A who must have everything perfect, especially her husband, her son and her life. However, she immediately becomes a target for environmentalists protesting the housing development because it is built on a rattlesnake habitat.
Hilarious and relevant, this book pokes fun at both sides while also giving the reader a good look at both exurbanites and hard-core environmentalists.
Hilarious and relevant, this book pokes fun at both sides while also giving the reader a good look at both exurbanites and hard-core environmentalists.
May 27, 2009
This book probably deserves a 2.5 too (seems to be a theme lately...) Yes, I liked it, but it's hardly a book that promises much. This is a book you might describe as perfect for the beach or a vacation--humorous, and definitely not taxing. It's about the perfect soccer mom (from the New Jersey suburbs, of course) and what happens when her life gets upset by the intrusion of a timber rattlesnake on her lovely new flagstone patio. Pack it in your beach bag for a relaxing read.
April 5, 2013
Funniest book I have read in a long time. I loved this book. Reading this book and getting to know the players is like reuniting with old friends you lost touch with. Rattle snakes, uppity women, bratty kids, and tree huggers what's not to love?
January 16, 2016
This was more of a 2.5 star book. I love funny books, and much of this satire on the mini-mansion culture was just hysterical. But for some reason the story dragged on quite a bit more than necessary. But if you want to try a book about parenting, suburbs, or rattlesnakes (another reason it's not a favorite of mine!), give it a shot!
September 26, 2009
This was an extremely entertaining book about the yuppies who move to McMansions in NJ and how horrified that their move "to the country" also includes local wildlife and people. Very funny and right on target!
August 25, 2009
Actually a pleasant surprise, but someone has to do something about the cover art selection. Terrible. Suburban sprawl and environmentalism collide in the NJ suburbs with the murder of an endangered rattle snake. A light read, but better than expected. Not sure that is saying much though.
June 13, 2011
After reading other reviews, I was thinking I should skip reading this book. After reading it, I'm not sure what the other reviewers were thinking. It's a funny, light read. It made me smile and I enjoyed it. There's enough serious books in the world.
June 1, 2007
Although i thought this book was funny i am on the fence about it.
May 19, 2009
The main character is a twit--which would be all right if the book was funnier or more insightful. It was okay...but it didn't hold my interest enough to keep reading after the first 50 pages.
July 28, 2010
Why did I waste my time finishing this book?
May 27, 2014
Funny. Smart. A little sexy. Good pool read.
January 14, 2016
Not bad...some funny quirky characters.
June 19, 2025
This one went down smooth. If you are looking for a book where super rich people get what is coming to them, check this out. It is one of my fave genres.
No one in this book is a good person. The ending was...a happy ending. I'd read more by this author.
Good beach read.
No one in this book is a good person. The ending was...a happy ending. I'd read more by this author.
Good beach read.
May 10, 2018
Funny
July 30, 2019
a little fluffy and predictable though funny.
February 2, 2021
Forgettable read...really dull characters and the plot was not interesting. The snakes were the least of it.
March 9, 2021
Eh, it was OK. It isn't something I would talk to my friends about or recommend to others but it was a nice fluffy read and I got it for free. It would be a nice beach read.
January 31, 2021
Just a book. Pretty mindless. I guess it's nice to believe soccer-classroom-psycho moms care about their kids and not just their images. I'm not sure that I believe it.
February 20, 2013
Once I got about halfway through this book, it got good but I sure was tempted for awhile to walk away from it. See, the thing is that on the cover, it quotes somebody who said that the book is like a Carl Hiassen novel. I'm a huge Hiassen fan and when I read that, I believed it (silly me) and thought I should read this book. So I spent half the novel trying to figure out how it's like a Hiassen novel and it's not. Once I abandonded that idea, I enjoyed it. The main character (unlike Hiassen's nobel, honest, enviro-friendly types) is a typical suburban mom who wants a fancy home in New Jersey without paying a fortune for it. Little does she know that her new estate is sitting on top of rattlesnake-infested lands. This story centers on the Peters family and how they handle the situation when the snakes--who are endangered in Jersey--start coming out of the woodwork. The side stories are about the young Peters son (who I didn't feel was a super interesting character), the bad guy real estate developer, the local hired hand who is trying to eek out a business selling organic eggs and a woman who is a tree hugger running a nature center in the community. These last two characters were my favorites in the novel (especially at the end) whereas the suburban mom just pretty much made me have a headache with her web of lies. It all works out in the end and is enjoyable.
February 14, 2017
A subdivision of McMansions built on property inhabited by an endangered rattle snake species. 'Barbie and Ken' move in and then the book reads like Carl Hiaasen and his characters invaded New Jersey. Good one.
December 12, 2011
This is one of those books that really doesn't go anywhere and nobody grows up or develops, but somehow it seems worthwhile anyway. Heather and her new-money family are looking for a place to live...with at least 5,000 square feet, a movie room, a three-car garage, and a nice view of some woods or a pond or something "country-ish." Galapagos Estates seems perfect: a faux-country setting with plenty of other pretentious families to compete with.
However, the real country folk who still live in the area are reluctant to give up their way of life to suit the newcomers. Plus, the development was built in an area known for its rattlesnake population...and the rattlesnakes aren't budging.
Cute and funny. Three stars was probably a stretch, but I liked the book better than I thought I would.
However, the real country folk who still live in the area are reluctant to give up their way of life to suit the newcomers. Plus, the development was built in an area known for its rattlesnake population...and the rattlesnakes aren't budging.
Cute and funny. Three stars was probably a stretch, but I liked the book better than I thought I would.
February 17, 2009
Choosing this book was completely a judging a book by it's cover choice. I was at the library and happened to see that this book had something to do with New Jersey. Upon reading it, I didn't really think it was that representative of NJ. For one thing, the house the main character described would NEVER sell for half a million dollars.
The main characters in this book were incredibly annoying. The mother is incredibly materialistic and annoying. The father does not seem to like his wife or his own son. And the son is so annoying that even his own parents don't like him. No one really changed all THAT much by the end of the book, but somehow I enjoyed it and wanted to finish it. A very easy read.
The main characters in this book were incredibly annoying. The mother is incredibly materialistic and annoying. The father does not seem to like his wife or his own son. And the son is so annoying that even his own parents don't like him. No one really changed all THAT much by the end of the book, but somehow I enjoyed it and wanted to finish it. A very easy read.
February 16, 2008
Hiaasen in New Jersey, kind of a Hoot in reverse, as the Galapagos Estates are already built on top of the endangered timber rattlesnakes land. Heather Peters new "McMansion" is right in the hot bed of snake land, by Walden Pond. Her handyman kills a snake at her request, later telling her they are endangered. The lure of popularity (?) is too much for Heather and the thought of being on the Today show etc, makes her blurt out that she fought off the little guy herself. Populated with lots of quirky folks, this definitely has the taste of a Hiaasen novel. It's a light read, perfect for the beach.
February 16, 2016
This is your typical chick lit book. This is my first book by this author. I enjoyed it more than usual as it takes place in New Jersey as someone who lives in Philly, I can relate to many things and places in the book. It was nice to recognize and feel familiar with where the story was taking place. The wife in this book is a complete nightmare and quite frankly I dont think she ever truly redeems herself. She just keeps getting worse and worse and I dont know how someone ever married her. All in all though the book was pretty good weaving in other characters that you do like and want to read more about after having to read through the awfulness that is the wife.
February 5, 2011
there were moments I wish the story moved a little faster, however there were moments that I thought perfect in rhythme.
I'm not personnal in the upper middle class/ upper class of life or an at home mom. I know that both work very hard. It seemed the main character though was spoiled. It spoke of her history and her hard ship but I didn't get that she was running from it, accepting it, or for that matter learning from it. She just seemed to want to be a stepford wife.
I enjoyed the cultural difference of the country and those wanting the country life with all the modern conviences.
I'm not personnal in the upper middle class/ upper class of life or an at home mom. I know that both work very hard. It seemed the main character though was spoiled. It spoke of her history and her hard ship but I didn't get that she was running from it, accepting it, or for that matter learning from it. She just seemed to want to be a stepford wife.
I enjoyed the cultural difference of the country and those wanting the country life with all the modern conviences.
July 6, 2007
this story of an upper-middle-class suburban mom's quest to get "the best" for herself and her family is interesting in a "desperate housewives" kind of way. no, the protagonist isn't a lying, cheating whore (i don't watch the show, that's just my assumption about the characters), but her focus is more on her status and less on her son. still, the problems she manages to get herself into--and out of--are pretty funny. its a nice, mind-numbing quick read for when your cable's out.
July 16, 2008
Fun and breezy, not great literature but an amusing look at suburban life for those of us who don't get out to McMansionland very often. The story is decently engaging and you do end up actually feeling somewhat sorry for the crazy suburbanite family. Especially since they get such a delicious smackdown. A good choice for a beach read.
May 10, 2007
This was a great book if you hate those latte-swilling, SUV-driving, McMansion dwelling types ... but also kind of are one.
I could actually feel my IQ decline as I read it.
Great light summer read.
I could actually feel my IQ decline as I read it.
Great light summer read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews