DAVID LEVITHAN’S “EVERY DAY”: FALLING IN LOVE AT FIRST “READ” …

 

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

I’ve read many books in my lifetime, and while I almost always find something good to say about a book and its author, it is very rare that I find a book that simply stands out.  David Levithan’s “Every Day” is one such book.  What a surprisingly wonderful experience to read this book for young adults, what a GEM of a book this is …

I really had no plans of reading this book, but I am so glad that someone gave this book to me.  The last time I was absolutely bowled over by a book was when I read John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars”.  I never really thought I’d even come across a book that would match or even top that experience until THIS book came along.  How ironic it is that a book such as this, with such an average, ordinary title, be so special that you can’t stop thinking about it?   

The first word that came to mind after reading this book was “WOW”.  I can only liken the experience to that of falling in love at first sight … or should I say, “first read”.  It’s very rare that a book catches my attention just from the first sentence, or the first few paragraphs --- the only time that happened was when I read Pat Conroy’s “The Prince of Tides”:  “My wound is geography.  It is also my anchorage, my port of call.”  Those two sentences made me fall in love with Pat Conroy’s book.  However, in this case, practically everything about this book made me “fall in love at first read”. 

“Every Day” is the story of an intriguing character who calls himself/herself/itself “A”.  From the time he/she it was born, “A” has lived a very unusual life.  “A” lives his/her/its life through other people, but the weird thing is, “A” can only live a certain person’s life for one day. 

“A” has learned to accept the kind of life he/she/it leads, until one day, “A” meets a teenaged girl named Rhiannon.  All of a sudden, “A” isn’t just content moving from one body, one life to the next, day after day.  “A” wants something more.  His/her/its own life, something that’s more permanent.  A life with Rhiannon.  And it is this desire that shakes “A”’s strange, solitary life.

It’s hard to believe that this is a book written for young adults, considering the absence of vampires, werewolves, angels and demons … but, oh, what a relief is to read something like this!  Even if the premise of “switching” isn’t exactly new, Levithan’s use of this concept/premise was very pleasant surprise. 

Young readers who are all into mush and cheesy lines might find this book wanting, but those who believe that love is more than overly romantic quotable quotes will discover that “Every Day” is an interesting book with its own kilig moments.  (If “A’s” gesture of love towards the end won’t grab your heart and toss it into a blender, then I’ll wonder if you truly have a heart).

Levithan’s concept is fresh and intriguing, and his writing style is beautiful --- just like a poem, I think --- but that’s not what I loved about the book.  I love how Levithan has made me think about so many things --- life, love, prejudice, acceptance … In this book, Levithan featured people we may have met, as well as people we’ve already prejudged as “unacceptable”.  When you reach the last page and you put the book down, you can’t help but think about the people and the things you consider “acceptable” and “unacceptable” and wonder if it’s time for you to change your perspective.

Unlike other young adult books I’ve read, “Every Day” is more “realistic” (at least, to those belonging to less-conservative cultures).  Parents here might not like the idea that the characters, as young as they are, have had sex.  Although I can say that sex isn’t really glorified and romanticized in this book (you know, the kind of writing that gets young people into trouble later on).  Sex is treated matter-of-factly, but not treated casually and definitely treated with respect. 

I found this book to be very philosophical, there’s a lot of yin and yang here and it raises A LOT of questions  (Ah, just the kind of book that I love reading!).  For instance, what defines a life?  What makes it well-lived?  What makes a relationship solid?  Is it living day to day, living a mundane existence with the same routine and people?  Or is it squeezing every bit of “the moment” of the relationship or the experience in one day, knowing it will end when you close your eyes?  What is love?  Is it sticking it out with one person, even if he/she treats you like shit?  Or is it spending your life with one who loves you and treats you well, even if it means a whole lot of sacrifice, and will ultimately end? 

Sci-fi geeks and mushy-to-the-max readers won’t like this book very much.  But if you’re a reader who’s into Philosophy and likes to do a lot of self-introspection, then this book will be a very special and memorable book for you.

RATING:  5

CASSANDRA CLARE’S “CITY OF BONES”: VERY GOOD, BUT SEEMS VERY FAMILIAR …

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

Cassandra Clare’s “City of Bones” is the first installment in her “Mortal Instruments” series.  It is the story of Clary, a young girl who always thought she was just ordinary … until she starts seeing things that an ordinary human isn’t supposed to see.  It turns out that Clary is actually a Shadow Hunter, a creature that’s half-angel and half-human whose role is to protect humankind from demons and to protect the Mortal Cup. 

The problem is, the Mortal Cup is missing.  Apparently, the Mortal Cup is in the hands of Clary’s mother, who is nowhere to be found.  Clary has no one to turn to in helping her deal with her new identity or her mother’s disappearance.  Her uncle, Luke, has left her on her own, and so Clary has to deal with her problems with the help of Simon, her geeky but sweet and devoted best friend, and her fellow Shadow Hunters, Jace, the wise-cracking but secretly angst-ridden hunk, Isabelle, the beautiful bitch with non-existent cooking skills, and Alec, who just simply hates her guts (it turns out he’s gay and secretly in love with Jace).

As Clary tries to search for her mother, she finds herself falling for Jace.  Which presents a complication, for Simon is actually secretly in love with her.  But there’s an even bigger complication, which I won’t tell you about (if I do, it will only ruin the surprise).

I really enjoyed reading this book.  I think it’s something the young readers will enjoy (even though overall, the book seems predictable at some points).  To me, the best thing about this book is the dialogue.  There are a lot of quotable quotes here that are just so humorous.  For instance, Simon asks Clary what kind of coffee she’d like, and she answers, “Black … like my soul.” 

The characters are well-defined and the plot advances clearly and quickly.  Overall, it is a very entertaining book.  However, there are some elements where I couldn’t help but be reminded of Harry Potter, such as the following:  (1) The use of the word “mundane” (sounds a lot like “muggle”); (2) The use of wands (pretty wizard-like to me); (3) Making one’s self invisible (only in this book, a spell is cast, no Invisible Cloaks around here); (4) The “look” of the Silent Brothers (they reminded me of the Dementors); (5) Luke’s secret identity (a lot like Lupin’s).  Then again, Cassandra Clare was originally a Harry Potter fanfic author, so that’s probably just the Harry Potter influence seeping into her story.

It would be interesting to find out how Cassandra Clare develops her story in the other installments, and see whether this series would be able to stand on its own as an original, or fall flat on its face as a Harry Potter wannabe. 

RATING:  4

MELISSA DARNELL’S CRAVE: THE “LEVEL-UP,” 21st CENTURY VERSION OF ROMEO & JULIET

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

If you’re a female book reader who grew up in the eighties (like me), you’re probably familiar with the Sweet Dreams line of pocketbooks.  Sweet Dreams books are mostly romance novels for young adults, featuring actual models (who resemble the heroine) on the cover.  Some of the cover girls have actually gone on to be famous celebrities, such as American actresses Courtney Cox and Diane Lane.  Incidentally, the Sweet Dreams books are actually the lola of another popular line of books called Sweet Valley High.  I’m sure that rings a bell with some of you. 

Compared to their (sleazier) counterparts, Sweet Dreams books are very clean, which is probably a reflection of the more conservative times in which they were written.  You won’t find any characters resembling Anastacia Steele or Christian Gray here.  No first-time/pre-marital sex here.  In all of the Sweet Dreams books, you’ll meet ordinary girls and boys who experience the thrills or young love, sweet love for the very first time.  Zero percent sex, one hundred percent kilig.

Melissa Darnell’s Crave, the first book in her The Clann series, reads just like a Sweet Dreams book (which is probably a relief, if you’re a mom or dad).  However, the Sweet dreams formula is updated for the 21^st century, with the addition of the currently popular paranormal element.  Yes, it is ANOTHER vampire book (which kind of makes me think, when, oh, when will this trend ever end?).  But it’s not just a vampire book, but an angst-ridden vampire book, for Darnell also throws in a little bit of Romeo & Juliet for good measure.

Crave has all the elements of a typical teen novel.  The female protagonist, Savannah, is a plain, sickly, clumsy teenager who is the object of bullying by members of The Clann, who are the crème of the crème in their town.  This is strange, for there was a time when Savannah used to be friends with Tristan, who is also one of the most prominent members of The Clann.  But when Tristan became Savannah’s first kiss when they were kids, everything changed.  Now, Savannah and Tristan each have their new set of best friends and try to avoid each other whenever possible. 

Savannah grows deathly sick all of a sudden, and it’s when she recovers from it that her parents and grandmother tell her the big family secret.  Savannah isn’t a normal human, but the daughter of a vampire and a witch!  Not only that, she’s transforming into something that neither vampires nor witches are familiar with, for Savannah is one of a kind.  In Darnell’s world, vampires and witches are mortal enemies and NEVER mingle, much less interact, fall in love and make babies.

Savannah tries to keep this a secret, but her transformation is hard to disguise.  She transforms from being a plain teenager into … something.  All of a sudden, her clumsiness is replaced by grace, which turns her into something of a dancing diva.  She blossoms into an ethereal beauty, with an other-worldly kind of the complexion, big BOOBS, and captivating, mesmerizing, hypnotic, frightening eyes.  One look at boys and they turn into obsessed lunatics (to use a popular Pinoy phrase, ang haba-haba ng hair!).  All except Tristan, who is the only one drawn to Savannah without turning into a zombie-like maniac.  It is soon revealed that although Tristan has kept his distance from Savannah, he has never stopped caring about her.  In fact, Tristan has secretly used his powers all this time to minimize the bullying against Savannah and draw the obsessed lunatics away from her.  He is actually the future successor to his father, the leader of the most powerful group of witches.  Who else but The Clann.

In helping Savannah, Tristan is drawn back into Savannah’s life.  The two rekindle their friendship in secret (they only “meet” in their dreams), and it is this move that soon forces them to admit the truth they had been avoiding all this time.  They love each other.  But they can’t reveal this to anyone, for like I said, vampires and witches (The Clann) are mortal enemies.  This means that Savannah is the biggest threat to The Clann, while Tristan is the biggest threat to the vampires.

If parents are concerned about the presence of sex in the material their kids read, the sexiest, most dangerous moment (in this book, at least) is an unwanted deep kiss that Savannah receives from her obsessed ex-boyfriend, Greg.  It is a situation which is quickly resolved when Tristan gallantly puts an end to it.  However, parents might consider cautioning their kids from having their first kiss at a very young age (here, Tristan and Savannah kissed each other for the first time when they weren’t even in high school!). 

Even though the grown-ups in Crave have super-natural powers, they are also surprisingly very human.  The parents, for instance, are just as annoying as most parents are when their kids are teenagers, although they’re just as loving.  I appreciate that Darnell also has a senior citizen (Savannah’s grandmother) who isn’t weak and crotchety, but is strong and wise and understanding.  The American culture isn’t exactly known for its close family ties, or its appreciation of senior citizens, so it’s a pleasant surprise to read something that actually includes the concept of the extended family, and respects senior citizens.  Quite Pinoy, I have to say.

The book is written from both Savannah and Tristan’s point of view, but the voices are very distinct and really sound very young (as it should be).  Compared to Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight, its pace is quicker and is more action-packed, and has a more “real” feel to it.  Darnell’s characters, despite their super-natural abilities, seem very normal, for they also go through what teenagers these days go through.  For instance, issues such as growing up without a father (in the case of Savannah) or growing up with parental pressures (in the case of Tristan).  They also face other concerns, such as being pressured to do something you don’t want to do by your family, bullying by your peers, popularity and evolving friendships (what do you do when you’re a geek who suddenly becomes popular?  What do you do when you start disliking your best friend who’s turning out to be an absolute jerk?). 

The strength of this book lies in Darnell’s ability to write a book that young readers can appreciate without the parents having to worry about what their kids are reading.  It is a book series, however, so we still have to see if the “clean” factor will remain until the end.  For now, though, this book is highly recommended.

RATING:  5

MARGARET ATWOOD’S “SURFACING”: FULL OF POTENTIAL AND HIGHLY POETIC BUT SADLY PRETENTIOUS AND PROBLEMATIC

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

I got hold of Margaret Atwood’s book “Surfacing” from a swap meet with some old friends.  I thought it would be a great read, based on the blurb at the back cover and the glowing reviews about Atwood and the book on the cover and the inside pages.  Well, I’m finally done reading this book, and all I can say is … you really can’t believe everything that you hear or read!

This book is unique in that its lead character, a female, doesn’t have a name.  Well, she must have a name, but for some unknown reason, Atwood chose not to reveal that to us.  The world our unnamed protagonist lives in is Canada (Quebec?) sometime in the early 1970’s.  I wish I knew more about Canadian history to have a better understanding of the story (alas, I don’t).  But the world the heroine is in is clearly facing a time of change.  Traditional institutions and values such as marriage and fidelity are being challenged by the “new” ideas of the seventies, like feminism and open marriages.  Babies aren’t people but pieces of flesh to be aborted, and love is just a euphemism for sex.

This book isn’t your typical book with a clearly defined plot.  It’s a story that’s mostly internal, dealing with a few revelations about the unnamed heroine’s life, but mostly about her observations about the people and things around her, as well as her opinions about certain issues (like abortion, for example).  It is mostly stream-of-consciousness told in hebigat poetic descriptions.  You know, the type that sounds soooo intellectual and soooo profound, your head feels like it wants to explode.  The lines are poetic, no doubt, they sound good read aloud, but whether or not it gives you an idea as to what is REALLY happening in the book … well, that’s the big question!

Our unnamed heroine is forced to revisit her old home in Canada following the disappearance of her father.  She is joined on this trip by her boyfriend Joe and her newfound American friends, David and Anna.  By the time her father is found, our unnamed character has been (unsuccessfully) seduced by David, she has finally decided to have sex with her Joe, after which she loses her mind.

And that, my friends, appears to be the book’s story, more or less.  I can’t really tell for sure because the book was just so damned confusing!

Blame it on the poetry.  It sounds good read aloud, that’s for sure.  It sounds VERY arty, but it’s all over this book that it eclipses everything, including the plot, including the main characters, including the historical elements of the story and the potentially relevant statements it can make about issues such as marriage, feminism, sex and abortion.  And it’s such a shame.

Here’s a passage from page 197 of the book:  “Rump on a packsack, harem cushion, pink on the cheeks and black discreetly around the eyes, as red as blood as black as ebony, a seamed and folded imitation of a magazine picture that is itself an imitation of a woman who is also an imitation, the original nowhere, hairless lobed angle in the same heaven where God is a circle, captive princess in someone’s head.”

Beautiful words, right?  Provocative imagery.  But can anyone tell me what THAT means?  Anybody?

See what I mean?

This was Atwood’s second novel.  My guess is, as with many young writers who are still trying to discover their own voices or build their own writing identities, she was still in the process of experimentation when she wrote this.  Or maybe it was her poetry-writing side that got in the way of her prose-writing side.  Either that or she just let her words take over the entire book.  I’m sure you’ve read books where you’re pretty sure the writer fell in love with his/her beautiful images and phrases that he/she just couldn’t part with them.  Or maybe she was on some hebigat acid trip.  Because man, super-heavy siya man!  ‘Di ko ma-dig! 

As confusing and frustrating as the book was, Atwood still had some very good, thought-provoking points to make about many issues.  About love and sex.  About abortion.  About family.  About alienation.  About relationships.  About men who sleep around.  About women who let their men walk all over them.  About not trusting anyone.  About  society and it’s mistrust of what’s different.  About clashing cultures.  And if I’m right about what I think happened to the character, then Atwood also came up with a very arty, poetic way of showing someone who eventually fell into madness.  Whether that was temporary or not, I’m not sure (like I said, I had no idea where the hell the story was going to go most of the time --- I don’t even know what happened to her missing father!).  But these profound thoughts about these hebigat issues are still important thoughts to ponder, even in this day and age.  And I don’t care if the book is dated.  How dated is it?  Well, when you hear one of the characters say “groovy chick,” you know it is soooo dated.

Based on what I read on the internet, Atwood is one of Canada’s highly respected authors.  Which means her career survived this book, which, despite its beautiful, arty poetic imagery, is … well, a little bit of a lemon.  But I’m open to reading her other books to see what she came up with after this one. 

RATING:  1

      

THE FILIPINO TRANSLATION OF SIDNEY SHELDON’S IF TOMORROW COMES: WOW!

 

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

To date, I have read two Filipino translations coming from Precious Pages Corporation.  The first was the translation of “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins, followed by “Fine Things” by Danielle Steele.  This is the third.

Whenever I start reading a translation, I always wonder whether the translation will be as faithful to the original, whether it will be as good, not as good, or better than the original.  After reading the Filipino translation of “If Tomorrow Comes,” I can say that this translation is just as good as the original.

Sidney Sheldon’s writing style is crisp, no-nonsense and very, very raw, and I appreciated that the book’s translator, Armine Rhea Mendoza (who also wrote the translation for the Filipino version of Twilight) was able to recreate his writing voice and style.  Quite frankly, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the translation of that part in the book where the heroine, Tracy Whitney, spends time in jail.  In my view, that was one of the book’s more compelling parts … but it’s just darker, grittier, wilder, more raw (ergo, more enjoyable) in Filipino.  There’s nothing quite as satisfying as reading “Puta ka!” as opposed to “You bitch!”  or reading “Tuturuan ka naming kumain ng puki!” as opposed to “We’re going to teach you how to eat pussy!”  (I hope I remembered the lines correctly!)  Reading that in my language was … wow.  So dirty, and yet, so cathartic, so damned enjoyable!  Although I felt slightly cheated when the translator stopped short of saying “utong” for “nipple” and used “dunggot” instead.  I’m thinking, if you’re going to be vulgar and dirty and crass, why not go ALL the way?

Like I said before (in my blog entry dated 10 December), Sidney Sheldon’s “If Tomorrow Comes” reminded me so much of Pinoy telenovelas that Sidney Sheldon might as well be Pinoy.  Well, this Filipino translation just indulges us with that fantasy.  It’s like a Pinoy telenovela come to life … action-packed, steamy, sexy, gritty.  Delicious escapist fare!  Why, I can almost imagine it being turned into an actual soap!  Any takers? 

RATING:  5

NICHOLAS SPARKS’ SAFE HAVEN: MORE THAN JUST A TYPICAL ROMANCE

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

This is my second time to read a book written by Nicholas Sparks.  The first book I ever read which was written by him was called “The Notebook,” and while I’ve pretty much forgotten what it was all about, I have vague memories of its very sensitive male protagonist.  If I’m not mistaken, it was a guy who knew how to cry, which surprised and touched me at the time because I haven’t really come across many male protagonists with a sensitive nature in stories. 

The next time I “encountered” Nicholas Sparks, it was through the film adaptation of his novel, “Message In A Bottle”.  Now, this was memorable because it was a movie that drove me to tears, even though I knew how the story was going to turn out.  I thought I was the only one who reacted this way to something by Nicholas Sparks, until another friend told me the same thing happened to her; this time over a film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ “A Walk To Remember”. 

I recently learned that another one of Nicholas Sparks’ books, “Safe Haven,” has just been turned into a movie starring Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel.  Here’s the trailer:

Watch the "Safe Haven" movie trailer

As in “The Notebook” and “Message In A Bottle,” Nicholas Sparks’ “Safe Haven” starts off slow and ends, well, relatively slow.  Like sailing across placid waters.  Or getting a massage.  Or listening to mellow songs.

Not that the experience is bad.  It’s actually nice to read a quiet book once in a while.  When you live in a world that seems to want --- no, demand --- anything and everything RIGHT NOW-ASAP-STAT, it’s a surprisingly refreshing experience to read a book that isn’t bursting with testosterone-driven action or sex, sex, sex.

“Safe Haven” is the story of Katie, a quiet, mysterious woman who comes to live in a town where Alex, a widower, lives.  Alex befriends Katie, and his cop instincts soon prove him right.  Katie has a dark past.  She’s on the run from her abusive, narcissistic, crazy bastard of a husband named Kevin. 

While “Safe Haven” has a fairly predictable ending, its value lies in having a female protagonist who is actually a victim of marital abuse.  I am close to a few women who have actually been through abusive relationships/marriages, which is why I feel a “connection” to this book.  For a romance, this book goes against type by having a female protagonist who isn’t your usual heroine.  She’s pretty, but has had her share of battle scars.  To read about someone like her triumph over adversity was particularly satisfying.

Nicholas’ writing style is pretty simple and straight-forward.  There’s nothing awe-inspiring about it.  I think his strength lies in his ability to write from the point of view of a woman.  As I read this book, I couldn’t help but ask, How can a guy write about a woman so well? To write with so much understanding and sympathy?  I’m amazed.

What I get from “Safe Haven” is Nicholas Spark’s great understanding of people, his sensitivity to their strengths as well as their flaws.  He appears to have a great empathy for people.  Only a sensitive, understanding person can write about people in a way that makes its readers understand, if not accept, what they’re all about.  I am particularly impressed with his characterization of Kevin, the villain in this story.  Kevin is absolutely an evil bastard, and yet the readers get to view him with pity, as well as hate.  He’s as scary and disturbing and hateful as hell, and yet, when he finally gets what’s coming to him, you actually feel quite sorry for him.

There’s nothing fantastic about this book, so if you’re expecting a grand, Hollywood-type production, this might not be the book you should be reading.  But if you are interested in reading a sincere, heart-felt, deep story about a woman who triumphs over adversity, of reading about believable, likeable people who find love and each other in the most challenging situations, then you will enjoy this book.

RATING:  5

SIDNEY SHELDON’S IF TOMORROW COMES: SOOOOO PINOY!

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

The first time I ever read a Sidney Sheldon novel, I was seven years old.  It was “The Other Side Of Midnight”.  I was too young to understand what the book was about, but to this day, I have not forgotten that scene in the book where one of the characters does a Do-It-Yourself abortion using a coat hanger.  Talk about graphic, deadly and memorable.

While I have yet to get reacquainted with that book, for now, let’s talk about “If Tomorrow Comes,” which was one of Sidney Sheldon’s many, many books.  Published in the 1980’s, “If Tomorrow Comes” is the story of a young woman named Tracy Whitney.  Tracy is a young woman who appears to be on the verge of living the life she’s always dreamt about, now that she’s about to marry the man of her dreams (who’s also the father of the child she’s carrying).  The unexpected suicide of her mother drives Tracy to confront the man who she suspects caused it.  It is this unfortunate even that turns Tracy’s life into hell.  Tracy lands in prison.  When she is finally freed, she is nothing like the naïve, hopeful young lady she was.  She has lost everything important to her --- her mother, her future family, her job … Mad as hell, Tracy uses both her brains and her body to take her revenge from everyone who made her life hell.  AND get this:  Tracy the banker turns into Tracy the Unbeatable Con Artist!

For someone who is supposedly smart, I can’t believe how naïve and dumb Tracy was when she decided to confront the man who caused her mother to kill herself.  Since it’s the same dumbness-naiveté that landed her in jail, I found it difficult to sympathize with her. 

But I was soon wrapped up in the world Sidney Sheldon created for Tracy --- this dark, depressing hell called women’s prison, and then the glamorous world of the rich and famous (or, in Sidney Sheldon’s head, the horny bitches and the devious assholes).  By this time, Tracy has turned into this brilliant and elusive Con Artist and Jewel Thief with Robin Hood’s sense of divine justice (as in, steal from the filthy rich; they’re assholes and they deserve it).  After all of her horrible experiences, Tracy has forgotten all about using her heart … until she meets her match in the equally brilliant con man with a conscience, Jeff Stevens. 

“If Tomorrow Comes” has the feel of a book that was written in the eighties, and is therefore a little dated.  However, the book still manages to pass the test of time and remains as compelling as it was back in the day. 

Sidney Sheldon’s writing is very masculine.  There’s nothing flowery at all in the way he writes; it’s all very sparse and precise.  But his style is very visual and unforgettable.  Tracy’s time in jail is so graphic that you can’t wait for her to be free; it’s a very difficult read. 

It’s ironic that Sidney Sheldon reveals Tracy and Jeff as people with morals and conscience despite their profession, while the other characters who are supposed to be the good citizens of society are actually the people who deserve to go to hell.  This is probably what makes this book such an enjoyable read.  In this book, everyone gets what they deserve, and the bad ones REALLY get it. 

The “villain” in the story, Daniel Cooper, was a particularly disturbing character to read about.  There’s nothing quite as creepy as a brilliant, moralistic man whose thoughts are on the Bible even as he stalks Tracy Whitney and fantasizes about her sexually as he fondles her panties.  This is the kind of character that makes Hannibal Lecter appear like Sesame Street’s Elmo.

I couldn’t help but think of how Pinoy this Sidney Sheldon book is.  It has all of the elements of a Pinoy telenovela:  a young, beautiful, naïve heroine, scheming villains, angst, a fantastic storyline, rich-beyond-imagination settings, sex … which makes me wonder how many of our Filipino writers had Sidney Sheldon in mind when they created their masterpieces.  Why, if I hadn’t known that Sidney Sheldon wrote this book, I’d swear he was Pinoy!

Sidney Sheldon’s TV roots show in this book, for the book is action-filled from the get-go and the tension just goes up with each page and chapter.  It turns out that Sidney Sheldon wasn’t just a novelist, but also a playwright and a writer for film and TV, having produced shows such as the classic “I Dream Of Jeannie” and “Hart To Hart”.  This book appears to deliver everything that is expected from a popular TV or movie in the Philippines.  Actually, swear it was written by a Pinoy!

But the book’s strength doesn’t just lie in its ability to “deliver the goods,” so to speak.  Sidney Sheldon’s book, slick and glossy escapist fare it appears to be, actually delivers many positive messages.  It is a book about the power of a woman to overcome adversity.  It provides a warning to people to look beyond the surface and go deeper than looks, money or prestige.  Lastly, it is a book that tells everyone that there’s always a choice to go back to being good, of choosing good over evil. 

RATING:  4 1/2

DANIELLE STEEL’S FINE THINGS: AH. SO THAT”S WHY SHE’S SO POPULAR!

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

I have a confession to make.  I love books, but I have never ever read a book written by Danielle Steel.  Call it literary snobbery or just plain geekiness, but for most of my reading life, I just never had the inclination to dive into a book written by “the popular ones”.  You know, the likes of HER.  We all know of popular authors whose books aren’t exactly, well, good, and yet sell by the gazillions.  Which is why I don’t really trust “the popular ones”.

I call this lack of enthusiasm for all things popular the “Titanic” syndrome.  Years ago, the movie “Titanic” was shown in the movie theaters for an epic run that lasted more than a month … I think it was shown for two months?  Practically everyone watched it … except yours truly.  My thinking at the time was, if it’s that popular, it’s probably just the hype.  It can’t be THAT good.

While I have yet to watch that movie, I have, on the other hand, changed my mind about reading books made by “the popular ones”.  After reading that lemon of a book (you know, the one that’s fifty shades annoying?), my thinking is, you can’t possibly find a popular book that’s as bad as THAT one. 

So, I picked up a few books made by the “popular ones,” namely, Danielle Steel, Sidney Sheldon and Nicholas Sparks.  I’ll be blogging about them in the next week or so.  For now, let’s talk about Danielle Steel’s “Fine Things”.

“Fine Things” is the story of a thirty-something Jewish-American man named Bernie, who, on the surface appears to be the Poster Boy for success … he’s smart, good-looking, a rising star in the corporate ladder, and a magnet for the “babes”.   But as it turns out, Bernie is just like many of the people in this planet.  He has always dreamt of being a teacher, but has ended up being successful in a career he never really planned for; he has always wanted a wife and kids, but has only ended up having his heart broken TWICE. 

So, Bernie spends his days flitting from one ho-hum relationship to another and eventually ends up getting married to his job … that is, until a chance encounter with a little girl named Jane leads him to a woman named Liz (Jane’s mother).  Just like the way Bernie stumbles upon success at work, Bernie stumbles upon the love of his life.  Bernie marries Liz, has a child with her … now, for a few years, Bernie’s life appears to be perfect, until Liz is diagnosed with cancer.

I must say that I underestimated Danielle Steel’s story-telling skills.  Now I know why she’s so popular.  While I still have to read her other books, in this book, at least, was surprisingly very, very good.  In fact (and I hate to admit this), I read this book in one sitting.  And this was the first novel ever that reduced me to tears (blame it on Chapter 21).  I am not exactly the emotional type when it comes to reading books, so this was a real big surprise!

I understand that Danielle Steel is famous for writing romance novels, so I’m actually confused as to why that’s so.  “Fine Things” has a few romantic moments here and there, and Bernie could definitely be considered as one helluva man, but this book isn’t just all about romance, or the Ideal Man.  It’s a book that everyone can relate to, given the issues that are touched upon --- love, dating, marriage, loss, etc.

“Fine Things” is best appreciated if you have lived quite a number of years or if you know what it feels like to have had some rough patches in life.  If, for instance, you’ve ever have had your heart broken, if you’ve ever been dumped, if you’ve ever given up your dreams for something else … then you will appreciate this book.  Many times, as I read this book, I found myself relating to the characters. 

In “Fine Things,” Danielle Steel manages to present its readers with a believable view of life in all its complexity.  The characters in her story tell us, implicitly, to look at everything with a discerning eye, for everything is not all it seems.  Bernie, for instance, is so immersed in a materialistic world, and yet he actually just longs for the simpler things in life (a teaching career, a wife and kids).  And his mother is, at the beginning, the stereotypical Jewish mother.  But then, Liz develops cancer, and the reader gets to see that she’s more than the nagging, self-centered guilt-tripper we all think she is.  While I don’t think that Danielle Steel’s writing style is something to be in awe of, her strength lies in creating characters everyone can relate to.  The characters aren’t cardboard characters.  They’ve all got their flaws, and that makes the book easier to accept and read.

“Fine Things” was published in the 1980’s, and the years show on this book, as the characters were shown to have lived through historical and socio-cultural events in the sixties and seventies (for instance, Vietnam, Women’s Lib, free love, the acceptability of animal fur as clothing).  Feminists might have a problem with this book.  However, if you’re wise enough to look past this fact, you’re going to come across a deep, very touching story about life in general.  Definitely a great read.

RATING:  5

ANGEL BAUTISTA’S “MINE TO KEEP”: EVERYONE DESERVES A SECOND SHOT AT LOVE … EVEN BITCHES

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

Precious Pages romance novelist Angel Bautista comes up with another story of “love and second chances” with her book, “Mine To Keep”. 

“Mine To Keep” is the story of Mischa, who’s actually a friend of Erin, the heroine in Bautista’s other novel, “Once A Princess”.  In her introduction, Bautista talks about Mischa not being her typical heroine.  I’d dare say that Mischa isn’t anyone’s typical heroine.  Honestly, Mischa is the kind of girl you’d like to hate, not just on paper, but also in real life.  She’s beautiful on the outside, but her selfish, scheming, manipulative ways drive her to do something totally despicable.  She cooks up a scheme to convince her unrequited love, the gorgeous-IT-boy-with-the-conscience-and-the-heart-of-gold, Keith, that he got her pregnant, so they can get married.  Diabolical!

At first, I wanted to rip this book to shreds or have my dog pee on it out of sheer disgust.  Thankfully, though, Angel Bautista manages to come up with a reasonable explanation to explain Mischa’s behavior.  She also manages to change Mischa and give her a heart as well as a conscience, that I actually found myself rooting for her (just a little!) to have a happy ending.  Only with the help of Angel Bautista’s talent at crafting flawed but sympathetic characters did I find myself wanting Mischa and Keith to get back together.  In real life, had Keith left Mischa, I probably would have said, “Buti nga sa ‘yo, impaktita!”

Just like her other book, “Once A Princess,” “Mine To Keep” is a deep, well-thought-out-and-crafted book that will make you think about your own lost love(s), and broaden your views about love. 

What is love, anyway?  And when is love LOVE?  Is it still love, even if hurts?  Those were just some questions that I asked myself after reading this book.  I’m pretty sure this book will also leave you with some thoughts to ponder, as well.

RATING:  5

JOSS STIRLING’S STEALING PHOENIX: DARK, DEPRESSING, DAMNED GOOD

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

Joss Stirling’s heroine in her book, “Stealing Phoenix,” isn’t your typical lady in distress.  Think 21^st century Artful Dodger with the ability to freeze time.  She’s a kept thief by an underworld character who goes by the nickname, “The Seer,” probably the most despicable character I have come across in books in quite a while (he’s even scarier than Harry Potter’s Voldemort!).  Instead of using his mind control powers for good, The Seer uses his powers to force savants to steal for his own gain.  How despicable is that?

The Seer gives Phoenix an assignment, and it’s to steal something from a target he picked, a male American student, Yves, who’s currently in London.  Incidentally, Yves also happens to be the brother of Zed Benedict, the hero in Stirling’s first book, “Finding Sky”.

To Phoenix’ surprise, not only Yves thwart her attempt to steal from him, she also finds herself inexplicably drawn to him (then again, who could resist a gorgeous guy with intelligence to boot?).  It turns out that Yves is a savant just like her.  Not only that, he’s actually her soul-finder.  Yves vows to save Phoenix from The Seer, but Phoenix is torn.  She wants a new life, but can she risk putting the life of her soul-finder at risk?

For a young adult/paranormal romance, this is an extremely dark and depressing book.  The Seer is actually a terrifying character, who makes Voldemort appear like a wuss (I’m not kidding).  Even Silence Of The Lamb’s Lectre would appear like a saint next to this dude! 

Just like Sky, the heroine in Stirling’s first book, “Finding Sky,” Phoenix is the victim of an abusive environment.  And yet, as in Stirling’s first book, “Finding Sky,” the darkness and despair that envelops the heroine is replaced by hope when she slowly discovers the goodness in people (in this case, Yves and the rest of the Benedict family). 

If you are into kilig moments, then there’s lots of it in this book for you.  But in my opinion, the book’s strengths lie in its tension-filled action scenes, as well as Phoenix’ emotional journey, from being someone who’s isolated and can’t trust anyone, to someone who is loved and can love and trust in return. 

This book is definitely a page-turner and worth your money. 

RATING:  4 1/2

 

JOSS STIRLING’S FINDING SKY: YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A VAMPIRE TO BE A HOTTIE

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

With all these books, movies and TV shows featuring vampires as the ideal man (or woman), here comes Joss Stirling’s “Finding Sky,” a novel for young adults that falls under the genre called “paranormal romance.”

What the heck is paranormal romance, you ask?  I asked that question, too.  Well, based on the definition I found on Wikipedia, it’s basically romance combined with elements that are beyond scientific explanation.  Its themes include that of vampires, shapeshifters, ghosts, time travel or psychic abilities like telekinesis and telepathy.

In “Finding Sky,” our heroine is a young British lady named Sky Bright, whose cheery name is nothing like her dark, troubled childhood.  Abandoned as a child, Sky found herself unable to speak for years because of her traumatic past, and only the love of her adoptive parents slowly brought her out of her shell.  Now, Sky is a fairly well-adjusted teen trying to lead a new, normal life outside her comfort zone.  Not England, but the good old US of A.

Sky appears to be adjusting quite well, despite her status as the new girl on campus.  But then, she meets Zed, the dark, brooding Bad Boy (or so it seems) on a motorbike.  At first, it seems like Zed wants nothing to do with her (doesn’t this just remind you of Twilight?).  But then, Zed suddenly appears to change his mind.  He begins chasing after her, declaring that they’re destined to be together because Sky is a savant just like him, and also his soul-finder (I won’t tell you what that means, you’ll have to read it for yourself).  From this point onwards, it’s a difficult journey for Sky, for though she’s irresistibly drawn to Zed, everyone appears to be against their relationship, from her newly-found friends, her adoptive parents … and her new enemies (again, you’ll have to find out what I mean).

It’s good to come across a British writer like Stirling, who makes no attempt to fake being an American (unlike EL James, who attempted to do just that in her Fifty Shades trilogy --- an attempt that, quite frankly, just went down in flames). 

Some parts of the book can be quite dark, scary and violent, which just reflects the problems a number of kids have to face nowadays.  But these nasty bits are balanced by the goodness found in many of the characters, namely Sky’s adoptive parents, Sky’s new friends and Zed’s family.  In these highly cynical and worldly times, it was actually a huge relief to come across a book like “Finding Sky” which features positive role models.  When you’re bombarded by real life news of broken families and abusive parents, and campus bullying, you just can’t help but feel bad for the kids of this generation.  It’s good to read a book that gives a young lady like Sky who has gone through so much in life a positive environment.  It makes you slightly more hopeful about the future.  This book delivers one powerful message, that anyone can overcome the most trying of circumstances as long as one has a loving, supportive network consisting of friends and family.

There are many, MANY romantic (but clean) moments between Sky and Zed to satisfy the young romantic ladies’ penchant for kilig out there (how all of these flies past the parents is probably every girl’s fantasy!), as well as a testosterone-driven action scene towards the end of the book, the kind that seems good enough to see on film.  Think million dollar explosives and effects!  Could there be a film version of “Finding Sky” in the near future?

Overall, “Finding Sky” is a long but entertaining and satisfying read that can be enjoyed by teens and grown-ups alike. 

RATING:  4

TAGALOG TRANSLATION OF L.J. SMITH’S THE AWAKENING (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES 1): GOOD TRANSLATION, BAD BOOK

RATING GUIDE:

 

5 – A keeper!   

4 – Very good

3 –  Passable

2 –  I’d rather read a telephone book

1 – An absolute bomb.  Read at your own risk!

L.J. Smith’s The Awakening is the first installment in her book series called The Vampire Diaries.  Although her book series originally came out in the early 1990’s, it has remained highly popular through the years and has even been the take-off point for the supernatural teen drama series starring Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder. 

The Awakening is told primarily from the point of view of Elena, the campus beauty, whose only problems initially appear to be fending off the attention of all her male admirers and defending her status as the “it” girl from her once-friend-now-frenemy Caroline.  But soon, she faces the biggest problem EVER.  Stefan, the new boy in school with the drop-dead dark, gorgeous looks, appears to be immune to her feminine charms.  It’s the first time she’s been rejected by any man … GASP!  What must she do to reverse that situation?

Elena decides she wants Stefan, so she cooks up a scheme to have him.  She enlists the help of her minions, er, friends, which includes her best friend, Matt, the financially-strapped jock with the heart of gold, to get Stefan to notice her.  Incidentally, Matt is also one of the many, many boys Elena has dumped, even though Elena considers him her first love.

To her horror, Elena’s schemes don’t appear to work on Stefan.  But when strange events begin placing Elena’s life in danger, Stefan shows up to save her.  To her relief, Elena eventually realizes that Stefan actually has the hots for her, too.  He has only been reigning in his feelings for her, because of his angst-ridden past.  However, the happiness is short-lived, for Elena soon finds herself in a dangerous love triangle with Stefan and his evil brother, Damon … who, as it turns out, are both vampires.

Considering the decade in which it was written and published, it is actually surprising (and scary) that the book appears like it was written this decade, instead of the 1990’s.  The girls on campus are so accustomed to the Mean Girl/Queen Bee culture that they could be characters in a (bad) TV reality show about bitchy women.  The book also touches upon the worldlier, darker issues of teen sex and (attempted) date rape.  This book is definitely nothing like the sweet, innocent teen romances of old, like the Sweet Dreams romances of the 1980’s.

If you’re looking for a book that could positively influence the younger reader, then this book might not be it.  With the exception of Matt, the teenagers in this installment are either dimwitted, horny or shallow.  Elena, the main character in the story, is supposedly so beautiful she’s admired by all women and desired by all men; but her narcissism, shallowness and selfishness just make her so difficult to like.  The way she treats the people around her, even her friends, is just so despicable that you end up not caring about her supposedly angst-ridden past (she lost both of her parents at an early age).  What’s worse is her take on love.  She takes one look at Stefan and BAM, she’s in love!  That’s not love, girl, that’s lust!

But if you’re looking for a book with yummy-looking, gorgeous men, then this book might be the one for you.  Stefan has the dark, brooding looks, the designer duds, the fancy car and the angst-ridden background, all the requisites for a fantasy hottie.  His brother Damon might be evil as hell, but based on Smith’s description, is equally gorgeous to make you want him sink his fangs into your neck.  Meanwhile, Matt might not have the money to afford the designer clothes and fancy car, but hey, he’s a jock with a heart of gold.   

Compared to Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, The Vampire Diaries appears to be less meandering and innocent.  It’s fast-paced, darker, worldlier.  This probably explains why it has survived the nineties and made it to the present time.  The world inhabited by the characters in The Vampire Diaries is something today’s youth are more used to.  It’s a world that isn’t as safe as it used to be, inhabited by people who are more of a threat or a disappointment than a source of safety and security.

If you’re looking for a literary masterpiece, then this might not be the one for you.  The material is sadly lacking in substance, the characters appear to be shallow and one-dimensional and there’s hardly anyone in this book to latch on to emotionally.  Even the best of translator Vanessa’s translation skills couldn’t save this book from being a huge literary disappointment for me.  In fact, I was so annoyed by this book that I wished I had a stake to put right through the author’s heart!  It was torture to read this book.

But since I am the eternal optimist, I’m willing to give the next installments a try.  Hopefully, Elena would be less irritating and more sympathetic by then, and I would understand the reason behind the vampire brothers’ feud.  I’d like to think that there’s probably a good reason why this book series has survived the test of time.  I’m curious to find out what that reason is.

RATING:  1 ½