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

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