A Book Review of Jessica Zafra's Planet of the Twisted

A Book Review of Jessica Zafra's Planet of the Twisted

By Colene Pabruada Cabaliza

IV-Sir Isaac Newton

Planet of the Twisted is the third of Jessica Zafra’s famous Twisted books, a series that collaborates a collection of her articles, column entries, essays and stories. The Twisted series is known for her writings and commentaries about almost anything, ranting about various topics that could rage from movie stars to existential angst. The series is also known for its uniqueness and its flair.

Talented, clever and humorous, fiction writer and columnist Jessica Zafra wrote this amusing book: Planet of the Twisted. Zafra is a University of the Phillipines graduate who majored in Comparative Literature. Aside from being a fiction writer and newspaper columnist, Zafra is also an editor, a publisher, a former TV and radio program host, and even once a manager of the Eraserheads in the 90’s. In addition, Zafra has won several Palanca awards and has received many other distinctions.

Planet of the Twisted is actually a compilation of her works (most probably her column entries to the Manila Standard Today). It contains seven chapters and is composed of 63 articles all in all. The first chapter which she called “Sometimes They Just Suck,” contains her opinions, observations, and annotations on various films, documentaries, operas, stage plays, and the like. Mostly, it shows the negative points she witnessed and the weaknesses she viewed. A very short chapter comprised of only three articles is next, which is entitled “And Now for Something Really Kinky,” is a funny chapter that talks about her obsession on covering books with plastic. She even tackled about the two schools of book covering and gave tips on how to wrap a book in plastic cover. Of course, she stated the importance of doing such. “The Philistine Foreskin Coin Purse,” which is the third chapter in the book, contains many articles about different facets of life, death, love, religion and even discussed things raging from wicked stepmothers to the commandments most moms unduly impose. Meanwhile, “Tales of Humuhumunukunukuwakawaka,” contains writings about one’s anxieties, fears and points in life that are hard to forget. The fifth chapter, “Dante’s Suburbia,” talks about discontentment of people and their die-hard efforts to achieve or imitate their role models, in such obsessive effort that they could even be called wannabe’s. The confusing effects of mutation, genetic engineering, the million dollar gowns of Princess Diana, and an EQ test are just a few articles to be found in the second to the last chapter of this book which is entitled, “Di! Gowns! Di!.” The last chapter, “I Live Here,” contains articles with the same enjoyable wit and humor. It talks about stupidity of people, the things that people cannot do because of fear, her views about the media and the public officials, an article about Andres Bonifacio, better way of living without using illegal drugs, and many more. Her last chapter chiefly talked about politics, issues in our country, and an outlook for a better Philippines. Even if the last chapter is drowned in her negative comments and criticism, it is a good way to end her book.

If style is to be talked about, Planet of the Twisted author Jessica Zafra’s style is one that could be regarded as highly unique. The way she expressed her thoughts is so free, its like she just let every word flow. She writes whatever comes to her mind with still amazingly retaining her perfectly- constructed grammar. Teodoro Locsin, Jr., editor in chief of Manila Standard Today, even said that, “Zafra can do virtually anything she wants with the language. She makes no mistake, never strikes a note.” She writes and uses words logically. Aside from her very well construction of grammar, Zafra’s style is also exceptional for her manner of writing is humorous and smart. She never fails to make her reader’s laugh with her writings. Her adventures and hilarious comments are sure to elicit laughs, and readers should always be ready to be thoroughly entertained with her observations. Wit and humor is already her brand and her trademark as well. She is also bold and is direct to the point. Others believe her style of writing is what they call "post-modernist," one that is somewhat containing faux intellectualism, pessimism, and exaggeration. On the contrary, others say that her works are appropriately highfalutin. The Planet of the Twisted is the only book I have read from her, so I am not quite sure where to place my judgment. Still, it is true that sometimes, what make her works funny are her disparagements and her negative criticisms. But regardless of those, Zafra’s sarcastic, sharp and clever writing style has captured the imagination, thinking and hearts of Filipinos.

In terms of writing construction and grammar, my humble knowledge could not find anything erroneous in the Planet of the Twisted. Maybe, there are mistakes there, but they are obviously typographical errors and not the author’s mistake. Her book is indeed entertaining; it is a wonderful ride with her. It is a remarkable experience to read and share her opinions and views, though I have not agreed on everything she said. She lets us see the wrongs of the society in which we live in, and let us realize our misshapen beliefs and outlooks on many facets of life. Her book really talks about how twisted, warped, and deformed our ideals, ethics and viewpoints sometimes are. Though I am not quite a great fan of her overly using her intellect on criticizing works of others and her desire of perfection, I think that her book really pushes her readers to view life differently and live it rightly by creating our own right beliefs and not just swaying with the flow and letting the culture and traditions of the society in which we live in carry us with them and carve erroneous and faulty values in us that may cause us to live in despair. It is true that I am not moved by some of her ideals, for I believe in some things in a way much different from hers. I do not like the way she degrades one’s ideas about men, specifically, Filipino men. I could not blame her, for she is a downright feminist. But still I dislike her emphasized negative thinking about men. Still, Planet of the Twisted is a nice journey; they are like diary entries, stories that happen in everyday life. One could surely relate to her experiences which are factual and in some point, is common. I surely have related myself a lot, for I realized the mistakes I have not noticed, learned to value some things I have even disregarded and many more. Although, I do not like her in every point (for I dislike her pessimisms and some of her commentaries), Jessica Zafra still helped me construct and have better and renewed views about life.