That Sidney Sheldon is a master storyteller needs no confirmation. Right from his first book The Naked Face, his novels have caught the readers in an irretrievable web. Designed as thrillers, SS’s narratives usually have a woman at the center of catastrophic events. How his protagonist faces and survives odds forms the crux of his plots. The best examples of this can be found in Rage
of the Angels, Blood Line, Master of the Game, and yes, of course, Tell Me Your Dreams.
At the onset, we are introduced to three diverse women – the beautiful Ashley, the fiery Toni, and the timid Alette. Ashley is too much in awe of her father, Toni hates her mother, while Alette has her share of problems. The three women have their share of relationships, or to word it differently, they try to have relationships. There is just one problem in this. The men are castrated and murdered. The police goes in a tizzy and does not know what, or rather, who has struck the poor victims ‘below the belt’. And suddenly one day, the police arrest Ashely. This is SS at his thrilling best. What follows next should not be revealed here as that would ruin the excitement of potential readers.
However, there is one thing that I would like to state here. SS is renowned for his thrill-a-minute effect. However, what goes unnoticed is his ability to make readers empathize with the situation of his characters. The three women in this novel are dealt with great sensitivity. According to me, one of the reasons why SS has managed to enthrall his readers for such a long time is the way he lends soul, flesh and bones to his characters. SS, apart from his narratives excels in the art of characterization. His characters are real men and women surrounded by larger-than-life situations. That is probably what makes his appeal timeless.
Tell Me Your Dreams is a thriller that also has social relevance, especially in India. The basic issue picked up in this novel is something that we read about in newspapers. In fact, I do know of a lady who went through a similar problem (as depicted in the book) in childhood. Want to end the suspense. Then what are you waiting for? Just go and get yourself a copy of the book.
Attaboy!