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Senyum Abadi (2010)

by Gene Luen Yang(Favorite Author)

3.61 of 5 Votes: 2

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Gramedia Pustaka Utama

review 1: The eternal smile is a collection of 3 fantasy stories all vey different from each other. The first being a story of a Prince Duncan, who despite having nearly everything he could possibly desire, is distracted from his glorious life in the castle by a mysterious coke bottle. The second story depicts a cash hungry frog/entrepreneur named granpa greenbax who just can't get enough of that moola. The 3rd story follows Janet, an average joe working an office job who feels terribly unimportant. That is until a Nigerian prince emails her, asking for her bank account information for she is the only hope for saving this Nigerian royal family. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and the powerful metaphors and lessons hidden behind each story. I particularly liked Granpa Greenbaxs statem... moreent in the beginning of the story where he cries out, "all I want is for it (his pool of money) to be deep enough so I won't hit bottom when I dive!". I saw this quote as a direct commentary on people's tendencies to lose themselves in mounds of material things when they've lost their sense of direction in life. It is much like manga and other eastern stories in its ability to convey powerful messages in a seemingly simple story. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of social commentary in their comics. Does granpa greenbax obtain enough money to eventually satisfy his desires? Will Janet manage to wire her bank account to the mysterious Nigerian prince in time? Read The eternal smile and find out!
review 2: The eternal smile consists of three different stories told in three different graphic styles (I had to search through the book to find if the illustrations had all been done by the same artist, because the book flaps don't make it clear, and kudos to him - great work in all three styles!) To me, the connecting thread in the stories was people's need to get a break from stark reality through daydreams, fantasy, and faith. They may suffer, but they may also come out stronger at the other end. In the first story, a brave knight must kill the Frog King to earn the princess' hand in marriage. But he has been having some strange dreams, and something is hidden behind the walls of the Frog King's palace... In the second story, drawn in the style of old Walt Disney comics, Mr. Greenbax can never have enough money to fill his diving pool of money (remind you of a certain MacDuck?), and when his humble assistant shows him the spot that brings him joy and peace, Mr. Greenbax decides to exploit it and create a megachurch out in the desert to fleece the believers. But is he the ultimate manipulator here? And finally, in the third story, a shy and lonely office worker gets one of those scam e-mails we have all received at some point but, instead of trashing it, she goes along with it, with some sad, funny, and thoughtful results.I really liked this book. The first and third stories in particular resonated with me because I also tend to escape into a fantasy world in my imagination when my life gets extra boring, and I found Janet's journey at once hilarious and heartbreaking. As a nonbeliever, I felt less involved in the second story, and the big reveal put me too much in mind of a certain serious movie by a certain comedian, but the ending was truly poignant. All in all, once you think about the stories, they may not be as surprising as the author intended them to be, but they will still be affecting and hopefully put a smile on your face - even if it isn't an eternal one... less

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