This book contains three stories by Gene Yang and Derek Kim. Each of them deals with coming to terms with yourself, shucking off things that have held you back and taking control of your own life.In 'The Eternal Smile' a brave young knight in a fantasy world is haunted by the appearance of a bottle of cola, an obsession that leads him to unravel the mystery of who he really is. It's not the most unexpected of revelations, once we watch reality twisting around a few times, but the resolution is very moving. THe second story is a riff on Disney's Scrooge McDuck comics, except the froggy Greenbax is far more rapacious and downright creepy than Scrooge. Once again, the characters turn out to be living in a fictional reality, but the conclusion is exhiliratingly liberating, although some concerns lingered in my mind about whether the story was preaching a sort of essentialism - frogs belong in ponds, keep to your own place. In the final story, a meek office drone who is passed over for promotions chooses to succumb to a Nigerian email scam. Her illusion weirdly turns out to be the pivot for an epiphanic experience that opens up the possibility of love, self-assurance and personal growth. These are not in some ways the most original stories around - except for the third - but the art and writing is so good and the themes so well developed that it doesn't matter. This is a warm, affirming books without being sappy. I enjoyed it a lot. Of all the three stories my favorite one was the frog story. How it showed how our deepest desire isn't always what it seems to be and how it symbolized people's need for some kind of hope. Though I also really liked the story of Duncan and his kingdom because it made me believe that he was really a royal guard trying to fight for the princesses's hand, when in reality he was just living a dream. Although the last story, in my opinion was kind of a drag. I got really pissed off with Janet, I mean its so obvious that the guy was just scamming her for her money and she didn't even realize it and kept playing along. Then later in the book she meets the guy, so you would think she'd like kick his butt, but no she just brushes it off and pretends it didn't even happen. If that wasn't bad enough, she tells the guys that she knew all along!!! I mean I get that she wants to fantasize of having such a perfect life (who doesn't) but seriously she shouldn't have let the guy get away with something like that. I'm sorry but she was really stupid. She let people hurt her and was going to do nothing about it. Such a shame though cause you'd think that after reading such good stories that the last one would be the best. Kinda sad cause I had my heart set on ending the book on a good note.
What do You think about Le Sourire Éternel (2010)?
Duncan's Kingdom: huh? Wth?Had to stop, this was not for me.
—inverclacky
