Smile: Or The Painful Laughing Spasm Of Arthur Goetgebuur

Antihero Goetgebuur, a copywriter at a mega advertising agency in the big city, has to deal with a great physical discomfort. It is not unusual for him to wake up with a smile. But that the 'smile' remains on his mouth now that he is wide awake, that is surprising to say the least. The venomous laugh is slowly driving Arthur crazy. What's more, the insane convulsive laughter throws the routine of his boring life into disarray for good. Absolute alienation and complete madness strike. But at the same time and strangely enough, a few unique opportunities also present themselves... 'Smile' starts from a completely absurd fact that nevertheless has human and recognizable consequences. The tragicomedy culminates in a parody of the existential and surrealistic 'Bildungsroman'. Goetgebuur can finally and unfortunately stand in line next to Georg Samsa from Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis' and David Kepesh from Roth's 'The Breast'. A nihilistic story that irrevocably affects the reader's laughing muscles and peace of mind.