Translated by Ann Goldstein
Inspired by one of Elena Ferrante’s earlier novels, The Lost Daughter, this is a bewitching fable for girls and boys, but also for Elena Ferrante fans of all ages. Accompanied by full-colour illustrations by Mara Cerri, The Beach At Night is a beautiful picture book narrated by a doll named Celina.
Mati is a little girl so taken by her new kitten that she forgets about her doll and leaves her on the beach. Celina endures a terrifying night, only saved by the arrival of sunrise, when her beloved Mati returns to find her.
‘A small delight, another lovely and brutal glimpse of female subtext, of the complicated bonds between mothers and daughters in a cruel and indifferent world.’
‘Surreal and brilliant’
‘[An] unnerving little gem…Anyone who has suffered the pain of being cast aside in favour of a new love object will relate.’
‘A book that will charm younger and older readers alike.’
‘One for kids–probably older ones–who are fascinated by the morbid, the macabre and the ever-so-slightly strange…Cerri’s full-colour illustrations are bewitching; the story has poignant moments and, thankfully, a happy ending.’