Elena Ferrantehas written her first childrens book… and its terrifying.
The Beach at Nightis narrated by a doll named Celina forgotten by her owner on the beach.
As night falls, she must endure endless horrors before she makes her way back home.
The evil beach attendant is determined to take Celinas wordsand her nameout of her mouth by force.
The illustrations are creepy as well: even Celina, the protagonist, is wide-eyed and unsettling.
A far cry from herbeloved Neapolitan Novels,The Beach At Nightcontains seriously scary moments.
Here are the five most horrifying lines.
The Big Rake tries to murder Celina by tearing open her chest.
Nope, not at all scary.
The Fire finally did it.
He leaned forward and grabbed me by the hem of my blue dress.
He went Flusss, and now the material is burning.
It has a nasty smell.
The doll is slowly burning to death.
Were not terrified, not one bit.
He clicks his tongue and from between his lips a small hook emerges, like a raindrop.
The Hook, hanging on a disgusting thread of saliva, drops down until it enters my mouth.
The beach attendant tries to steal her words with the hook in his mouth.
What nightmare world is this?
And Im about to drop onto the sand when a Dark Animal runs by.
He grabs me in his teeth and keeps on running.
Your heart Ill shred/Until its dead.
Just one lyric from the many dark and terrifying songs that the beach attendant sings.
