Culture. Eat it
30 April 2018
This week’s book on the nightstand is called I will fight the monsters for you by Santi Balmes.
Our protagonist is Martina and she’s afraid of monsters, like many children.
Martina knew that when the moon came up she had to go to bed. (…)
Nobody, apart from her, listened to the monster.
Her monsters inhabit “upside down” under her bed and every night they wait for her to fall asleep to bring her into their universe by dragging her by the arm.
Martina looks for reassurance and her dad is ready to comfort her:
Call me his dad told her. Listen to me. I will fight the monsters for you.
And how?
I will help you not be afraid, Martina. The magnitude of the monsters depends on how much fear you have. If you’re feeling brave, you’ll see the little, cowardly monster.
Yet deep inside, perhaps, she’s not afraid of monsters. She dreams a plump little girl, covered with pink fur called Anitram.
In a parallel world, in which Martina reflects her fears, she unhinges them and, in doing so, she needs to project herself into the pink monster, which in a sympathetic expedient bears her name to the contrary.
Outside, even in the monster world, it rained. Anitram was afraid. (…).
Nobody, apart from her, listened to human.
Obviously in this other world can’t miss a monster dad ready to reassure his Anitram:
I hear this girl making noise but I do not know how it is. And if she were very great, like you? What could I do?
Call me his father answered. Listen, I will kill the FEAR for you.
No human to be defeated but only fears.
The Pink of the monsters remembers the incarnate of the human beings as if to underline that we are not so different even from those who seem distant; that putting yourself in the shoes of others, you look at the world from another perspective, perhaps reversed, as happens reading our book.
After reading I will fight the monsters for you, you can’t help but love your fears.
Feliz Monstruosidad, as suggested by Lyona, the Spanish author of the nice pastel-colored illustrations.
Reading time
A pink night
Ph. Sara Cartelli
© The Eat Culture
Photos: Sara Cartelli
Author
Bio:
She is an art historian, optimistic and empathic by nature. She imagines a world where sow kindness enjoying the little things. She's in love with stories since she was a child, for the Eat Culture she eats books and arts. Per aspera ad astra says the only tattoo on her skin. It reminds her that the road that leads to her dreams is not always easy but that she never gives up.
You may also like
the book on the nightstand
Vincent Van Love. A story in pictures of Vincent’s inner world
by Ramona Lucarelli
