Reinterpreting book covers makes a fun project.



The concept of this is taken from the book's dual-narrative concept; with a protagonist living parallel lives, one real and one imagined. The book is narrated from a young woman's perspective, and dwells a lot in the nature of romantic relationships between adults, while gently brushing on modern, real-life issues. While it is not a 'chick-lit' by any sense, I find it appropriate to design the look of the book in a feminine yet modern way.

Below is a summary quoted from Publishers Weekly / Amazon:

"The smallest details of staid coupledom duel it out with a lusty alternate reality that begins when a woman passes up an opportunity to cheat on her longtime boyfriend in Shriver's latest (after the Orange Prize–winning We Need to Talk About Kevin). Irina McGovern, a children's book illustrator in London, lives in comfortable familiarity with husband-in-everything-but-marriage-certificate Lawrence Trainer, and every summer the two have dinner with their friend, the professional snooker player Ramsey Acton, to celebrate Ramsey's birthday. One year, following Ramsey's divorce and while terrorism specialist "think tank wonk" Lawrence is in Sarajevo on business, Irina and Ramsey have dinner, and after cocktails and a spot of hash, Irina is tempted to kiss Ramsey. From this near-smooch, Shriver leads readers on a two-pronged narrative: one consisting of what Irina imagines would have happened if she had given in to temptation, the other showing Irina staying with Lawrence while fantasizing about Ramsey. With Jamesian patience, Shriver explores snooker tournaments and terrorism conferences, passionate lovemaking and passionless sex, and teases out her themes of ambition, self-recrimination and longing. The result is an impressive if exhausting novel. "

You only have to click to be able to see it full-size in my Flickr page.

More coming up!