“In Dependence” Book Cover Design
With the build up to Nigeria at 50 and the whole rebrand project coming along, the book “In Dependence” by Sarah Ladipo Manyika really did have me wondering what was beneath the covers. Not just because of the name and the story but the clever book cover design.
Book cover design makes up a huge industry for illustrators and it’s always great to see a job well done. I attended a book reading yesterday in Abuja where after all the literary related questions, the art director in me couldn’t help but validate whether the seemingly clear message perceived by me was the same as what the illustrator, Lynn Hatzius, intended. To give a very brief synopsis, the story is of a young Nigerian who moves to the UK to study at Oxford and soon falls in love with a daughter of an ex-colonial officer as well as the cultural differences they encounter. More details on the Amazon page.
The book cover illustration is of two silhouettes showing the two subjects which mask the maps of either character’s heritage, but when they come together, they are just two people in love. I love when design speaks so clearly but subtly.
Alas I was correct and the author thanked the publishers Cassava Republic for doing such a great job on the book and artwork.
This is indeed a very clever illustration, tells the story quite succintly. Did you ask about the choice of colour though?Purple?I am interested in knowing if it was random or it had a meaning…
Hi Jae
It is indeed and that is what design is about, solving a problem visually, relaying communication, not just making pretty things – failure to understand this fundamental is why so many Nigerian websites have fancy features that do little to aid visual communication (flash…knowing that most Nigerians have snail speed internet) O_o.
The illustrator Lynn Hatzius was kind enough to make a mention of our feature at her blog lynnhatzius.blogspot.com, some other great designs there.
I didn’t actually ask about the colour purple, Author’s normally don’t have much to do with a book cover design – that decision normally comes from the publisher and to be honest I was surprised she was able to answer this one! So I didn’t ask another design related question to avoid all the literary people with their literary questions, chasing me out! ha!
This is the Cassava Republic cover yes? The UK cover is completely different but oddly enough I feel it represents better the tone of her novel. The cover you’ve shown here is great (though font choice and the positioning of the text could’ve been better, hehe) but… this cover isn’t reflective of the chick-lit nature of SLM’s novel.
Her novel isn’t quite the multi-faceted exploration of interracial or transatlantic relationships, that this cover suggests. The UK cover imho, whilst lacking in as much depth and meaning, would be a lot more successful at grabbing the attention of the chick-lit-loving femme.
P.S. I’m not saying that SLM intended for In Dependence to fall in the chick-lit category, that was probably the last thing she would have wanted. But imho, that’s where the novel, after reading it, belongs.
Heeheehee! Expect more mouthy arsy comments like this one from me my lovely! Xxx
[...] gratifying to read about other’s appreciating our efforts, such as here, on the excellent Design Nigeria blog. In Dependence was designed by Lynn [...]
I was discussing the same thing the other day, how naija covers are not as good as books published in UK or US. The art here is good but does it tell the story as well? I also wonder at the quality of the paper and interior.
Hi Myne. I have to agree, there really is a huge divide with book design in the UK and the US. I do think the art does tell a story here on first inspection – I will review and revert once I’m done reading it, but I agree with Toks about the typography (too serious for the content I think).
I’m reading independence now and I think the interior is fine, the text is set nicely and legibly on standard wood free stock which I quite like and the cover is nice and thick.
My only major reservation might be the depth of the gutter and binding, which makes it much harder to read text close to the inside margins – especially when using just one hand.
I have just ordered this book. The cover, I must say is very story-telling. It probably isn’t the most fancy but it is indeed fascinating because its quite unique.
However, I’d love to keep the book in the other cover (the one with the red background and a man laughing upwards) because that indeed is very fancy and yet captivating.