Enlightenment (Dust Jacket / Book of the Year, “Foe” by Iain Reid)

Abstract

Although the “Foe” novel dust jacket could easily connect to other key characters, the actual inspiration for its design relates to Henrietta, a woman who is forced into a relationship with her husband’s “replacement” when he makes the selfish decision to embark on a space adventure. The image conveys her perspective when gazing up at the night sky, reflecting on her unhappy marriage, and desiring the freedom to discover her own identity. The black background emphasizes the feelings of loneliness and helplessness she experiences as a voiceless entity in her patriarchal marriage. Her limited freedom of expression is suggested with only one eye peering through the blackness. The “O” in the novel’s title serves to frame the moon and the stars in the night sky which are reflected within the eye’s iris. The Adobe Garamond Pro typeface appears on the dust jacket for ease of readability as well as to draw emphasis to the title and the hierarchy of information. The starry night sky signifies not only Junior’s trip to the Outermore Installation but also symbolically conveys a world of possibilities that Henrietta has yet to experience for herself. The open eye image on the front cover also strongly connects to an excerpt from the novel “This is what I’m offering you both. An awakening” which appears on the back cover. The blue eye peering out of the black background and staring straight at the reader catches the reader’s attention, causes feelings of uneasiness, and intrigues the reader to turn pages learning more about Iain Reid’s fascinating characters. 

Department: Design

Faculty Mentor: Constanza Pacher