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Design Category
Book design, 1996
Design firm
Random House Art Dept. (New York, New York)
Collection
(1997) 50 Books/50 Covers of 1996
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The challenge of this book was to create a package that had both modern and classical connotations. Arundhati Roy uses language and structure in a sophisticated and idiosyncratic manner, which makes The God of Small Things especially impressive for a first novel. Elegant, contemporary typography underscores the highly literary quality of the work. The photograph of lily pads relates to a river that figures in the story; special effects were made to heighten its colors, shadows, and reflections. The repeated image on the endpapers and absence of “rave” quotes on the back jacket give The God of Small Things the look of a special edition.