The book tells the story of a Nigerian refugee and a British woman, thrown together by circumstantial forces, then forced to make a terrible choice. For any jacket, there’s lots of work, sometimes punctuated with moments of luck. For me, fortune appeared when I was playing with the type (Memoir) and saw how the beautiful swashes created a mask over the silhouetted face. A normally elegant script font becomes ethnic and tribal, echoing the duality of the story line. 

Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich’s use of the Kara Walker-inspired silhouette is quite beautiful and just right for the subject matter. The use of type as illustrative line is also informative of the content.