The Prague Cemetery
Umberto Eco
Design by Suzanne Dean / Illustration by John Spencer
Harvill Secker
The Prague Cemetery’s cover successfully draws upon the typography, style and composition of the 1890’s. With its muted two colour palette the cover alludes to pulp fiction or early pamphlets and periodicals.The illustration draws the reader in with simple silhouettes: a shadowed “gentlemen” walks away from view, a line of smoke weaves stillness and silence into the atmosphere as the crow flies from image to intrigue.
For me it’s the costumed figure that is most fascinating, a “Coffin Joe”-like character disguised by in the cover of night. We are uncertain of his purpose for our view is distorted by the effects of smoke and Shadows. We are following him into the back streets of our imagination where logic and black magic play a game of cloak and dagger, a classic trait of noir - that of trust and betrayal. [Darren]
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From 16 January to 3 February, members of The Kitschies' judging panel will be discussing all of the 2011 finalists. Each review only reflects the view of that judge, and should not be taken as representative of the panel's collective opinion or final selection.
You can find the complete list of Inky Tentacle finalists on The Kitschies' site. Please join in the discussion below and on our Facebook page.
