BOOK-TAN·I·CAL
noun
A Book-tanical is an illustration on or in a physical book. It can be created using computer graphics, or by hand but it is always part of a books design.
BOOK-TANICAL Art Tuesday is a new 100% original weekly meme created here at The Garden of Read-En. This meme celebrates the book arts in a whole new light and was originally inspired by the beautiful botanical illustrations created by botanists.
Each Tuesday The Garden of Read-En will discuss a different book design, whether it may be an illustration in a children’s book, or current cover design that captured my eye. Other weeks, I might even decide to feature a different artist. If any of you reading this have illustrations that you think are beautiful and just need to be discussed let me know and you just might see it featured on one BOOK—TANICAL Art Tuesday.
TITLE: THESE BROKEN STARS
AUTHOR: AMIE KAUFMAN & MEAGAN SPOONER
PUBLISHER: HYPERION (AN IMPRINT OF DISNEY BOOK GROUP)
DESIGNER: WHITNEY MANGER
FORMAT: PAPERBACK, HARDCOVER
BUY: AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:
Luxury spaceliner Icarus suddenly plummets from hyperspace into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive – alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a cynical war hero. Both journey across the eerie deserted terrain for help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth.
The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.
THE DISCUSSION:
“For a moment, the image before us is frozen: our world, our lives, reduced to a handful broken stars half lost in uncharted space. Then it’s gone, the view swallowed by the hyperspace winds streaming past, blue-green auroras wiping the after-images away.
Until all that’s left is us”
These Broken Stars is the first installment to the Starbound Trilogy. I haven’t read the last two books yet, but I did read this one.
The beginning was reminiscent of Titanic but eventually the story took a bit of a futuristic sci-fi turn.
These Broken Stars was published in 2013, back when celestial graphics were just starting to trend (i.e. constellations, galaxy prints, metallic details etc.). This fad not only swept across the fashion industry, but the publishing industry as well. In other words, the cover of These Broken Stars was on point when it came to what was trending at the time.
I think it’s also safe to say that the only reason I picked up this book in the first place was because of the beautiful cover. In fact, I only purchased These Broken stars because at the time I was obsessed with celestial art and fashion, and that’s what was trending. It was only after I scanned over the synopsis that I ended up reading the entire story.
The cool-toned color palette with all the different shades of blue is just breathtakingly beautiful. Even the pop of emerald green is stunning. I love how the designer used that same green dress which Lilac wore throughout the story, on the cover. It made the end-product more cohesive.
I also really like how Lilac and Tarver are displayed in a way that shows them drifting apart from each other in open space. It’s almost symbolic of what happens later in the story, but I won’t say anything past that as I don’t want to spoil anyone!
The designer of These Broken Stars was truly on point when it came to all aspects of designing this book cover. Manger did not stray far from the content itself and was on point when it came to what was trending. Because we all know that everyone judges a book by it’s cover.
I hope you enjoyed this BOOK-TANICAL Art Tuesday.
Until next time,
The Garden of Read-En
The Garden of Read-En 