Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
This book follows the emotional and cyclical journey of an artist processing heartbreak and self-reflection through the lens of a rich multicultural background. Inspired by the lyrical tone and layered storytelling, I painted a cover that visually echoes this rhythm. The custom text is designed to guide the viewer’s eye in a circular motion—from the protagonist, through her falling tears, and into the quiet act of self-soothing. I wanted the entire piece to feel poetic and introspective, capturing the way Zauner experiences and interprets the world. The cover is meant to be both a visual and emotional reflection of her narrative voice—delicate, strong, and deeply human.
This book follows the emotional and cyclical journey of an artist processing heartbreak and self-reflection through the lens of a rich multicultural background. Inspired by the lyrical tone and layered storytelling, I painted a cover that visually echoes this rhythm. The custom text is designed to guide the viewer’s eye in a circular motion—from the protagonist, through her falling tears, and into the quiet act of self-soothing. I wanted the entire piece to feel poetic and introspective, capturing the way Zauner experiences and interprets the world. The cover is meant to be both a visual and emotional reflection of her narrative voice—delicate, strong, and deeply human.
Guía Para Dejar De Llorar Por Hombres, Atraer Dinero, Coger Rico y Convertirte En Una Experta En La Ley De Atracción by Alejandra Campollo
Alejandra Campollo is a Guatemalan activist and writer who empowers young people to build confidence in their sexuality, relationships, finances, and bodies. For her latest book, she set out to design a cover that would help destigmatize these often-taboo subjects—one that invites curiosity and gives readers permission to ask the questions they’ve been too afraid to voice in the past.
Alejandra Campollo is a Guatemalan activist and writer who empowers young people to build confidence in their sexuality, relationships, finances, and bodies. For her latest book, she set out to design a cover that would help destigmatize these often-taboo subjects—one that invites curiosity and gives readers permission to ask the questions they’ve been too afraid to voice in the past.
In The Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami
The book offers sharp commentary on consumerism and capitalism, so it felt fitting to use a traditional instant miso soup package as the foundation for the cover design—a familiar object of mass production and convenience. Within this everyday wrapper, I embedded subtle references to the novel’s themes. I wanted the cover to feel bold and contemporary, reimagining this classic through a pop-cultural lens that speaks to modern audiences. By pairing a commercial, disposable object with literary depth, the design plays with contrast: consumption vs. contemplation. It’s a playful yet pointed visual statement that breathes new life into the story and invites viewers to look—and think—twice.
The book offers sharp commentary on consumerism and capitalism, so it felt fitting to use a traditional instant miso soup package as the foundation for the cover design—a familiar object of mass production and convenience. Within this everyday wrapper, I embedded subtle references to the novel’s themes. I wanted the cover to feel bold and contemporary, reimagining this classic through a pop-cultural lens that speaks to modern audiences. By pairing a commercial, disposable object with literary depth, the design plays with contrast: consumption vs. contemplation. It’s a playful yet pointed visual statement that breathes new life into the story and invites viewers to look—and think—twice.
Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener
This book traces the casual, playful, creative—and at times sinister and cultish—evolution of startup culture in Silicon Valley. It explores how innovation and ambition often blur into obsession, where idealism can mask manipulation and disruption becomes a mantra for unchecked power. For the cover, I wanted to emulate the bright, optimistic aesthetic so common in tech branding—clean lines, bold colors, playful illustrations, and a sense of endless possibility—while subtly undercutting it with a more unsettling undertone. The design plays with the tension between inspiration and exploitation, reflecting the dual nature of a culture that promises to change the world.
This book traces the casual, playful, creative—and at times sinister and cultish—evolution of startup culture in Silicon Valley. It explores how innovation and ambition often blur into obsession, where idealism can mask manipulation and disruption becomes a mantra for unchecked power. For the cover, I wanted to emulate the bright, optimistic aesthetic so common in tech branding—clean lines, bold colors, playful illustrations, and a sense of endless possibility—while subtly undercutting it with a more unsettling undertone. The design plays with the tension between inspiration and exploitation, reflecting the dual nature of a culture that promises to change the world.
Medea by Catherine Theis
Plays Inverse approached me to design the cover for Medea, Catherine Theis’ modern reimagining of the classic tragedy. After reading through the manuscript, we chose to focus on a minimalist illustration of Medea—her face obscured, caught in a moment of quiet contemplation. The ambiguity of the scene is intentional: the viewer is left uncertain whether this moment comes before or after her transgressions. This tension mirrors the psychological depth of Theis’ interpretation, where stillness can hold as much weight as action.
Mr Loverman by author Bernardine Evaristo
Mr Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo follows the life of a 74-year-old Antiguan-Londoner as he navigates marriage, fatherhood, migration, and ultimately, self-discovery. At its heart, it’s a will-they-won’t-they narrative in which the main character is caught between two lives and two loves, each representing different parts of his identity. I wanted the book cover to reflect this tension and indecision—hinting at the emotional crossroads without revealing which path he ultimately takes. What I love most about this novel is its honest and nuanced portrayal of queer love across age, culture, borders, and generations. It’s a moving celebration of resilience, and the courage it takes to live truthfully.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is about a complicated love triangle and the trials that the main couple Tomas and Tereza endure during Thomas's infidelity. I wanted the cover to represent Tereza as a complex woman struggling between her thoughts and actions as well as her own sexuality.
Laughable Love is a compilation of short essays around the mythos of lust and love. I wanted to depict a sort of interwar period mermaid/ghost figure for this cover emphasizing the skewed perspectives of each character.
Life is Elsewhere tells a coming of age story about a young Czech poet living through the second world war and his conflicted relationship with his single mother.
A set of novels by Milan Kundera
In his novels, Milan Kundera delves into the psychology of human attraction and the inevitable objectification that accompanies desire. His characters often find themselves lost in a surreal dance between longing and disillusionment, navigating personal flaws amid the constraints of life under communist rule in Czechoslovakia. I created a series of collages using imagery cut from vintage magazines—ephemeral fragments of past desires, ideals, and identities. The resulting covers are intentionally disorienting and surreal, mirroring the inner turmoil of Kundera’s protagonists as they attempt to reconcile their private selves with a society that demands conformity. Through this visual language, the collages echo the novel’s themes of memory, disconnection, and the often absurd pursuit of meaning in a controlled world.
In his novels, Milan Kundera delves into the psychology of human attraction and the inevitable objectification that accompanies desire. His characters often find themselves lost in a surreal dance between longing and disillusionment, navigating personal flaws amid the constraints of life under communist rule in Czechoslovakia. I created a series of collages using imagery cut from vintage magazines—ephemeral fragments of past desires, ideals, and identities. The resulting covers are intentionally disorienting and surreal, mirroring the inner turmoil of Kundera’s protagonists as they attempt to reconcile their private selves with a society that demands conformity. Through this visual language, the collages echo the novel’s themes of memory, disconnection, and the often absurd pursuit of meaning in a controlled world.