Most beautiful book of the year
Katriina Kauppila (toim.)
Prinsessojen satuaarre
- Publisher and reproduction Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava
- Graphic designer, cover and binding designer Ms Raija Pitkänen
- Illustrator Ms Kristiina Louhi
- Printing house and binder Otavan Kirjapaino Oy
”Prinsessojen satuaarre” is a brilliant, yet unpretentious work of art. It is a traditional fairytale, yet not fixated on the old format. In this book, the romantic fairytale world is not just glitter and empty glamour. The illustrations follow the unadulterated perspective of a child: reality and every-day-life combined with dreams and fairytale traditions.
Adult readers will gradually grow to appreciate the multiple levels of interpretation and comments hidden in the illustrations: references to painted art and layers of history, visual and verbal hints and comments. The illustrations are ample, yet not abundant.
Small vignettes and dropped capitals create a great balance with full-page illustrations. There is also room for the images created by the reader’s own mind. The peaceful, uncomplicated typography makes the clear characters and compositions of the illustrations stand out. The matt paper makes the gorgeous colours look their best.
