My copies of the Books Illustrated editions of The Starless Sea have arrived and they are stunning. The presentation of each volume is gorgeous and thoughtful with so many details. I keep petting the black leather honeycomb cover because it just feels so lovely and soft. These, along with the Books Illustrated editions of The Night Circus, are the most beautiful books that I own and it is an honor to have my stories contained in such packaging.
There are four different editions and as far as I know they are all still available here. (I believe there might be a few copies of their deluxe edition of The Night Circus as well.)
The illustrations by Anne Yvonne Gilbert are so beautifully detailed and layered, I am always so impressed by her ability to combine so many elements and moments into single illustrations and it is a joy to have her interpretations of so many moments from this book. (I am particularly delighted by her version of a certain Persian cat.) Limited edition prints of her illustrations from both The Starless Sea and The Night Circus are available here and here.
I could go on and on about all the perfect details, from the repeating honeycomb motifs to the glorious hand-marbled endpapers in the prestige edition. I am endlessly grateful to Hilary and Mike from Books Illustrated and all of the artisans they work with to put these editions together, they are truly works of art. And, of course, Vesper likes them, too.
