Magic that touches even people strongly rooted in logic and objective truth… In the end, all I can say is: Wow. This book is a masterpiece.
Sveta Dorosheva
A Fairy Guide to the
Mythical Human Being
"Bursting with intricate and evocative illustrations — a world of fantasy and fable that slyly reveals many hidden truths about human existence."
About the Book
In the Land of Stone Flowers, gnomes, pixies, and all manner of fairy folk have long observed the peculiar creatures known as humans — and they have opinions.
Through a series of illustrated fables told from the fairy-folk's perspective, Sveta Dorosheva turns the mirror on us: our rituals, our contradictions, our surprising capacity for wonder. Classic fairy-tale logic meets sharp, tender wit — and every page is alive with hand-drawn ornament that rewards a second look.
Translated into seven languages. Originally published in Russian as «Книга, найденная в кувшинке».
Press & Reviews
Magic that touches even people strongly rooted in logic and objective truth… In the end, all I can say is: Wow. This book is a masterpiece.
Gorgeous art nouveau illustrations and imaginative tales. You'll savor each page.
The illustrations are hands-down the best part — very detailed and stunning. Sveta Dorosheva has such a great talent in mixing illustrations with the story.
Lush and reminiscent of Aubrey Beardsley — the intricately-lined ornamentation, the luxurious art deco magnificence, beautiful-on-the-verge-of-grotesque.
Bursting with intricate and evocative illustrations that draw readers into a world of fantasy and fable — one that slyly reveals many hidden truths about human existence.
Inside the Book
The Artist
Sveta Dorosheva is a Ukrainian-Israeli illustrator whose intricate, hand-drawn work draws on Eastern European folk traditions, medieval manuscript art, and a lifelong fascination with the boundary between the seen and unseen world.
Her illustrations have been described as reminiscent of Aubrey Beardsley — dense with ornament, alive with narrative, impossible to take in all at once. She lives and works in Israel.
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