I · Anatomy
The improbable human body
Keen fairy observations and wonderfully wild assumptions about the unlikely construction of human beings.
Book story on Sveta’s personal website
The Land ofStone Flowers
A fairy guide to the mythical human being
The author’s official book website
The English edition · 8 published editions
A book about people, written by fairies.
Written and illustrated by Sveta Dorosheva, The Land of Stone Flowers is also known as The Nenuphar Book. This illustrated artist book explores humans and their world through the eyes of gnomes, pixies, and other fairy creatures.
Read Sveta’s project storySave on Pinterest- Published
- Chronicle Books
- Format
- Hardcover · 216 pages
- ISBN
- 978-1-4521-6370-3
The fairy evidence
0104
II · Rituals
Customs nobody can explain
A topsy-turvy study of human customs, rituals, languages, dwellings, and other puzzling habits.
Book story on Sveta’s personal websiteIII · Moods
The invisible hats
Invisible hats called moods cloud the way humans see themselves, one another, and the world.
Book story on Sveta’s personal websiteIV · Belief
Evidence that people exist
Fantasy and fable become a sly mirror, revealing hidden truths about the strange human world.
Book story on Sveta’s personal website
Discovered in a water lily
under mysterious circumstances.
first publication
The original Russian edition of The Nenuphar Book.
illustrated pages
Dense with hand-drawn borders, evidence, specimens, and visual jokes.
hidden details
A book designed to be revisited, wandered through, and looked at twice.
Inside the book
Every page is another world.
Shop merchandise
The book is not sold through this website. Official merchandise featuring its illustrations is available from So-called.
Selected recognition
Awarded
imagination.
These distinctions recognize Sveta Dorosheva's wider illustration practice. The book itself was nominated for Russia's National Bestseller award in 2015.
2024
World Illustration Awards
Professional Advertising Winner
2024Communication Arts
Award of Excellence
2024American Illustration 43
Chosen Winner
2024V&A Illustration Awards
Shortlist
2018World Illustration Awards
Two shortlists
2017Global Illustration Award
Honorary Mention
2016Hiii Illustration
Best of the Best
Press & readers
GeekDad / GeekMom
“In the end, all I can say is, ‘Wow! This book is a masterpiece.’”
Review excerpt via the literary agencyCoilhouse · S. ElizabethAn interview with Sveta about fairy tales, the book’s beginnings, and its view of human life.
Read the original interviewCupcake Punk“Her illustrations take me back to childhood being in love with fairytales”
Read the original featureOn Instagram
Seen. Saved.
Loved.
Readers, booksellers, artists, and curators share how Sveta Dorosheva and The Land of Stone Flowers stay with them.
A beautifully illustrated and written book, praised for its lush art and its fairy-eye view of the human world.
View post on InstagramA trail of scattered pages led to the full book—and an enchanting, whimsical discovery worth tracking down.
View post on InstagramA drawing from this beautiful book became the subject of a daily creative practice.
View post on InstagramReaders describe the book as extraordinarily beautiful and say they linger over its intricate details.
View post on InstagramThe English edition is introduced through its end-title artwork and its new name: The Land of Stone Flowers.
View post on InstagramAn art-history perspective connects Dorosheva’s book illustrations with Art Nouveau and Golden Age illustration.
View post on InstagramOne of Dorosheva’s drawings travelled beyond the page to inspire a hand-poked tattoo.
View post on InstagramA reader’s book carousel brings The Land of Stone Flowers and its illustrations into view.
View post on InstagramAround the world
Many covers.
One hidden book.
Most print editions are out of print. Availability varies by edition, format, and bookseller; this website does not sell the book. The selection below distinguishes published editions from licensed territories and language rights.
See the original book project
Russia
Азбука
Published edition
United States
Chronicle Books
Published edition
Japan
Maar-sha
Published edition
Romania
Baroque Books
Published edition
China
Chinese edition
Published edition
Czechia
Omega
Published edition
Serbia
Dereta
Published edition
Albania
Licensed territory
Rights licensed · publication not confirmed here
Arabic
Arabic edition
Published edition
For translation-rights information, see the literary agency’s rights catalogue. A rights sale does not confirm publication or current stock.
A book meets its readers · Romania
Beyond the page.
Two moments from the presentation of The Land of Stone Flowers in Romania: a conversation about the book, and a handwritten message from a reader.
“Your book changed my perspective in life.”
The artist
Sveta
Dorosheva
Ukrainian-born and based in Israel, Sveta creates intricate, hand-drawn narrative art on paper. Myth, folk tradition, medieval manuscripts, and the contradictions of human nature meet in her work.
This is Sveta Dorosheva’s official author website dedicated to The Land of Stone Flowers, the primary resource for the book. Her personal website brings together her full portfolio, biography, and other projects.
Official merchandise
The book leaves the page.
Explore merchandise that carries Sveta Dorosheva's illustrations from The Land of Stone Flowers beyond the book.
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So-called
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Official merchandise
The art continues beyond the book.
The book is not sold through this website. The Land of Stone Flowers merchandise is available from So-called.
About the book
A few answers.
Is this the author’s official website?
Yes. This is Sveta Dorosheva’s official website for The Land of Stone Flowers and the primary resource for the book. Visit her main personal website for her complete portfolio and biography.
What is The Land of Stone Flowers?
An illustrated book written and drawn by Sveta Dorosheva. Fairy creatures examine human life through stories, observations, letters, and intricate drawings.
Is it the same book as The Nenuphar Book?
Yes. The Nenuphar Book is the alternate title of the work published in English as The Land of Stone Flowers: A Fairy Guide to the Mythical Human Being.
What are the English edition’s details?
The Chronicle Books hardcover has 216 pages. Its ISBN is 978-1-4521-6370-3. Other formats and translations have their own publication details.
Can I buy the book here?
This website does not sell the book. Most print editions are out of print; availability varies by edition, format, and bookseller. Check the specific edition with its publisher, a bookseller, or your library.
Which editions and translations exist?
See the international editions and rights section. Published editions and licensed rights are listed separately; a rights sale does not mean an edition has been released or is in stock.
Where can I find official merchandise?
The official Land of Stone Flowers collection on So-called features Sveta Dorosheva’s illustrations.