Tarjei Vesaas was one of Norway's most beloved writers, known for his mesmerising depictions of nature, and delicate portrayals of characters grappling with complex emotions.
The Ice Palace is a meditation on identity, friendship and loss. It tells the story of two eleven-year-old girls (Unn and Siss) who are drawn to each other with a rare intensity, and decide to become friends for life, only to be torn apart by tragedy the next day.
It's central motif is a waterfall that has built an impressive structure of ice around itself in the winter cold. This magical place is reminiscent of Andersen's Snow Queen: alluring and beautiful, but cold and merciless as well. It hypnotizes everyone who sets eyes on it, and leads the troubled Unn to her early demise. Sadly, Siss has no way to retrieve her friend from the palace, and the second part of the book explores her grief, confusion and search for a way to heal from her loss.
On the cover, a blown out candle represents the short lived, but powerful connection between the girls, the smoke revealing their profiles and twirling into shapes reminiscent of the Ice Palace itself.
Fonts: Meno Banner, Meno Text
Note: The texts on the cover are from the Penguin edition of The Ice Palace. This is a self-initiated project I created for my own creative satisfaction.
