Book cover illustration “The Ladder”
Author: Eugenia Kuznetsova
The Old Lion Publish house
The cover of this story conveys a sense of uncertain grounding — a reality that appears beautiful, yet remains sharp and uneasy. The illustration shows a Spanish landscape at dusk, where warm hues compete with encroaching shadows. A white house stands as a temporary island where different family members, all shaped by their shared experience of fleeing war, try to coexist. In the foreground, cacti grow thick and dark — a symbol of pain, caution, and self-protection. A single ladder leaning against the house quietly echoes the book’s title, hinting at escape, transition, or an inner climb. The image reflects a domestic space woven with anxiety, where adapting to a new life means not losing who you are.
18 illustrations for chapters
