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Illustrations by Jumon Malouf from The Trilogy of Two -
Illustrations by Jumon Malouf from The Trilogy of Two
Designer, artist and writer Juman Malouf has flown largely under the radar — did you know she once had her own fashion label, Charlotte Corday, and did a handful of illustrations for Wes Anderson films, including Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest? Her latest endeavor, however, is sure to finally bring the Beirut-born Malouf into the solo spotlight: She just released her debut novel The Trilogy of Two, a fantasy Dickensian-esque vehicle about magical musical twins who grow up in the circus. Not only did she write the tale herself, but this Paris and New York resident — who’s the daughter of famed Lebanese author Hanan al-Shaykh and, yes, Anderson’s girlfriend — did all the art work, too. Here, she talks to Tory Daily about the book, the wonders of museum visits and her favorite literary adaptations.
My two best friends in middle school were identical twins. I was always fascinated by their closeness — and, also, by the way they pushed each other away. They’re the inspiration for the heroines of the story (Charlotte and Sonja).
I wanted to become a writer because…
I didn’t want to be a writer. My mother was a writer. It was the last thing I wanted to do. But then one day about 10 years ago these characters popped into my head, and slowly I got into it, and I sort of taught myself how to do it. Maybe the books that influenced me most are the Charles Dickens ones. I guess my favorite of all his characters is David Copperfield.
Most read book on my shelf…
Bleak House.
Favorite book to read as a child…
I mostly remember reading Roald Dahl. I loved The Twits. Also, the Little Bear series and the old versions of Amelia Bedelia. Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree used to make me cry. It probably still would.
If I could be any literary character for a day…
Most of my favorites die young: Daisy Miller, Tess of the D’Urbervilles. I’d like to choose one who gets a happy ending. Alice? I’d love to spend a day in Wonderland and grow bigger and smaller and so on.
The author I most admire…
My mother, Hanan al-Shaykh. She’s a wonderfully imaginative writer.
For me, writing is…
A painful exercise. It’s hard. When I draw, I feel like I am only using a little bit of my brain. I listen to books on tape or talk on the phone at the same time. But writing takes everything I’ve got.
My writing rituals and space…
I need total quiet and a small space with a window. I take walks around the house every now and then to think. A lot of snacks.
To combat writer’s block…
I go to a museum.
Guilty pleasure read…
Box Office Mojo. Statistics about how much money movies make.
How clothes can tell a story…
I used to design sets and costumes for the theater; and, every now and then, I’ve done sketches or other illustrations for a film. Obviously, the clothes can tell you a lot about a character. For my book, I think I drew the characters like costume renderings. I wanted to figure out all the details, down to their socks. It helped me when I was writing.
Favorite film made from a book…
Roman Polanski’s Tess. A Clockwork Orange. Oliver Twist by David Lean.