Monday 13 February 2012

JUDGING BOOKS BY THEIR COVERS

There is an interesting article on The MIllions, re book covers in UK and US editions of the same book.
It struck me that in most, the cover is definitely of the same book - whereas with 'The Coward's Tale' which comes out in paperback here in the UK in a few weeks' time and in the USA slightly before, I think - the books could be absolutely different beasts - but I like both covers - maybe because I was born a Gemini.

This is the UK paperback cover - the photo is of a street in a Welsh town - the hotel on the left has been cleverly turned into The Cat by Bloomsbury art dept (thank you!), and the lad - well, he's just Laddy, or maybe The Maggot, or perhaps both - who is to say?
and this is the US version - handsome, very different, intriguing.
Interesting, isn't it? Such different markets, same product.

7 comments:

  1. Fascinating. They are all lovely really, but I think I'm still partial to the original UK hardcover...but maybe that's just me being slow to change,

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  2. I think they're all beautiful, so very different, it will be lovely to have them all on your shelves!

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  3. Super that you have three covers though! I like them all and see the appeal, though I'm drawn to the hardback cover myself.
    Definitely interesting that the UK paperback carries on the leaf motif yet the US cover appears unrelated.

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  4. I am very lucky all round - and yes, at first sight the US one seems completely unrelated - but I know it isn't! Intriguing to see how differently the designers interpreted the story.

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  5. I like these two better than the hardback cover, I find it a bit too busy for my liking. Maybe that's why I'm slightly partial to the US one. Simple, sad. I finished the book on the weekend BTW. I'm vasciallating about doing a review on my blog, being friends and all, the same problem over and over. But I loved it! It is so fresh and unique in the way it's told. I kept thinking- this is a book writers will adore. Excellent work, Mma Gebbie!!!

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  6. Hi Lauri - I am delighted you enjoyed the novel - that means a lot. Thank you. x

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  7. As a piece of art, I prefer the US cover. It's clean and as sharp as a scalpel. However, you'd have to wait until the final pages to understand it. The UK paperback cover is artistically more 'messy' but it gives you a far better idea of the content, context, tone and weight of the novel.

    If I hadn't read the novel and had to choose which of the two covers would make me want to pick it op and read it, then it would be the UK cover every time. The US cover would leave me cold.

    Odd, isn't it?

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