Inspired by What She Reads, Pure Imagination Blog, and Stacked.
I admit I’m a book cover snob. Who isn’t though?
Book covers are the first thing that attracts readers to a book. A good cover can draw someone is, just as a bad cover can easily draw someone away. It can essentially make or break a book. Holy, Mother Cover! is where I showcase the book covers that stand out (or make me cringe), and discuss cover changes.
(A big special thanks to Georgie at What She Reads for bestowing me this fabulous name and to Charlotte at The Simple Tales for creating the beautiful feature banner you see before you.)
US HC vs. UK HC vs. US PB: Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan
What types of covers show off the luxuriousness of the rich and powerful?
The US hardcover and the UK cover both use the vector art of somebody on a circular pool floatie in a pool that’s on a high rise, but there are key differences that give each cover a different vibe:
- the way the colors are used: the US uses pinks and purples—an overall darker color tone, which gives it a night time vibe, and it’s a bit sensual. The UK uses lighter tones—the blue giving the book a summer vibe like the main character is vacationing.
- the fonts: while the UK cover uses the same sans serif type for the title and author, the US HC uses a script for the title. (It makes the US cover look a bit fancy.)
The US paperback cover goes in a different direction than the hardcovers. Instead of hanging at the pool, this cover illustrates a woman’s face, wearing sunglasses that reflect the skyline and a pink headscarf. The coloring—the pink and the sea foam green— is a nice pairing; it’s very light (slightly washed out), which I like better than the darkness of the US hardcover.
No matter which cover is my favorite, all of these portray the luxury of the rich and powerful.
Final Verdict: What cover do I like better? The US paperback cover! When I saw that cover, I was so struck by how gorgeous the art is.
