The Friday Face-Off was created by Books by Proxy, where each week bloggers can showcase books with covers centered around a weekly theme. You can visit Lynn’s Books for a list of upcoming themes. Join in the fun each Friday by finding a book whose cover is based on the theme!
This week’s theme: An annoying cover.
I almost didn’t post today, because I could not figure out which book to use for this prompt. But as I was scrolling through my Goodreads books, I realized there is a book whose cover completely annoys me! And that is Fellside by M.R. Carey, who is best known for The Girl With All the Gifts. Orbit decided to remind people of that fact when they designed the cover and stuck a big ol’ ugly yellow sticker in the middle (wait, not even in the middle, just thrown in randomly which ruins the balance!). And I want to mention that I really loved this book, so this is simply my reaction to the cover, not the story. Luckily, a few other publishers didn’t go that route so I have some better examples to show you. Take a look:
Orbit 2016 edition | Croatian 2018 edition
Romanian 2017 edition | Hungarian 2017 edition
Persian 2018 edition | Portuguese 2016 edition
Really, this book deserves some better covers. I mean what’s going on with the Persian edition?? Hungary joins the US/UK in putting the marketing sticker on the front, but luckily the Croatians and the Romanians had the sense to leave it off. My favorite is the Croatian edition, it’s very similar to some of the others, but it works much better than the Orbit cover and shows that this is a ghost story.
My favorite is the Croation edition too. It’s eerie and pretty. Gotta agree with you on the yellow stickers! Are they true stickers that can be removed? I guess that wouldn’t be so bad as if they’re printed on there.
Priscilla Bettis recently posted…Can you use pronouns for a non-binary character without confusing readers?
Stickers on the front cover should be banned by law! 😀
If publishers want to point out the connection to another success by the author, the back cover should be more than enough, after all… (((SIGH)))
Anyway I like your choice and its oh-so-eerie feeling 🙂
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…Short Story: BADASS MOMS IN THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, by Rae Carson
Agreed, the Croation version is the best one.
Ew I hate stickers on covers! And I would choose the one you picked as well.
Stephanie @ Bookfever recently posted…Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer
That sticker choice is so weird, especially from Orbit who I don’t think usually do stuff like that! That annoys me too, haha. I think I agree with you on the Croatian edition, it definitely intrigues me the most!
Ugh, the sticker! I hate those kind of things! The US version would be great without it, so it’s Croatian for the win. Good reminder for me that I still need to read this book — I think it’s the only M. R. Carey that I haven’t read yet!
I like the one you picked.
At least with the Hungarian version it appears to be integrated into the image, though it is still annoying. And actually, if I ignore the sticker the Hungarian version is my favorite.
Oh good choice ! I HATE the Orbit cover, like it’s not bad enough it’s so plain, they have to slap that TGWATG sticker which is bright yellow and sticks out against that blue background like a sore thumb, lol.
Ooof. Whyyyy? Why, publishers? I’m firmly against having stickers on covers to begin with, but especially when they ruin the beauty of an otherwise perfectly fine cover. Even worse when it’s not a sticker but actually printed on top of it. I bought a copy of Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend that had a $1.99 price thing actually printed ON the cover, and for the life of me I can’t explain why someone would think that was a good idea …
Stickers are a pet hate of mine. I understand the reasons but for me they spoil the design of that particular cover. It used to be that they were actual stickers and you could remove them but they’re printed on the actual cover now. Grrrr.
Lynn 😀
Lynn recently posted…For the Wolf (Wilderwood #1) by Hannah F Whitten