Wednesday, September 16, 2015

I Have Elly Griffiths Covered. Again!


Back in March, I reviewed the first book in a new series by Elly Griffiths when it wasn't available in the US. Shame on me! I thought it only fair to do a bit of cover comparison during the week of The Zig-Zag Girl's US release.

Last week I asked for volunteers from the studio audience to share some of their favorite childhood book covers with me so I can include them in an upcoming post. I've received some emails, but I'd like to get more. How's about it? Have you given any thought to your favorite childhood book covers? If the answer is yes, just send an email to kittlingbooks(at)gmail(dot)com. It's not necessary to send the cover. I can look that up for you if you like! Just let me know the author and title.

Now it's time for this week's Cover-Off!






Just a little bit different, aren't they?


The UK Cover...

...seems to be going for a more realistic vision of the book. A spotlight illuminates a smoke-filled room somewhere in the England of 1950. There appears to be an audience. Is the man standing in the background the magician? Is the woman standing with her back to us (*sigh*) his assistant? Maybe. Maybe not. It's difficult to tell. It's also difficult to drum up much interest for this cover, although Griffiths' name and the title do stand out well against the background.


The US Cover...

...seems to be taking a light-hearted view of the book with its cartoonish graphic of a magician's assistant standing on the title. There are two things this book cover has in its favor: (1) It's bright and easily seen, and (2) it actually says "A Magic Men Mystery" which lets Elly Griffiths fans in the US know that she's got a new series out.


And the Winner Is...

... neither one of them. 

Both of them make me yawn. Well actually that smoke-filled room on the UK cover-- which is completely correct for 1950-- makes me cough, but that's beside the point. I just find both of them very bland. If I didn't know anything about Elly Griffiths... If I didn't know about her wonderful Dr. Ruth Galloway series... and if I didn't catch her name on the cover as I walked by, I would miss out on some good reading.


Your Turn...

Do you like one of the covers? Which one? US? UK? Or are you on the deck of the SS Naysayer like me? Inquiring minds just have to know!


12 comments:

  1. Neither of them really seems to yell, 'Buy me!!!' that's for sure, Cathy. If forced to pick one, I guess I'd say the UK cover ('though I'm not a smoker either). But that's about it.

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    1. We're certainly on the same wavelength, Margot!

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  2. I prefer the UK version (which I have read) as the other looks like a comic book to me.

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    1. THAT'S what I was trying to think of! The US cover *does* look like a comic book. Thanks, Margaret-- I hate it when a word or phrase won't shake loose from the cranial depths!

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  3. I'm on the UK side on this one. Though I maybe wish it didn't have such a sepia tone. The US one is not appealing to me. I don't really like yellow though. And, yes, I plan to read this book. It's Elly Griffiths after all.

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  4. I prefer the UK version, I couldn't wait for this book to come out in the States and ordered the UK edition. Going to be a good series, not as good as the Ruth books, but good.

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    1. You never can tell. For me, the Galloway series has gotten stronger and stronger, so this one may, too!

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  5. Neither cover would make me pick up the book to see what it was about. Ah well...

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    1. Looks like your cabin is on the starboard side of the SS Naysayer-- just like mine. ;-)

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  6. I can't decide. I like the U.S. design, but I don't think it applies to this book. The U.K. cover would pull me into the story more, because it opens a question: Who is the woman and why is she looking at that man in the cover?

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    1. Yes, that cover does raise a question, which is a good thing.

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