Wednesday, June 08, 2016

I Have Henning Mankell Covered!


Sometimes the strangest things can trigger a blog post, but this time I don't think the trigger was odd at all. I watched the final season of Kenneth Branagh as Wallander recently on PBS.

Henning Mankell's series is one that I've read the first three books of and just never gotten back to. I don't even remember why I stopped reading them... although now that I think about it, I do seem to remember being diagnosed with cancer right around the time of reading that third book. At that particular point in my life, I was not in the mood for bleak and depressing reading. Do I think I'll ever get back to the series? I sincerely doubt it, although I do know it's right within reach should I ever change my mind.

Let's get down to it and take a look at these book covers I've selected!



  

This will probably be one of the shorter comparisons in the history of this series of blog posts. I'm not overly enthused with either one, but I cannot stand the industrial look of the U.S. cover. Blech! The only good thing about it is that Mankell's name does stand out well, and that would be the only reason why I'd take the book from the shelf. Nothing like being blunt, eh?

99.9% of the time, winter is bleak to me, and that's certainly a bleak winter scene on the U.K. cover of the book. That man standing in the cold and looking out across the snow looks troubled. Mankell's name stands out well against the background, and so does the title. It's the UK cover all the way for me.

How about you? Which cover do you prefer? US? UK? Neither one? Too close to call? Inquiring minds would love to know!


  

6 comments:

  1. No doubt about it, Cathy, it's the UK cover for me, too. I think it conveys the sense of the story very effectively.

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  2. Well, this responsive mind says to the inquiring mind: I agree 100%. For all the reasons stated, I prefer the British cover, no question.
    A very mechnical cover and font would not persuade me to read the book.

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    Replies
    1. Definitely a cover aimed at male readers, methinks.

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  3. Or font designers!

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