Covers, 2

Back to Vanora Bennett in our discussion of the differences between covers geared for different markets.

The first book of hers I read was Figures in Silk; I took it out from the library, but I first saw the book with the (hard)cover at left: clearly historical fiction, but the image doesn't "read" trashy to me.  I do not think I would have noted down the title, and then looked it up, if I had seen the paperback cover,  below, or the British cover (with cheesier title, Queen of Silks).  And why?  Bosoms.  A low-cut bodice is a beautiful thing - of all people, I am the last to deny that - but it has nothing to do with the quality of the book, and I really am pretty sure there is some kind of mathematical relationship, where the more cleavage is showing on the outside of the book, the less brains will be evident on the inside - this is, of course, clearly different from real life, and real women. 

Viva la cleava!

I suppose rather than complaining, I should take a lesson, that just because I might be a little embarassed to take a book up to the register, it doesn't mean it's not a good book.

And maybe I should just get the hell over myself, since I suppose this could all be some sort of intellectual snobbery on my part.  I mean, I am sure I have enjoyed some of those books by that lady, that they made a movie of, the Tudor escapades...lalala, can't think of her name now...Philipa Gregory!  Anyways.  Trashtastic covers, yeah, but a) doesn't mean they're trash books, and b) maybe even the fact I am calling them trashtastic is just me being super judgy, which is not cool.  But...in argument FOR judging, tell me I'm wrong:

Do these look like the same book at all???  I saw the cover on the left, and grabbed for it, before I even recognized the name/subject.  The cover on the right, okay, not too showy, but still - would have maybe been something I picked up for a plane ride, MAYBE, but it would have been something I casually flipped over, in passing, along with lots of other stuff, versus catching my eye & making me take note.  And, okay, yes, this is SO shallow, but if one is going to spill out of my bag at work, which one do I want my Pulitzer-Prize-winning historian boss to see?  Yep.  Ha - speaking of that, I saw this thing online, book covers that say "War & Peace," etc., in big type (obv fake) for your pink-covered books on the subway.  Cute.

International Covers: Or, "What Up With the Covers Being Bosom-ified to Catch the Stupid People Audience?"

I was just on Vanora Bennett's website, and was noticing how different the covers for the UK and US, not to mention hardcover and paperback, versions of her books are, and I thought it would be an interesting (for me, anyways) topic to explore and then talk about here.  Then, not even thinking about it, I went to Lauren Willig's website, and when I was reading about her upcoming book tour stops, I noticed she had a blog posting of her own about the ways the covers of just one of her books have changed based the audience they're being marketed to.  Really, really interesting.  I hate to say it, but it's all about snob factor, I think.  Which I just remarked in the comments on Willig's blog, whoops!  Hope she does not remember I emailed her a while ago, because the covers only disappoint me because I think they don't even HINT at the awesomeness inside...maybe I should have written that, lol!
I think the whole cover issue becomes even more convoluted when you have genre-crossing books, like Willig's - historical fiction, mystery, contemporary fiction, romance.  And they do seem to emphasize the "romance" (a/k/a bosoms and beads) on the covers of the paperbacks and mass-market offerings.
Let's take a look.
This is the version of the Secret History of the Pink Carnation that I first picked up years ago, at the little bookstore kiosk in South Station, while I was on my way to D.C. for a work trip (I think).  I remember being drawn to the matte cover, as I always am, and liking the old-fashioned illustration, and the title line with the parchment & seal kind of look.  When I turned it over and read the back, I was hooked when I heard "graduate student," even though the romance parts made me a little wary, but I wouldn't even have turned the book over in the first place if the cover hadn't caught my eye while I was casually browsing.  If, however, I had seen the cover below, which will be the "mass market paperback" cover (October, 2010 release), I wouldn't even have paused - I would have thought "romance schlock" if I had thought anything at all about it, and kept moving on.  Plus, I mean - it looks Victorian, so how are the spies supposed to be fighting Napoleon??