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Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings, where the blog's owner Heidi discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.
Here is what is on deck this week:
DOES IT BOTHER YOU WHEN A BOOK COVER DOESN'T FIT THE CHARACTERS IN THE BOOK?
As I've often remarked, I'm totally cover-blind - in the sense that I've never been drawn to a book because of its cover, and I don't really care what's on it, so long as I like the content. Then again, it doesn't mean that I'm not mildly annoyed when the cover team don't do their homework. Like, when the red-headed heroine gets the mandatory blonde hair. But also, when the cover doesn't fit the book in general. And I can't stand the latest trend - huge lettering on a nondescript background (so lazy!). That been said, I don't really care about covers. I even have a few mismatched ones, whether because the publishers changed them mid-series, or because I bought the (already out) first book in paperback form, and then went on buying the others as soon as they came out, which means as hardcover. I'm...peculiar, I know 😂.
Well, that's it for now. And if you're interested in participating, here is the TMST prompt list for September:
- September 4th: Back to school: what were some of your favourite required reading books in school?
- September 11th: Picks for fall 2018
- September 18th: What do you love about fall reading?
- September 25th: Love your library post
I don't plan on participating in the meme for the whole month. Not sure what to say about these prompts. And in October I already have 5 Halloween-themed posts scheduled, one for every Wednesday - so I'll be on a TMST hiatus as well (I believe in letting posts breath, so I don't like the idea of posting two days in a row). But since I know that Heidi is going on with the meme, I'll be back with a vengeance later! I love this thing!
Now tell me something...do you get annoyed when your book covers don't fit their content? and can you stand mismatched covers?
I don't really care about covers. I can appreciate a good one but I'll read one with a bad cover. I have to since I read a lot of indie books and they have limited options and dollars to invest in covers.
ReplyDeleteBut it is good when the characters match if you are going to put specific people on there.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
I'm not alone! *squee*
DeleteI intellectually understand the importance of covers, and I realise that indie books have it rough because of that sometimes. (As if they weren't discriminated enough). But since what matters to me is the content, I can't bear myself to care for the package LOL.
I do like pretty covers, and I'll take boring print on a background over awkward models any day. I don't like faces on my t-shirts, and I don't particularly care for them on my book covers either. On the other hand, since our re-read is on my mind, I do love the cheesy 90s horror covers of The Last Vampire series. She doesn't really look like a teenager, but I think they captured Sita about as well as they could at the time.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I know your use of the Jughead gif doesn't mean you watch Riverdale, but it's my latest obsession. Like, I'm way behind on writing reviews because it's so compelling I can't watch it and write at the same time. >>
You have a point about awkward models LOL. In a way, the '90s covers were better, because they were drawings. But if you used them nowadays, people would think the book is MG...
DeleteSita on the Thirst covers is great though (especially the first two).
Um...who's Jughead? what's Riverdale? LOL. Half of the time, I don't have a cue where my gifs come from 😂. Except when it's the derogatory Doctor Who or Supernatural! (Well, OK, NOT only those 😄).
😂 I figured that's how it was. It's basically a more murdery Gossip Girl, so right up my alley.
DeleteI was curious so I googled it. But I love your definition LOL.
DeleteI am all about covers and they are burned into my brain once I see them. If I am reading a book, and the image the author paints in the book doesn't jibe with the cover, it's very frustrating. Why have a model on the cover, who doesn't match the description in the book? Was it that hard to find someone with the right hair/eye/skin color?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it isn't...also because, in this age of photo manipulation, if they find what they think it's the right image, they can still change those details. But I suppose publishers hope to draw readers in ALSO using images that they think will appeal to more of them, like cute blonde women with blue eyes 😒. Something is changing, if slightly - at least there are books about POC with POC on the covers that people buy, so maybe publishers will learn their lesson ultimately!
DeleteI don't really mind an ugly cover (you know, don't judge a book by the cover). But, I have been known to pick up a book because of a pretty cover (what can I say, I like shiny things!). However, a good cover isn't a guarantee for a good book. There is a trend where indie books and self-published books don't have as great covers just because they don't have the same resources as large publishers. So, I think it is unfair to judge books on a fairly arbitrary thing that is more based on economics and resources instead of the content.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, even a small publisher knows whether or not the main character is blonde or brunette. There is no excuses for mixing that up on the cover for me. I would rather have a nondescript cover than an incorrect one.
Quote: "That being said, even a small publisher knows whether or not the main character is blonde or brunette. There is no excuses for mixing that up on the cover for me."
DeleteThey should, shouldn't they? Unless they just want the character to appeal to what they think is the majority.
Or they only have a small department taking care of the covers which isn't even coordinated with the editors...people who haven't read the book and work in the dark.
Nondescript covers irk me so much, I probably would rather have an incorrect one 😂.
It absolutely bothers me if the cover doesn't match the book or if the characters don't look how they should. It's not even that hard to change hair color in PS, and cover designers ought to know how to do that. But I often picture the character as the person on the cover, I can't help it, so it throws me off and confuses my brain when they don't match the description!
ReplyDeleteBut I also have a lot of mismatching covers simply because it's what I ended up with, and I can't afford to replace them and would rather use the money to buy different books instead of multiples of the same!
The hair colour issue is quite common - and as you said, it's weird that some covers have the wrong one and no one does anything about it. It would be so easy!
DeleteI can't afford to replace books either, and I would probably just use the money for new books myself anyway 😉.
I still can't relate to you being cover blind lol. Honestly, it doesn't bother me THAT MUCH, with the exception of white-washing, because that's just a shit thing to do. The Poison Study books feature a heroine of color, but on each and every cover - including the redesigns - she is white. Also, when a novel has a fat heroine, and there's a skinny model on the cover, THAT'S annoying as heck.
ReplyDeleteBesides these, I'd say a badly chosen cover model might give me a pause but nothing more. E.g. there's a historical romance series I LOVE, and the Hungarian covers, while pretty, got the characters completely wrong. In one of the book, the heroine is a red-head and supposed to be shy, meanwhile the Hungarian cover has a model with the most confident looking platinum blonde woman ever. (It's not a bad thing!! It's just not Evie.) Anyhow. I've been leaving these long-ass comments, so I'll wrap this up lol. Great post!!
Inaccurate covers ARE annoying, but deliberate misrepresentation is...well, as you said, a shit thing to do, because it hurts the readers for whom those books are more important. That's just vicious, too - it (deliberately ?) perpetuates stereotypes and the old idea that only a white character on the cover will sell. As for redheads, they've always had it rough LOL. Platinum blondies always win! I think things are slowly changing though, especially in the black heroines department (overweight and differently abled characters still have a long way to go).
DeleteI'm so happy for you that you're coverblind! It makes life a lot easier! I don't care as much if I am taking it out of the library, but I mind a lot more if I'm going to purchase it.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I know, it's unusual. I do notice if they're good or bad, relevant to the story or not...but I can't bring myself to care.
DeleteIt doesn't REALLY bother me, but I tend to focus on tiny details at times and then it does really bother me ahahah. It happened with Saints and Misfits (which I absolutely LOVED btw) since the main character didn't really feel like the model they used on the cover, but I suppose I should be glad they used a hijabi model at all, so I didn't REALLY mind. So, like, if the book is really good, the cover doesn't matter...much...at the end of the day :D I hope that made sense!
ReplyDeleteLOL, it did! I think you mean, the more you love the book, the more you would like for it to have a cover that did it justice - but at the same time, if you love a book enough, you can overlook the cover, unless it is absolutely WRONG.
Delete