I've talked about the design of Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series before, and how I bought and read the first book, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, based on pure cover appeal. Online pictures really don't do justice to the crisp apple green color of the cover, or the general quirkiness of the design. It's simple but memorable, and I didn't really think it could be improved upon. But then I cam across an updated cover for the book, and I have to say, I think I love it equally as much. Maybe even more... I really can't decide on this one which I like more, as I think they both capture some of the weird, offbeat charm of the book, and have that little unsettling something going on. So I leave it up to you guys. Which would you reach for, or rather have on your shelves?
Which one did it better?
Last Week on FFO: We had a hostile (not really) takeover of Friday Face Off when Lex swooped in and forced us to watch gifs of Dan Stevens chopping wood in the rain...Yeah. Forced us...
Ahem, as I was saying, Lex took over FFO and asked us to choose between the Emma Thompson version and the Andrew Davies version of Sense & Sensibility. And frankly, far too few of you have seen the awesomeness that is the Andrew Davies version (and yes, I say that knowing full-well just how amazing the Emma Thompson version is), and many of you refuse to believe that there ever could be any other version than what Thompson and Ang Lee brought us. But surprisingly, the vote was much closer than I would have guessed, so really, in this case, no matter which version you go with - everyone's a winner.
I like the one on the right. :) The intriguing tagline aside (mystery solver AND master poisoner? Do please go on...), the color and design choices are a bit more to my taste. Particularly interesting how the branches extend a little beyond the colored area and into white space. ^^
ReplyDeleteI vote original green. I think it goes with the books better. Also heart that series so much.
ReplyDeleteI vote original green. I think it goes with the books better. Also heart that series so much.
ReplyDeleteWell they are both interesting covers. The one in the right is slightly creepy and has a good 50s vibe going on, the one on the left much more creepy and a bit odd. I've not read the books so not sure which suits better.
ReplyDeleteBoth are good, but I vote for the updated cover.
ReplyDeleteThe updated one is more my taste, but the original is not a bad cover either. I vote for the new cover.
ReplyDeleteThe cover on the left reminds me of some of those older classic mystery covers, but the one on the right has ambiance. I've never read the book so I'm going on 'curb appeal' here. I'm going with green cover to the left.
ReplyDeleteI like the blue cover better - I like the words and I can read then easily
ReplyDeleteI like the updated cover better. It has more of unsettling feel to it.
ReplyDeleteSo now I have seen the Davies S&S. And I do like his take on Marianne better- I feel she's worthy of Colonel Brandon, and oooooh how un-reformable Willoughby is in it! *shudder* So thanks for putting that on my radar!
ReplyDeleteAs for Sweetness...I like the original cover better. The stamp intrigued me, and the bright colors give it a multi-genre appeal. The newer cover looks pure mystery, and all that grey sorts of blots out the text.
Isn't the Davies so good?! I really thought both Marianne and Elinor nailed it - they were exactly what I pictured, come to life. I love me some Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson, I really do, but those Charity Wakefield and Hattie Morahan killed it.
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