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Friday, July 12, 2013

Friday Face Off: Monstrous Beauty redux


We've had a Face Off for Elizabeth Fama's mermaid tail tale, Monstrous Beauty, on FFO before, back when its original ARC cover was changed to the cover it was eventually published wearing (below, left). But recently I came across the cover for the upcoming paperback edition, and my I turned into one of those little green alien guys from Toy Story. You know...

I mean... I would buy that on cover appeal alone in a second. But what about you guys? Last time, we were pretty split - and cover redos are always a bit controversial (though I'm not sure if this is a series, so as a likely-standalone, maybe cover redos are less a hot-button issue?). Would you guys reach for this new cover? Are you as captivated with it as I am?  Which would you want to display on your shelves, and which draws you in and makes you want to know more? (And for that matter, do either say "Monstrous beauty" to you?) Take a look, mull it over, and let me know in the comments,
Which one did it better?




Last Week on FFO: 3 very different covers for Kate Forsyth's The Gypsy Crown went head to head, and though everybody seemed to like all of them, for the most part, there was just something so magical and whimsical about the 3rd copy that really drew people in; it was our winner, but the simple silhouettes of #2 were hot on its heels!
Winner ---------->

16 comments:

  1. Man, that second one! GORGEOUS!! I think I'd be more likely to buy that one - something about the lighting makes it more appealing.

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  2. BECAUSE THE LIGHTING IS SO PERFECT OMG

    ;)

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  3. The second one, with the hair, is gorgeous! I am not sure what the book is about but I'd pick up the second one to read the back of it and find out more.

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  4. I think I would have to see both of them in person to decide. The first one is one of those covers that looks better in person than online. Although I like the ARC cover better than both of the published covers.

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  5. I like the second one better

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  6. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO I LOVED THE ORIGINAL COVER :(:(:(:(:(

    I added this book on my to be read list without even reading the blurb because of that cover. Why, oh why, did they change it? :(

    Guess it's pretty clear I like 1 better.

    P.S.: Have you read it? Is it good?

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  7. I'm *slightly* more partial to the new cover, I think. It's a bit more subtle with the "hey I'm a book about mermaids/selkie/sirens/etc!" factor. And it's just pretty. :)

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  8. I don't hate the new one, but I wouldn't pick it up. I still like the hardcover cover. Though frankly, I really didn't like the book, so maybe the new cover would serve me better.

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  9. I LOVE the colors behind the title and the font of the first one... But I'm not too partial to anything else on either cover honestly.

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  10. I did a double-take when I saw that new cover, since I know the stock photo from a Finnish YA dystopian novel! It came out last year. You can see it here:
    http://www.tammi.fi/kaikki-ilmestyneet-nuoret/-/product/no/9789513165758

    Since I connect the picture with another book, and I happen to like the mysterious darkness of the first cover, I'm going to vote for the first. I like that the mermaid's face is not shown with a title like Monstrous Beauty.

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  11. Oh, cool! I have to say, seeing that, I really like how they've altered the stock photo here.

    But good point on not wanting to see the face when we're talking about "monstrous" (though I loved the ARC cover, and the face was shown there, too)

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  12. Both covers are gorgeous and I'd pick them up. However, the second one doesn't explicitly say MERMAID!!! to me, so I'd think it plays better to all audiences. Plus, floating hair. If Monstrous Beauty is 100% mermaid, I say cover #1. Otherwise, as a YA, I say cover #2.

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  13. Definitely the 2nd cover. I love how it gives the feel that she IS the ocean, the ocean is a part of her, and that they are one and the same.

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  14. The excitement never lets up, with present-day Hester's mysterious ties to the sea, to the past, to a possible family curse; mermaids, secrets, ghosts, murder. And all of it holds together in a tight drama that builds to a wrenching but inevitable, and satisfying, resolution.

    I wholeheartedly recommend this book!

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