Cover detracttion

Musing Monday is hosted by Becca of Just One More Page. Pop over and read lots of interesting comments & post your own. This week betoken Becca asks about book covers…again.

As a follow up to last week’s question, Melody asked about when book covers do not match the story. Do you feel disappointed when the cover’s don’t match the story? Have you ever been completely misled by a book cover?

I suppose I do look to the cover to betoken the story and yes I do feel betrayed if the story doesn’t live up to the jacket. As I rarely buy solely based on the cover it’s not a huge problem.

I thought this Twilight cover was interesting or even arresting, was disappointed by the story but I didn't buy it for the cover I bought it for bookclub so it doesn’t count .

 

This cover of To Kill a Mockingbird does nothing for me but I know the book so have it in my collection for the story not the cover, it might be a pity if others are not drawn to it because of the cover… probably a new snazzier one out now anyway.

I’ve picked up some historical fiction by the cover but the blurb usually gives the game away, it it’s a bit Mills & Boonish (not that there’s anything wrong with that) I’ll put it back. Likewise some SF have covers that sometime don’t match the blurb. So while I’m sometimes attracted to books I then reject I don’t think I’ve ever been completely misled by a cover, I’m to precious with my money to buy anything unless I’m fairly certain.

One book I would not have read by the cover alone is The Time Traveller’s Wife. This, to me, very ordinary cover put me off but I was nagged into ignoring the cover AND the  promise of ‘romance’ in the blurb by Becca and since have recommended it to others, because she was right (again), it is fantastic.

In short I read books based on much more than the cover.