This meme was started by Books by Proxy, whose fabulous idea was to compare UK and US book covers and decide which is we prefer. This meme is now nurtured by Lynn’s Book Blog and this week we are featuring SPARKLING covers. I’ve selected the sci fi YA adventure Across the Universe – Book 1 of the Across the Universe series by Beth Revis.
This edition was produced by Razorbill in January 2011. I love this cover’s backdrop with the beautiful, glittering nebulae, although the two faces juxtaposed into an upside- down kiss doesn’t really do it for me. Someone mentioned it looks like two fish kissing and now that’s all I can see.
This paperback edition, published in November 2011 by Razorbill, has taken a different aspect of the story, rather than featuring the romance. I really like the image of Amy wandering along the corridor of the ship Godspeed all alone. It certainly gives a good sense of the plot.
Published by Razorbill in January 2011, this Kindle edition is my favourite. I really love the image of the ice-crusted hull with a lump that has fallen away. The font is also suitably futuristic and funky, which works really well with the space opera feel of this one. It’s original, beautiful and eye-catching. My one grizzle is that the chatter plonked in the top right shouldn’t be there, but it isn’t a dealbreaker.
This French edition, published by Pocket Jeunesse in September 2014, reverts to featuring the romance in the story. It is a beautiful cover with the two lovers gazing longingly into each others’ eyes with the starscape as a backdrop. However, I really don’t like the twirling font which is at odds with the sci fi setting – while this story does feature a romance, it isn’t the plotline that powers the narrative arc. So I believe the strong romantic feel is slightly misleading for those predominantly seeking a girl-meets-boy story.
This Greek edition, published in November 2011 by Πατάκης is more than a nod in the direction of the first cover. I really like the simplicity of the stylised outlines against the spacescape, but the issue I have with it is that the artwork effectively stops two-thirds down, so that the bottom third is essentially a textbox. This has been cluttered with a rather random logo and the series information with little thought as to how it blends with the rest of the cover design. Which is your favourite?
Brainfluff 
I think they’re all good, but I like the November 2011 cover with the interior of Godspeed because it coveys the genre, has a cool depth to the image, and relates to the plot.
Thank you Priscilla:). You’re right – there isn’t a dud here. And this one was so nearly my favourite, until I lost my heart to the ice exterior.
This is actually a pretty cool selection of covers. I liked the last one but completely agree that what’s going on at the bottom really takes away from the art. I love the one you picked with all of that ice, and I also really liked the one with the character moving through the corridor. It almost looks like she’s framed by an eye, which just caught my attention.
Thank you, Suzanne – yes, I don’t think there’s a real dud amongst this lot. But it is always such a personal choice and I agree that the cover with Amy walking along the corridor is really compelling. Especially once you’ve read the book…
Great choice, Sarah. I love both Razorbill editions, they are so different from each other😁
Thank you, Tammy. Admittedly, my definition of ‘sparkle’ was rather wide…
Oh, I LIKE the second, the second reached out (literally) to me and said, “Take me down from the shelf.”
Good! I’m very aware that covers are highly subjective and it’s always fascinating to see which covers people really like:))
Totally agree with your choice on this one, Sarah…the ice and the font are excellent!
It is a lovely, unusual cover, Becky…
I love the first one! It actually took me a while to figure out that it was two people kissing, because it was hard to see at first glance from that horizontal perspective. I don’t see fish, though dang that’s funny, haha! 😀
Frankly, I’m glad you can’t see the fish, because it does somewhat ruin the cover when you can…
The second and third covers are indeed the best ones, with nr. 3 running slightly ahead due to that beautiful ice motif. And ROTFL on the kissing fishes! 😂😂
Thank you, Maddalena. It’s a real problem though – once you see those fishes, it’s impossible NOT to see them…:).
I think I agree with you on that version being my favorite. Although the paperback cover above that one is a good one too.
Thank you, Lola:). Yes! That paperback version has really grown on me.
This is another neat example of how covers tell the story in their own way, isn’t it? Seeing the faces on the cover ready to kiss, one thinks the story is more romance than anything else. But seeing the ice cover or the lone character cover, one doesn’t think romance. One shouldn’t tell a book by its cover, buuuuuuut yeah, we totally do. 🙂
Of course we do! And that’s why books have covers in the first place:))). And while there is a romance in this story, it is first and foremost an adventure.
Haha, I’ve been staring at that first cover trying to see fish and I just can’t. – Ahh, I’ve gone back and taken one last look and now I see what you’re getting at – and yes, I probably can’t stop seeing that now. I like your choice for this week’s theme and definitely agree with your favourite.
Lynn 😀
Thank you, Lynn… Yes! Once you see those blessed fish, you can’t STOP seeing them.
I always enjoy these posts. Again, I have not read this book so it is hard to judge. If I was to pick the cover that drew my eye enough to read the blurb and see if it interests me, it would be the first one.
Which is great – because that is the point of covers in the first place:).