Thursday, March 15, 2012

Cover Review: Daughter of the Forest




Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

A little while ago I wrote a Spotlight List called Fantasy Authors I Should Have Read about fantastic fantasy authors I somehow (shamefully!) managed to have missed out on reading. This list included Juliet Marillier and many wonderful commenters raved about her book Daughter of the Forest. And I totally trust you. So much so, that I went and bought a copy when I saw it for sale.

But, of course, I still haven't read it! I wonder if part of that has to do with the fact that I kind of hate the cover. I'm sorry, but it's true! I've since read and loved Wildwood Dancing, so I'm pretty confident that I'll love Daughter of the Forest, but THAT COVER. Nope, I just don't like it.

You can click on all of these pictures to make them larger so you can get the full impact.

First, here it is in all it's glory:


I'm feeling a whole lotta meh. It's all washed out and faded looking. I'm totally superficial and I like shiny, bright new things. The colors on this cover make it look old and boring. I can almost smell that musty old book smell (which I hate, sorry), but this is an almost new and entirely musty-odor-free book.

I'm sorry to say, but the colors aren't the only thing working against it. Let's break it down and analyze all the pieces.


Swirly header/footer things:



These are good. I don't think you can ever really go wrong with swirly things on covers. They're just pretty. The colors here could use a boost of, well, color, but the swirlyness of it all still manages to score it some points. Yay for that.

Title treatment:




Things could be worse here. But they could also be a lot better. There are barely any swirls, which is an automatic point reduction. The D hardly counts. The rest of the font is just plain old whatever and while it doesn't score negative points, it isn't gaining any points either.

But what the heck is that F??? That's just a little too ye olde castle for my tastes. We're not in the 1980s anymore. Plus, it doesn't match....anything. This brings the title treatment to an overall NEGATIVE point score.

The swans:


Ok, so the colors are still pretty bleh here, but swans get automatic points because they're graceful and beautiful and next to ponies and unicorns they are practically the number one animal embodiment of princessy wonderfulness.

(Or, you know, magically cursed princes. Which is what that swan probably is, seeing how this is a Six Swans retelling). 

The girl:


Are you kidding me??? This is worth about a million negative points right here. I've said I can be superficial, right? Well, I am. This girl isn't ugly, but she sure isn't gorgeous either. And that hair! Honey, get yourself some frizz-controlling shampoo!

Oh, they don't have that in this world? You know what they do have? Magic. And if I had magic, you'd better believe I'd be using some of it on my own frizzy hair. 

And that "dress"! Sure we may be inundated with beautiful dresses on covers, and fine, maybe they are becoming a little trite. But you know what? They're pretty, and pretty trumps trite every time.

But does this girl have a pretty dress? Noooo, she has a sack. An ugly, drab, sack of a dress with unflattering folds and a weird shoulder covering thing. Fail.

(I don't care if she's focused on weaving painful nettle sweaters to save her brothers' swan-sucked souls. Can't she weave while wearing silk???)


So, what do you think about this cover?
Do you like it? Dislike it? 
Does it make you want to read the book, or are you totally superficial like me? 

(and, I know, I know, the book is much better than this awful cover would imply. Don't worry, I'm still going to read it. Someday.)


 



Interested in covers?
Be sure to check out another Cover Crazy post by Gina from My Precious.
    Click here for more of my cover reviews!

32 comments:

  1. I get you, the cover is awful - I got paperback and it's a bit more purple but essentially the same.

    And yeah, I'm completely superficial and prefer a pretty cover.

    Sadly, the girl and the dress are kind of what she wears in the book - she does were these awful homespun gowns *shakes head* Red's mom keeps putting her on shapeless stuff because she doesn't want Sorcha to look pretty and distract Red.

    She does get an awfully pretty dress later on, they should have put THAT one in the cover.

    The Aussie and German covers are way better. Also, this one is not the worse of the bunch - the Spanish one takes the cake.

    http://www.julietmarillier.com/books/daughteroftheforest.html

    And have you ever seen the cover for the second book? Son of Shadows?
    Lets just say that it takes "Crazy Angry Birds" to whole other level :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I figured the cover was probably pretty true to the book, but this is the one and only exception I have for the "The cover should reflect the book" rule. If the book is ugly, then LIE TO ME on the cover :P

      See, all you had to do was mention that she gets a pretty dress later on and my motivation for reading has already spiked!

      You're right, the Aussie and German covers are MUCH better. I like the 2011 German cover and I LOVE the Aussie first edition cover. So similar to the US edition, but SO much better.

      AAAhh oh my gosh. The Son of Shadows cover is awful! I didn't realize it when you mentioned the title, but I actually have seen that cover before...and I've avoided it like the plague! :P

      Delete
  2. Whew...I was worried that you were going to be raving about this cover. I think it's dreadful. I wonder if the designer was purposely trying to avoid having a gorgeous girl on the cover and stuck an ugly girl on instead - to make a point - or were they just not thinking.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hehe no way. I'm too superficial to rave about this cover. "Dreadful" is such a perfect word to describe it.

      Delete
  3. This review was rather hilarious! I can see how the designer probably wanted to create something that said "simplicity" or indicated the protagonist lives within small means (I haven't actually read the book), but it's possible to do "simple" without making it ugly. Even if the girl had to wear a plan dress, her background could at least be a little more interesting. The whole thing is just so muted I don't think anyone would notice it in bookstores.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "but it's possible to do "simple" without making it ugly."

      TOTALLY agree! There's so much that could have been done here to still get across the same message but do it in a way that's visually appealing, too.

      Delete
  4. I own this book and still haven't read it despite loving Marillier's Wildwood Dancing and Cybele's Secret. I thought it was because it was a paperback and looked really long but maybe subconsciously it is the awful cover. I also checked out the link provided by Alex above and that Spanish cover is horrifying!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I keep looking at the cover and telling myself, "But you loved Wildwood Dancing!" But, nope, still haven't read it.

      What in the world is even going on with the Spanish cover?! Is that supposed to be the MC or the evil witch? The fleeing brothers are almost comical :P

      Delete
  5. LOL on the friz controlling shampoo! Yeah, but first impression was that's a really blah cover. The background colors make it snooze worthy and forgettable. I usually don't pick books because of the covers (been burned several times when I did) but I would've walked by this (and I have!) without wondering what it's about. Hope the inside is better for you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The colors make this such a wallpaper cover. Bland, doesn't stand out in any way.

      I do at least have high hopes that the insides will be MUCH better than the cover.

      Delete
  6. What a great way to start the day, chuckeling to myself as I read your cover review. I totally agree with you on all points - especially the dress. Yuck! I usually like illustrated cover, but this one looks like it was done in pencil, then it faded or something. Then, the hair, gawd, looks like mine first thing in the morning after sleeping on it all night. So, thanks for starting my day off with a smile!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm happy to have started your day with a smile :) I like illustrated covers too, but I like them when they're bright and eye-catching.

      Delete
  7. Am I the only one doesn't hate this cover?
    I definitely don't love it, but I don't mind it as much as everyone else seems to. The only thing that really bugs me is the F. Other than that, I don't think it's too bad. And while her hair isn't looking that great, I don't think the girl on the cover is ugly, she just isn't especially pretty.
    Just thought I'd throw my two-cents in there (=

    ~Debz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so cover judgey. Really, it's BAD :P I'm glad you do like this cover though. I agree, I don't think she's ugly but more bland and not eye-catching gorgeous. Thanks for sharing your two cents! They're always wanted :)

      Delete
  8. Oh I completely agree. I love a pretty cover and this one...just isn't. Son of the Shadows is almost more horrifying - the woman (I think it's a woman?) just looks scary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I always thought it was a man, but I looked at it when I put the link up there and I realized it is a woman. Very scary looking woman though!

      Delete
    2. Yes, the Son of the Shadows woman is SCARY! She looks like she's the evil villain (is she? I don't know! I guess it's a good cover if she's supposed to be the villain).

      Delete
  9. "Practically embodiment of princessy wonderfulness." HAH. You make me laugh every time I visit, Small! I agree with your dissection completely--the colors, illustration, title treatment, borders...all of it could have been, should have been, much better.

    Incidentally (!) I hear such great things about this author. I am going to try to read more fantasy this year and Wildwood Dancing is definitely on my list!

    Wendy @ The Midnight Garden

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad I do! :)

      Please do read Wildwood Dancing! Not only does it have a gorgeous cover, but it's actually super representative of the story and it's a lot of fun picking out all of the tiny details the artist worked in. Plus, the story itself is as beautiful as the cover.

      Delete
  10. I don't really have a problem with this cover of the book. And I don't think Sorcha cares what her hair looks like after... well, you'll see.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha yes, I'm sure Sorcha doesn't care. She sounds like one tough cookie.

      Delete
  11. XD

    I love the swirls, the font, and even the swans. But, it's the girl has me all, :O

    She looks like a man, in my opinion. I actually thought she was a he until you said it was girl.

    Asher

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup, the rest of the cover isn't so bad, but the girl really does bring it down a lot. The whole thing is so drab. :(

      Delete
  12. Small, I love you. Which is why I'm gonna tell you right now: you are going to feel like crap for all the things you said about Sorcha after you finally read this book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hehehe when I was scheduling this I KNEW you would say that, and I know you're right :) I'll just have to write a self-flagellating post readdressing the cover after I've read the book.

      Delete
  13. Small-
    I'm with you all the way on this one! It is an ugly cover and even if the dress is ugly couldn't they make her pretty in an ugly dress? Maybe she is under duress and that's why she is so ugly. Anyway, no, the cover doesn't draw me to read the book. I have it though.

    Heather

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think she's under major duress. Still though, if I didn't know the plot and the author, I would pass right by that cover because it's just so unappealing.

      Delete
  14. I'm kind of finding it hard to believe that a YA novel (I'm assuming this is YA) would have such a...meh cover. Normally they're bright with gorgeous people, or they're dark with some kind of mysterious aspect to draw you in...but the cover is *pretty.* This one looks like it should've been published in the middle ages... No offense to the cover designer, of course. But it's true. My favourite part about the cover would have to be... probably that swirly header/footer at the top. Although Z patterns are usually a good way to format a picture, I find it doesn't really work with this one- It just doesn't look YA. Like something my grandma would read. Not to be mean >.<

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha! I love what you said! Yes, this looks exactly like a grandma book! :P And, yup, I'm pretty sure this is YA, though I think Juliet Marillier is often considered a crossover author.

      Delete
  15. Well I think you know how I feel about this book already! I LOVED it. And while the cover is meh, don't let it fool you. It actually fits the story and you go back and look again and say, "Oh. Oh I get it now!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know I'll love the book :) I like that the cover matches the story, so I guess I'd better hurry up and read it so I can start to appreciate the cover, huh? :)

      Delete
  16. i would totally buy this
    i loveeeeeeeeeeee historicals

    and i find the girl cute/ he i'm a guy lol

    ppl diffr

    ReplyDelete

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