Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Hardcover vs. Paperback 23

The Gossip of the Starlings by Nina de Gramont

Hardcover

Paperback

From Amazon.com:

In this poignant novel, de Gramont explores a loyal and destructive friendship between two girls at a New England prep school. Catherine Morrow, the book's relatable protagonist, can't believe her luck when Skye, the popular daughter of acclaimed senator Douglas Butterfield, befriends her. A symbol of idealistic American wholesomeness, Skye is quick to push the boundaries at the Esther Percy School, and soon she joins Catherine in a blur of drunken nights and cocaine binges. But as Catherine cleans up and focuses on school work and extracurricular activities, Skye spirals deeper into her addiction and has an affair with a teacher. Despite Catherine's efforts, she can't untangle herself from Skye's daring escapades, and soon the girls are again involved in dangerous situations. Though Catherine warns the reader of the story's tragic finale from the opening chapters, the ending still reverberates with heartbreak. De Gramont's coming-of-age story distinguishes itself with sincere prose and complex characters.

So this one I've read (and didn't really like) but I thought the hardcover was kind of cute... and then I saw the paperback! And the paperback, makes me almost want to read the book again, almost! The paperback relates a bit better to the actual content of the book, I understand why they maintain the birds there at the bottom to make the connection to the title and hardcover cover but it seems sort of out of place with the rest of the cover. But besides that, love it!

Hardcover or Paperback?

25 comments:

  1. of the two covers the one that I'd most likely pick up is the hardcover. The paperback makes me think that its a story about horses and that's not my thing so I'd probably leave it on the shelf without picking it up.

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  2. I like the hardcover.

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  3. I agree with Irish. I like the simplicity of the hardcover. I haven't read it yet, but I'll add it to the list.

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  4. I 100% prefer the hardcover!

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  5. OK - I'm going to have to chime it and say that I like the hardcover edition as well, for the same reasons that Irish pointed out.

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  6. I love a hardcover book and will always choose it over a paperback cover. It really annoys me when a series goes hardcover half way thru the series..grrrrrrr

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  7. LOL, well one of the main characters rides a horse, i think competitively?

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  8. I would pick up the hardcover, but not the paperback. It really is amazing how important a compelling cover is, isn't it??

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  9. Hardcover for the win!

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  10. I love the paperback! The horse is beautiful and I want to find out the story of the girl riding the horse.

    The other one is unique, but not quite my style.

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  11. Thank you Shalonda! I was beginning to feel very sad that it was only me :P

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  12. I like the paperback better. I like both birds and horses so the combination is good. :P

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  13. If I had to choose PURELY on how the cover looked (not taking into consideration the actual story..) I would choose the hardcover. I find it looks nicer. :)

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  14. I like the hardcover better.

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  15. I have to say I don't actually love either one but I do like the paperback better.

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  16. Hmm... The paperback. Although, the hardcover keeps me guessing.

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  17. Hardcover definitely! I like it's contrast and simplicity.

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  18. Paperback all the way. The hardback cover wouldn't even catch my eye.

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  19. I really like the hardcover!

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  20. I don't know--I like both. The hardcover is clear and eye-catching, but it makes it seem like a murder mystery. I also like the paperback, because of the color and everything, but I agree with Irish about the horse thing so I'd say hardcover!

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  21. Both are nice, but I prefer the hardcover.

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  22. I haven't read the book but I think the hardcover has a more interesting pull for me.

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  23. The hardcover for sure. It has a more stark look that makes me want to look inside. The paperback looks like a series book for horse loving teens.( And I wouldn't look inside!)

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  24. Thanks for weighing in everyone :D

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  25. Hardcover. Large parts of my life were spent avoiding horse novels that someone assumed all girls who read would love. Put a horse on a cover and I'm probably not going to read it. lol

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