Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Hardcover vs Paperback 58

Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman

Hardcover

Paperback

Amazon.com:

Fifteen-year-old Vidya dreams of going to college— an unusual aspiration for a girl living in Britishoccupied India during World War II. Then tragedy strikes, and Vidya and her brother are forced to move into a traditional household with their extended family, where women are meant to be married, not educated. Breaking the rules, Vidya finds refuge in her grandfather’s library. But then her brother does something unthinkable, and Vidya’s life becomes a whirlwind of political and personal complications. The question is, will she be strong enough to survive?

Since this is a young adult book, I think the paperback's vibrancy will be much more striking towards young people. The hardcover could almost be anything, it's harder to tell that it's fiction and a young adult book to me, than the paperback. I definitely think they are both beautiful though.

Hardcover or Paperback?

Have you spotted a Hardcover vs. Paperback you would like to contribute? Send me an email!

18 comments:

  1. They are both beautiful but I like the hardback more because it seems to fit the title better.

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  2. I like both but think the girl in the paperback looks older than 15.

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  3. This is a tough one. I'm drawn to the paperback more, but the hardcover design goes well with the title. Still, I'd be more likely to pick up the paperback based on cover interest.

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  4. I like the hardcover better, it's beautiful and very fitting.

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  5. I like the hardcover, it looks very elegant.

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  6. I definitely prefer the hardcover. Although I have to say - neither of them give me the impression that I will be reading a young adult novel.

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  7. I prefer the hardcover, but I agree that it doesn't look young adult. It looks a bit middle grade maybe.

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  8. The paperback does seem more like YA but I really like the hardcover. Though I have to agree that it could be anything.

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  9. I'm partial to the hardcover, but I think you're right - the paperback is more YA friendly

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  10. Hardcover for me! It's so beautiful, and I think it would still be appealing to a younger reader. It's more artsy, yes, but maybe that will help attract a more literary young mind?

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  11. I do love the hardback. It takes you somewhere.

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  12. I really like both! I own the hardcover, but when I was in NY and at Penguin, an editor just happened to show me the new cover and I was pleasantly surprised. I still really love the hardcover, but the paperback is gorgeous as well.

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  13. I like the paperback a bit better, but the hardcover works as well.

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  14. I like them both, but I think the paperback looks more YA than the hardcover. The hardcover makes it look like a boring book that adults will painfully sit through just because it appeared on a best seller list somewhere.

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  15. In this case, I prefer the paperback. First, although the hardcover actually has some stairs, the girl at the bottom looks like she's from a completely different era, much older than the book would suggest. Second, the more vibrant colors and photo of a young woman would definitely attract a younger audience.

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  16. This book sounds very appealing to me! And to be honest both covers (hardcover *and* paperback) would make me buy the book if I saw it in the bookshop ;-).

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  17. I'm gonna go with hardcover on this one!

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