Monday, April 30, 2007

Spot the difference

Maxine of Petrona drew my attention to A Book A Week's posting on same covers which in turn reminded me of this...

Here is the cover of my Viking hardback ONE DAY THE ICE WILL REVEAL ALL ITS DEAD:


And here is the paperback of Kathryn Harrison's SEAL WIFE:


The same figure trudges away in the snow - lonely, isolated and forgotten. It's a haunting image and I'm not surprised it was used more than once. (I do like the cover of my book the best, though, by a long way...)

11 Comments:

Blogger Jan said...

I think the 2nd figure is slightly taller....

Tue May 01, 08:40:00 am  
Blogger Lee said...

I also prefer your cover - more mysterious - and it would annoy me to no end to find such an obvious similarity.

Tue May 01, 09:37:00 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I suppose, being grateful for small mercies, they put a wolf on the cover of The Tenderness of Wolves, and not a person walking off into the snow.

I'm thinking swimming pools, light reflecting off blue in that sort of tortoiseshell pattern. I'm sure I've seen more than one book cover in the past year or so to feature that image.

Tue May 01, 03:38:00 pm  
Blogger Kay Cooke said...

I agree wholeheartedly that your uncluttered cover is the best. My son is busy painting my next book cover as we speak.

Tue May 01, 07:27:00 pm  
Blogger dhamel said...

Interesting. But yours turns out to be beautiful and the other one just okay. The color and the fonts on yours are generally better. But the worst thing about the other book is the font and color of the title. Yours, though, is gorgeous.

Tue May 01, 07:54:00 pm  
Blogger Becky Holmes said...

I am impressed by how graciously you handle this. I'd be really annoyed. But your cover is much nicer and more evocative.

Tue May 01, 08:32:00 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm delighted you all agree. Many thanks for the comments. Yes, I generally agree with 'less is more'.

(I'm actually pretty sure I was the only one to ever notice this).

Maxine: I'm going to be on the look-out for that one now...and I shall be waiting for your book CB.

And Hi Becky - thank you for visiting.

Tue May 01, 10:25:00 pm  
Blogger Angie said...

I agree with everyone, although I bought another version (I think american) showing a picture of an iceberg, I really like the way how it's quite bright around the ice and then black around, there again you have the feeling of something mysterious....oh and also because I love the blue...

Wed May 02, 03:04:00 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I prefer your cover too. The writing is clear and doesn't impose on the picture. The picture is atmospheric and you see the footprints more clearly. So interesting that the same pic can be so well used or so badly used.

Thu May 03, 08:05:00 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My most recent encounter to the similar case is between Natasha Mostert and K.J. Bishop books. I happen to have bought/read both.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0340767979/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0330427105/

- montmorency

Fri May 04, 05:59:00 pm  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Yes, I liked that iceberg one too, Angie. Thanks CFR.

And Montomercy - I suppose the most striking images strike many people...and also I think you might see something and forget and its slight familiarity might make it seem attractive.

Sat May 05, 02:04:00 pm  

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