23 Oct 2014

Cover Comparison - Great Expectations

Welcome back yet again for another installment of Cover Comparisons! If you haven't seen one of these before, Cover Comparisons is a (sort of) monthly post that my wonderful friend, Ebony of Daring Damsels and I do, in which we pick out a bunch of different covers of a certain book and then compare them. Today, we're looking at Great Expectations by Charles Dickens here and Melina Marchetta covers over on Ebony's blog. If you'd like to see the other ones we've done, then you click here to see Jane Eyre, The Diviners, John Green and Wuthering Heights. Now, onto those covers!


BARNES AND NOBLE
Ebony: I just love these editions! I really, really adore this one in particular. I think the colours work well together, and that they suit the story. However, it wasn’t until I saw it in real life that I fell in love with it - the internet just doesn’t give it justice.
Ely: I actually really like this one. I like the colours and just the design in general. I’m sure the pages are absolutely beautiful too.

BBC
Ebony: For a people cover, this isn’t too bad. However, it’s certainly not a cover I’d pick up in a bookstore...the lady looks quite awkward. As does the man, come to think of it.
Ely: I love this adaptation- it’s definitely my favourite out of the ones I’ve seen. This cover, however, is terrible. It just looks weird – I don’t even know where to begin.

CANTERBURY CLASSICS
Ebony: I usually like these editions, however this one I do not. I’m just not a fan of those two shades together. However, it may look better in the flesh… 
Ely: I don’t really like these editions at all. I know some people love them, but they just aren’t my thing. Plus, this is so bright for such a gloomy novel. 

CLOTHBOUND
Ebony: Oh - this is one of my favourites of these editions! The navy/dark blue with the white chandelier pattern - I just love it. It may even be my favourite edition that we’re comparing today… 
Ely: This is probably my favourite one out of all of them. I love the shade of blue – it’s a little bit reminiscent of the TARDIS, and I think the contrast of the white is amazing.  

COLLINS CLASSICS
Ebony: I quite like the simplicity of this cover. It just doesn’t look like a book cover though… 
Ely: Originally, I liked the simplicity of this cover but now that I’ve looked at it a couple of times I’ve decided that I just don’t like it. 

DROP CAPS
Ebony: I like the concept of these covers, but I can’t get behind the colours used for this one.   
Ely: What is with those colours? I swear sometimes they pick out the weirdest colours for classic books. 

ENGLISH LIBRARY
Ebony: This is nice, but I’d prefer more of the darker blue than the lighter blue. 
Ely: I do love this one too. What can I say? I like blue covers. Plus, it’s just so simple yet beautiful at the same time.

MODERN LIBRARY
Ebony: Ooh, I really like this one! I don’t feel as though it suits the story however.  
Ely: I don’t completely hate the design of this one- I like what they’re going for and it makes sense with the story. Not so fond of the text though.

MOVIE
Ebony: This is the edition I own, and I really don’t like it. Just no.  
Ely: Nope. Nope.

PENGUIN
Ebony: Um. Okay. I don’t like this cover. It looks as though it’s about Greek mythology or philosophy or something similar.  
Ely: I get that the drawing is probably supposed to be Miss Havisham, but it just looks weird.  

SPLINTER CLASSIC LINES
Ebony: I know lots of people love these editions - I think they’re okay. This is perhaps my most favourite though. I don’t know why, I just love it.  
Ely: Is there something about Great Expectations that just screams BLUE to cover designers? Okay, so I quite like this one personally. The illustration is kind of exactly how I picture Pip to look.

VINTAGE CLASSICS
Ebony: Just no.  
Ely: So I understand the thinking behind this cover, but it’s nothing great. It doesn’t draw me in at all.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Ebony: Overall, my favourite is definitely the clothbound. Followed closely by the Barnes and Noble edition and the English library edition.
Ely: I can’t really pick a top favourite, but I love the Clothbound, English Library and Splinter editions slightly more than the others…I think.

Thanks Ebony for being so patient with me even though it took me forever to get this post organised!