Hi, my name is Lindsay, and I judge books by their covers.
It's time for another cover battle! This time we're comparing "Golden Hill" by Francis Spufford, a novel that came out earlier this month and is set in 1700s New York City. It's definitely on my to-read list! Here's a bit of the blurb:
"New York, a small town on the tip of Manhattan island, 1746. One rainy evening in November, a handsome young stranger fresh off the boat pitches up at a counting-house door in Golden Hill Street: this is Mr Smith, amiable, charming, yet strangely determined to keep suspicion simmering. For in his pocket, he has what seems to be an order for a thousand pounds, a huge amount, and he won't explain why, or where he comes from, or what he can be planning to do in the colonies that requires so much money."
U.S. // U.K.
Oh my, what a glorious dilemma: I actually like both covers for once! While they're pretty different overall, they share black, pale blue and golden tones, plus images of people and old buildings. To me, they both look suitably historical, though I do like how the U.S. cover proclaims it "A Novel of Old New York." I also like the three obviously different but still cohesive pictures and the torn-pages look. But... I find the sort of wacky illustration on the U.K. cover so intriguing, and I like the font used for the title (though not so much the boring serif font used for the author's name). Such a tough choice!
In the end, I'm going with the U.S. cover by a nose. It just fits slightly better with the whole "one rainy November evening in 18th century Manhattan" vibe -- it looks like something I'd want to grab a cup of tea and curl up with.
Do tell: which cover do you prefer?
In the end, I'm going with the U.S. cover by a nose. It just fits slightly better with the whole "one rainy November evening in 18th century Manhattan" vibe -- it looks like something I'd want to grab a cup of tea and curl up with.
Do tell: which cover do you prefer?
Ooh you're right, this is a difficult one! I think I would pick either of them up in a shop, but I probably agree with you on preferring the US version - if only for the font.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd really like to combine the two somehow. I like the general layout of the US version and vastly prefer its font as well. The UK cover is a bit bottom-heavy for me, but I do love that illustration. So I'd like to work that illustration into the US cover, I think.
ReplyDeleteI like elements from both covers, overall picking the UK edition largely because of the illustrations.
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