The cover has been released for J. K. Rowling's new book The Casual Vacancy
.From Hypable ~ Book Copy from the Back Cover
I have to say I was a little puzzled and disappointed with the cover just because it seems too plain. I guess the voting check box hints at the political nature of the story, but it doesn't make me want to grab the book and read it. I guess we Rowling fans are spoiled by the rich covers of the Harry Potter series, but seriously . . . I was hoping for something more artistic. I've seen lots of self-published books with better covers.
Mashable has a poll and the top vote right now with 600 votes is "Are they serious?"
So I guess I'm not alone, and there's more . . .
From the Little, Brown and Company Facebook Page:
Andrés Feliciano
I'm sorry, but this cover is horrendous.
Tuesday at 8:13am
Emelia Presley Hawk
I think this cover is a huge "cop out" on the part of the art department at Little Brown. Essentially it might as well be a blank cover. They know all they have to do is put any cover on this book at all. As long as it has JK Rowling's name on it and a title the book is going to be a best seller. They went to no effort on this. It is one of the most unappealing covers I have ever seen, block colors and a tick mark... Really?
Tuesday at 7:06am · 10
Melissa Tortora
I don't like it either. It looks like it was taken from a box of old mass market paperbacks that a drugstore just couldn't sell in the 70s.
Tuesday at 8:51am · 1
Cormia Luce
This looks like fan art and a wonderful writer like JK Rowling deserves better. I can only hope that more effort was put into the editing of the actual novel.
Tuesday at 8:42am · 2
Ouch!
Twitter is even more scathing:
Now I've seen the synopsis & cover for JK Rowling's Casual Vacancy I'm convinced the whole thing is a Springtime for Hitler style tax dodge.
— Mark Stay (@markstay) July 5, 2012
What's in a name? Everything. Otherwise you couldn't charge $20 for an ebook w/ an ugly cover and unappealing synopsis. bit.ly/M6nX16
— Travis King/ときどきぜんぜん (@tokidokizenzen) July 4, 2012
Sorry, JKR. $20 eBook? I'm feeling neither the cover nor the book ► J.K. Rowling's 'The Casual Vacancy' Cover Reveal bit.ly/LkrBbb
— WordNerdGuy (@WordNerdGuy) July 4, 2012
Nice of them to let one of JK Rowling's kids design her new cover on MS Paint.
— Scott Pack (@meandmybigmouth) July 3, 2012
Book Designer Jon Gray wrote this in The Telegraph:
It’s clear from the cover of The Casual Vacancy that the brief was: make it look as different from the Harry Potter series as possible. A bright coloured background to position it well away from the fantasy gothic genre and some jaunty hand-drawn typography to indicate a warm and accessible tale. There is a hint at politics in the imagery, but apart from that this cover tells you nothing and that, I think, is precisely the point. As a reader you are no closer to the story inside. There is nothing to prejudge or dismiss, it’s just type.
. . . I don’t love this cover, because like all cover designers, I think I could have done a better job. But I can see why they have designed it this way and I can appreciate the huge number of hurdles that it probably took to get to it.
As a designer I’m left non-plussed and envious and as a reader I’m left intrigued. That means another copy sold, so: job done.
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