the cover games is a feature here at the twirling pages! i’ll be discussing: miraculous cover changes, battles between the US cover/UK cover, thank-you-for-existing covers, was-the-designer-drunk covers, and well all things book cover related! <3
(shameless fact: i will judge a book based on it’s cover.)
i actually own both copies of the perks of being a wallflower; i originally purchased it in the green us paperback, but i had to buy the uk version as well because it’s beautiful. today, i’ll be comparing the us and uk covers and decide which i prefer!
the us cover is very simplistic. the green is a nice color and i like how the title is scrunched together at the top in small type. if you’re looking from far away, it’s almost like the book doesn’t have a title altogether. at the corner, there’s a small photo of loafers and dress shoes, which i think represents the book’s anonymity really well.
the uk cover is a bit of a mess. the background looks like a crumpled paper with incoherent writing all over the place. there’s a clip of charlie trying to hide at the upper right hand side. in a handwritten typeface, there’s the title of the book clearly executed across everything. i think this represents the story perfectly. it’s basically a diary, but in letter format. diaries aren’t usually kept perfectly clean. also, charlie’s life is a bit messy as well. the photos show charlie trying to hide – from himself, from the readers, and from life.
there’s also a blue uk cover, which i do not own.. the background and text match in terms of color, and it makes it seem as if someone wrote over the person. for the most part, there’s a silhouette of a boy (which i assume is charlie) taking over the cover. the silhouette could also double as a shadow, which is basically what a wallflower is – a person in the shadows unnoticed. i also like how the title and author is in an original typeface that bends and matches the space around it. there’s also a nice texture over the whole thing that makes it look finished.
i like all these covers! they’re gorgeous in their own way, and represent the story very well. buuuut if i had to choose a favorite, the winner would be..
winner: the messy uk cover
why? i like how the uk cover is basically a perfect oxymoron for the book: ordered chaos. the letters are clean and start/finish nicely (dear friend; love, charlie), but the content is chaotic. in my opinion, it’s the best representation of the story also a beautiful design. annnnd i’m a sucker for handwritten typefaces.
you can buy the uk version that i own here; the us version here; and the blue uk version here!
which cover do you prefer? let me know in the comments!
love always,
alexandra
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My copy is the UK blue cover but I kinda wish I had the messy UK cover, it says a lot more about the book and I think it is a more attractive cover in general. If I didn’t know what the book was about and saw the blue cover, it would not entirely inspire me into a purchase on that basis haha 🙂
I love the ‘messy’ UK cover. It looks so.. I dunno.. it makes me want to touch it. The blue cover look too bland.. but I do like the US cover. It’s got that something about it that makes it stand out. Maybe it’s the yellow.. heh.
I’m with you though, I will judge a book by its cover too.
I agree with you! I love the messiness and I think it is a beautiful cover! It makes it clear that you will be reading a diary written story! I think the other covers are quite basic compared to it! Whereas the messy one is more personal to the content of the book and the characters thoughts!
I have and love the messy UK cover. A friend bought it for my birthday and I’m so happy she picked that edition, as it’s my favourite out of all the editions too!
i LOVE THIS BOOK!