When I look at a novel’s cover, it’s really hard to not compare it to other covers that I’ve seen before. Or Argentinian Socialist imagery, for that matter.
Regardless of its familiar El Che color scheme and look, Lish McBride’s Hold Me Closer, Necromancer proves to me yet again that I’m slowly warming up to faces on covers.
After staring at Necromancer’s cover for awhile, I’m puzzled by what exactly it is about it that I love so much. Is it that weird title? How “Necromancer” is in caps? The raven? The blurb? That heavy-lidded slacker pose? (Come on, you can’t tell me his pose does not scream slacker) Perhaps its the dirty rusted edging.
It’s obvious that this novel’s protagonist, Sam, is the necromancer. The edging gives this novel’s face a portrait look – a profile of an unassuming guy who runs around raising the dead. And while I mentioned that he most likely looks like the slacker type, he also looks a bit hitman-ish. I blame the vector profile. I also think I’ve been groomed to feel like red + black + people = a tinge of badassery.
Hm. I wonder why this is.
I also got a peek at the ARC cover that circulated before its finished design. While I did dig the 1930′s Frankenstein feel, it’s just not quite as eye-grabbing as its much more contemporary cousin.
It’s covers like these that give me hope for different, slightly off-kilter paranormal YA covers. It’s a refreshing change from the extreme closeup of the sullen brunette in a dramatic, come-hither pose.
