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Pnkrkg6644 t1_jdvr0iu wrote

I recently read and LOVED Lessons in Chemistry. But the cover was such a turn off I almost didn’t- it looks like an awful chick-lit beach read, and it’s actually an excellent and well written book full of outstanding characters, humor, lots of science and a great plot. I’ve been recommending it to others, but always feel I have to give a warning about the cover and not to judge by it. One of the most egregious graphic design fails I’ve seen I think.

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carolina_on_my_mind t1_jdy5gnt wrote

This is exactly what I thought of! I do judge books by their covers and held off reading that one for a while because of the cover. The cover is eye-catching, but it does not reflect the substance of the story. Plus Elizabeth’s whole thing was that she didn’t want to be written off for being a woman, and to me, it feels like the cover reduces her to her physical attractiveness.

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glister_and_gold OP t1_jdvy7d2 wrote

I just went to look that up, and it’s now on my reading list. The nyt article is cracking me up - apparently Garmus actually got hatemail by readers who were expecting a romance novel.

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Pnkrkg6644 t1_jdyhqdk wrote

That’s amazing. I hate tidy romance stories so this book was great for me, but I can absolutely see why it would make someone expecting that furious 😂 Also… I really love this question and that it could directly impact your career. What a nice way to crowdsource something that most of us never think about.

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glister_and_gold OP t1_jdzmy77 wrote

I love trash romance (my only flaw) but I would never be upset if I thought I was reading romance and it turned out to be a hidden feminist gem.

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timtamsforbreakfast t1_jdxp1cs wrote

The peach-coloured cover is so hideous. It looks like clip-art, and so you'd expect a poor quality book. Fortunately my local library has the multicoloured version instead.

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Romoreau t1_jdyy68v wrote

It reminds me of corporate website clip art. A lot of newer US romance covers are like that and its so ugly and uninspired.

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Electrical-Aside3023 t1_jdyfpuc wrote

Look at the UK cover. It's GORGEOUS. No idea why the US version is so awful.

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Pnkrkg6644 t1_jdygo9t wrote

Just looked. Still feels annoyingly “girly” to me, but a HUGE leap better than the shit US cover.

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Electrical-Aside3023 t1_jdyh31o wrote

I should mention that I haven't actually read this book (literally because I want to wait until I can purchase a copy with the alternate cover), so I can't speak too much on its relevance/if the tone is proper, I just really enjoy that cover.

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