Monday, August 23, 2010

My Hands are Tied - Cover Theme

Covers with predominantly women's hands tied, including a copy-cat cover. I've added in a "feet" one too.
Reviews of The Dispossessed, Gagged and Bound, The Birthday Present.








5 comments:

Muse said...

I am glad that I bought Jenni Mill's book in hardback. The cover showing a stone circle was much more appealing that the paperback. I doubt I would have even picked that up - though the title remains intriguing.

Donna said...

Oh I love these posts Karen. Right, (Donna rubs hands in preparatory glee). Bound hands (or feet)aren't an automatic attention grabber (unless you're the bindee) so I need to take my clues from elsewhere. I would exclude the Erica Spindler books because the numbers scratched on the wall make me think it's a serial killer book and this is the eighth victim. I would exclude the Ruth Rendell because that's a shocking thing to do to a lovely pair of shoes. I think the best of the pictures of hands bound belongs to SLOW HORSES, and the most intriguing titles for me are SLOW HORSES and THE DISPOSSESSED. In fact, I was so intrigued by SLOW HORSES so I went and looked it up in anticipation - the words 'spy thriller'sent my anticipation plummeting, but 'comic farce' brought it back up again. I'm still intrigued and will look out for it.

Maxine Clarke said...

Ha ha, Donna! (As ever). Can't beat your comment so will just say something boring. I actually hate reading books with bound "extremities". For some reason, they upset me more than the blood-soaked jackets. I think it is because the tying up makes me think of a helpless prisoner and that makes me feel uncomfortable.

I did actually buy the "feet" book you illustrate as I like the author, but have not read it yet. I really do not like its cover. The hand ones - well, I would not be tempted to read any except the Natasha Cooper (if that is a new one by her) - it is off-putting, though.

kathy d. said...

Ditto to Maxine's comments.

I would never buy a book with a cover showing women's hands or feet bound, implying passivity and kidnapping and all that goes with it.

I wonder if publishers care what women readers think or to whom they aim the covers--increasingly. I'd like a plain gray cover with black fonts at this point over this. Or continual designs of blue lakes or green fields with a nice style font.

avisannschild said...

I find all of these disturbing, even the Barbara Vine (and I usually love her books). I'd give them all a pass!