UPDATE: Teen Paranormal Romance Is Ruining Classic Novels
Check it out, Pride & Prejudice has been re-released with the cliched “object against black background” cover and Twilight-esque title font. This will probably make some famous people who did some great things somewhere roll over in their graves, but I’m actually grateful for the direction these book covers are taking. Now it’s easier for me to spot the books I don’t want to read. It has become a two-step thought process when browsing the book store: 1) Is it in the Teen Paranormal Romance section? 2) Does the cover look like Twilight? If no to both, and if I actually read books*, I would consider the book.
See other classic works being destroyed at the original article.
*I listen to audiobooks – stop judging.
The Gimcracker
Hi, I'm a person who blogs on the Internet and does not have a Facebook or Twitter account. It's like I accepted all new technology up to and including blogging, but then I rejected anything that came along after that. I am Social Media Amish.
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Changing the cover ruins "Pride and Prejudice"? How does this affect the story? If more people read this classic because the cover is reminiscent of another book they liked (no matter how bad), how is that a bad thing? Usually you are insightful, clever, and funny; but this time you have struck out.
It "ruins the story" in effect by causing me and others like me to never want to read it. If there was a chance I would have read Pride & Prejudice originally, to see it with this cover would guarantee that I would never read it because I would naturally assume it was for teen paranormal romance lovers. I haven't read the story, but perhaps it's false advertising.
I do agree with your point that this would get people who normally would not have found the book appealing to read it. But I'm speaking from the alternative side of the fence: someone such as myself (a person who is definitely not in the Twilight demographic) who may have read the book originally, now will definitely not read it due to the cover and what it implies. To me, that ruins the book.
You asked how a book cover affects the story inside. I would ask you in return: how many times have you ever picked up a book you knew nothing about based on anything BUT the cover. You're basically trading out two groups of potential readers. That's their decision to make, I just personally think it's shady.
P.S. Your comment would have been more respected if you would have left out the last line. You should have presented your point "in addition to" my point as it does supplement it. However to automatically come out in opposition gives yourself away as a fanboy and thus effectively voids your point from the get go (or at least drastically reduces the effectiveness of it). Just something to remember for the next person's blog you angry-comment on.
1) If you read some the copy on the back of these classic books, you'd realize that the publishers are trying to get teens to read THE ORIGINAL, CLASSIC tales of love and longing instead of reading TWILIGHT-like teen lit. A lot of it's like "who said cherished classics of literature don't stand up against sexy paranormals." I think that's admirable.
2) Twilighty-ness aside, the flowers on this cover are much more romantic and pretty than most classics covers, which usually feature dull antique portraits, dull type, and dull colors. Just saying.
3) People like different book genres. Some people like to read self help, some people like to read thrillers, some people like to read JM Coetzee, some people like to read teen paranormal romance. Some people even like all of the above. I'm sure you've consumed "crap" before–ever seen a bromance or eaten a french fry? Or enjoyed something that millions of other people have enjoyed as well? I'm sure you have. That means you're human. Don't be a snob.
1) Please see my comment to Nate above. I'm speaking from the other side of the fence. I cannot speak for teens, nor was that the purpose for this article.
2) It doesn't matter how much more beautiful they are, because that's not the point. When you create something derivative, you lose all your credibility. It's science.
3) There is a difference between "consuming" something in a point of weakness, and putting it up on a pedestal and praising it as good. Yes, I have eaten a french fry. No, I didn't think to myself afterwards that it was good for me and continue eating them until I gained 10 pounds.
Thanks for the comment, but as I told Nate above, please don't just read the titles of my articles. They're meant to garner readers, not to be the point of arguments themselves. You have to take the article with the title and see what I'm actually saying. You have for the most part missed my true point.
Of course. And I really feel sad although I still read classic novels.
I do agree with your point that this would get people who normally would not have found the book appealing to read it. But I'm speaking from the alternative side of the fence: someone such as myself (a person who is definitely not in the Twilight demographic) who may have read the book originally, now will definitely not read it due to the cover and what it implies. To me, that ruins the book.