a critique site for book lovers, hosted by author Jude Hardin
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Counterpoint by Rachel Haimowitz
What's the genre? What is it you like or don't like about this cover?
Does it make you want to know more about the book? Does it make you want
to BUY the book? Discuss.
Well obviously a MM romance, possibly a MM fantasy, the guy on the right seems to perhaps be a djinn.
For me personally, this cover is a bit too lurid. I think I could do the kissing without the obvious tongue action, but even though I like an occasional MM romance, this cover kind of puts me off. Though in general the artwork is well done, something about the kiss also looks awkward, and the hand in the hair looks somehow disembodied. And we have the patented penis-knife too!
The title is readable, but a little tough to make out. The subtitle and author name are a bit too small.
I do like the colors and the artist is talented. Others may not be at all put off by the tongue action. Keep in mind that I'm a 51 year old straight female. :)
well, robin, i'm 54 and married with 3 grown kids, and though i have no problem at all with gay romance, I have to agree about the tongue action being a bit over the top. I wouldn't want to see that on the cover of a hetero romance, either.
But wow! the quality of the illustration is outstanding. I'm very impressed with the artist.
Would i read this book? No, I wouldn't, but only because i'm not into this genre. However, i bet those who are would snatch it up in a heartbeat.
I don't have a problem with gay romance, it's the way they're kissing and the way the faces are painted that makes me gag.
It's so unattractive (too me). I sincerely hope that other viewers don't have the same response.
Since I can barely bring myself to look at this cover, I certainly wouldn't buy it. But then, I'm not really a purchaser of gay romance anyway, so my lack of interest is no loss to the author. :-)
Since I want to be helpful, I've made myself look at it anyway, to see what I can say beyond my first reaction.
On the plus side, I like how clearly the picture tells the reader what genre they're going to get: historical gay romance. This will help attract the right readers and keep the wrong readers away.
I also find the contrast between the bare upper body and the fully clothed and armoured upper body effective.
I hope these comments help a little. And I'm very sorry to have such a strong negative response to the type of kiss. Hopefully other people won't.
I thought about that hand last night (the shirtless guy's right hand, in the crusader's hair) and tried to imagine an embrace where that was physically possible without it being very uncomfortable. I couldn't. The artist is obviously quite talented. I wish I could be more positive about the cover. I just can't.
This looks to me like gay fantasy (not historical).
I am into this genre and I would NOT snap this up in a heartbeat. No, it will not attract the "right" reader since this is not the kind of cover most of us who buy this genre look for. I buy rather a lot of it as a matter of fact, but I wouldn't even consider this novel after a look at the cover.
The tongue action on the cover puts it right over the top and actually even showing the lovers kissing is a bit against the genre norms. I could DEFINITELY live with out the stupid dagger/penis symbolism which is so cliched that it's painful.
The guy's arm has also been detached in order to get his hand in that position.
It's too bad that who ever did this cover didn't find out what is the norm in this genre. If you want to see absolutely beautiful m/m covers, take a look at those by PL Nunn such as the cover of Bloodraven.
It's lovely art even if the artist's anatomy isn't quite up to snuff and he(?) doesn't seem to know what people look for in this genre. Too bad this cover is so completely off-putting.
Well obviously a MM romance, possibly a MM fantasy, the guy on the right seems to perhaps be a djinn.
ReplyDeleteFor me personally, this cover is a bit too lurid. I think I could do the kissing without the obvious tongue action, but even though I like an occasional MM romance, this cover kind of puts me off. Though in general the artwork is well done, something about the kiss also looks awkward, and the hand in the hair looks somehow disembodied. And we have the patented penis-knife too!
The title is readable, but a little tough to make out. The subtitle and author name are a bit too small.
I do like the colors and the artist is talented. Others may not be at all put off by the tongue action. Keep in mind that I'm a 51 year old straight female. :)
well, robin, i'm 54 and married with 3 grown kids, and though i have no problem at all with gay romance, I have to agree about the tongue action being a bit over the top. I wouldn't want to see that on the cover of a hetero romance, either.
ReplyDeleteBut wow! the quality of the illustration is outstanding. I'm very impressed with the artist.
Would i read this book? No, I wouldn't, but only because i'm not into this genre. However, i bet those who are would snatch it up in a heartbeat.
I have to confess this cover revolts me.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem with gay romance, it's the way they're kissing and the way the faces are painted that makes me gag.
It's so unattractive (too me). I sincerely hope that other viewers don't have the same response.
Since I can barely bring myself to look at this cover, I certainly wouldn't buy it. But then, I'm not really a purchaser of gay romance anyway, so my lack of interest is no loss to the author. :-)
Since I want to be helpful, I've made myself look at it anyway, to see what I can say beyond my first reaction.
On the plus side, I like how clearly the picture tells the reader what genre they're going to get: historical gay romance. This will help attract the right readers and keep the wrong readers away.
I also find the contrast between the bare upper body and the fully clothed and armoured upper body effective.
I hope these comments help a little. And I'm very sorry to have such a strong negative response to the type of kiss. Hopefully other people won't.
I thought about that hand last night (the shirtless guy's right hand, in the crusader's hair) and tried to imagine an embrace where that was physically possible without it being very uncomfortable. I couldn't. The artist is obviously quite talented. I wish I could be more positive about the cover. I just can't.
ReplyDeleteThis looks to me like gay fantasy (not historical).
ReplyDeleteI am into this genre and I would NOT snap this up in a heartbeat. No, it will not attract the "right" reader since this is not the kind of cover most of us who buy this genre look for. I buy rather a lot of it as a matter of fact, but I wouldn't even consider this novel after a look at the cover.
The tongue action on the cover puts it right over the top and actually even showing the lovers kissing is a bit against the genre norms. I could DEFINITELY live with out the stupid dagger/penis symbolism which is so cliched that it's painful.
The guy's arm has also been detached in order to get his hand in that position.
It's too bad that who ever did this cover didn't find out what is the norm in this genre. If you want to see absolutely beautiful m/m covers, take a look at those by PL Nunn such as the cover of Bloodraven.
It's lovely art even if the artist's anatomy isn't quite up to snuff and he(?) doesn't seem to know what people look for in this genre. Too bad this cover is so completely off-putting.
I'm not the target market for this book. The tongue action does seem a bit over the top, but at lease it does say what the book is all about.
ReplyDeleteThe smaller text is just too hard to read, I would recommend fixing that at lease.