Shelf Candy Saturday #9: The Lady of the Rivers, by Philippa Gregory

This wonderful book meme/blog hop

is hosted by

Stephanie @

Five Alarm Book Reviews!!

The purpose of this feature is to display

a beautiful book cover,

with information, if available,

about the cover illustrator,

photographer, and/or designer.

For all the participation rules,

just click

HERE.

This week, I'm showing

some cover love to two different

covers for the same book:

The Lady of the Rivers

Philippa Gregory

Hardcover, 443 pages

A Touchstone Book

Published by Simon & Schuster

October 18, 2011

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy,

Paranormal Romance

This beautiful image reminds me of Sherwood Forest and Robin Hood, as well as King Arthur and his knights.  It's so perfectly medieval! 

Of course, the very first thing that caught my eye was that gorgeous blue dress that I wish I could have...  I also covet the beautiful, jeweled belt.  The dress is simple yet elegant, and doesn't look out of place in the middle of the forest.  Her necklace seems to be made of small, wooden roses, and her headband also has flowers threaded through it.  This is the way I'd love to look as I await my beloved in the depths of the forest...sigh...

The woman is eompletely at ease, and obviously has something on her mind, which is why I immediately thought of a little rendezvous out in nature.  Hanging above her head is a lovely pattern of stylized leaves and branches.  They look silvery on the actual book, and are raised.  The title and author's name are also done in raised letters.  (I bought the book online as soon as I came across it, fell in love with the cover, and read the synopsis.)

The Lady of the Rivers

Philippa Gregory

Hardcover, 497 pages

Simon & Schuster Ltd.

September 15, 2011

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy,

Paranormal Romance

When I came across this cover, which is for the UK edition, I felt a little pang of disappointment... I couldn't help wishing I had found this one first, instead.   In my opinion, this one is more aesthetically satisfying than the one above.  The leaf pattern has become more abstract and stylized, with a definite Art Nouveau influence.  I love the way it frames the young woman's face and shoulders. 

The look in her eyes speaks of other worlds, old magic, and she's totally lost in it all.  She is definitely "The Lady of the Rivers" on this cover!  The color surrounding her is a bit blue, a bit gray, and a bit green.  It's misty and dreamy, again hinting at her otherworldly origin. 

The model on this jacket seems to be the same one that posed for the US cover.  She's even wearing the very same dress, necklace, and headband.  She's depicted in a close-up here.  This gives the cover a bolder, tighter design, although I do like the bigger picture used for the US edition.

I think the lettering used for the title on the UK cover is much superior.  It's totally in keeping with the medieval atmosphere, as well as showing more artistic skill, more dynamic movement.  I think that the lettering used for the title of the US edition doesn't reflect the historical period at all.  Besides, I think it's rather heavy-looking.  It just doesn't go with the scene in the forest.  It would have been better used for a cover with an ancient Roman theme.  In contrast, the lettering on the UK cover is very graceful, and completely reflects this novel's historical period.  Furthermore, I don't get the feeling that it's in the way.  In fact, it's an integral part of the total design.  Not so with the lettering on the US cover, unfortunately.   I would have to say that it even detracts from the total design.  I really wish it could be replaced with the same type of lettering the UK cover has!

To sum up, I do love both covers, but can't help feeling that the US one should have had better lettering.  So, being the obsessed book addict that I am, I suspect I won't be able to rest until I own the UK edition, as well...

One good thing I can say about the US edition is that it has deckle-edged pages, which is something I love on a hardcover book!  I don't know if the UK edition has this feature, as well.

I wonder what the rest of you think.  Which of these two covers do you prefer?  Or do you like them both?  Perhaps, like me, you have mixed feelings about the US cover.  Anyway, I'd love to find out, through your comments!

The illustration for the US cover

is really a photograph,

although I think it looks like a

painting.

The photographer

is

Jeff Cottenden,

who is based in the UK.

You can see more examples

of his work at the above link,

as well as at this very

interesting blog dedicated totally

to book design:

Caustic Cover Critic.

The jacket design is by

Cherlynne Li.

The only information provided

at this link is that Ms. Li is

the Senior Art Director at

Simon & Schuster.

I tried other links, but couldn't

find anything else about her.

As for the UK cover, I don't

own that edition, so I was unable

to get the names of the

illustrator and jacket designer.

Therefore, there was no way Google

could help me locate any information

about them!

I do believe the illustration on

this cover is a painting

(perhaps watercolor?),

and not a photograph.