Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!!
This is my weekly feature
showcasing beautiful book covers!
It also provides information,
if available, on their very talented creators!
For more information
about Shelf Candy Saturday,
simply go HERE.
Here's my choice for this week!
Od Magic
Hardcover, 320 pages
Ace Hardcover
June 7, 2005
Fantasy, Science Fiction, YA Fiction
My Thoughts About This Cover
Well, so here I am, making a belated New Year's resolution not to buy any more books, so I can read the ones I already own, when I happen to come across this cover.....and so now, of course, I WANT this book!!
The words that come to mind in regards to this treasure are: "sublime", "exquisite", "breathtaking", "stunning". This cover definitely embodies all of those adjectives! It also conveys, in a very beautiful manner, an atmosphere full of fantasy. Just by gazing at this cover, the viewer is imaginatively transported to the fantasy world of the novel. The dreaming young woman in that gorgeous, ephemeral pink dress, its glittering jewels floating off into the surrounding sky, seems totally at ease as she effortlessly floats across the sky....even as a gypsy caravan passes by, in the scene at the bottom of the cover.
The basic color combination in this gorgeous cover is a favorite of mine, too -- bright blue and pink.
The sense of movement in this beautiful image reminds me of the paintings of Marc Chagall, with their fantastical, floating figures, as in the painting, "Birthday". Although the style of this cover artist is different, as well as much more graceful, there's a similar dynamic composition shared by both artists. Contributing to the dynamism is the floating arc of strange, smoky mist moving from the lower right-hand side of the cover, to the upper left-hand corner.
An Oriental-looking mask floats directly above the young woman's head, which gives the cover a rather intriguing, very mysterious look. This mask is as richly bejeweled as the young woman's dress. I'm wondering if it represents her fantasy self. Alternatively, this mask could represent Night, slowly receding while Day, represented by the young woman, advances. If this was the artist's intention, then the swath of brilliant, white light around the young woman could represent the sun, and her eyes are closed because Day is just beginning to wake up. This is so beautifully poetic....
Also mysterious is the face of the blindfolded head at the upper left-hand corner. On closer inspection, you can see that the blindfold is made up of a part of the starry sky.
In fact, this cover is full of rich symbolism. There's a floating winged horse in the sky, too, below the floating male head. This is a clear allusion to Pegasus, which makes me wonder about any other mythological references that might be present in this novel.
The font used for the title is a classic one, and not outstanding in any way. Perhaps it was chosen so as not to detract attention from the cover.
Now that I've mentioned the title, I find it to be very interesting..... Did the author intend references to the words "odd" and "old"? I have a strong suspicion that she did, and this adds even more to this cover's visual appeal.
I have checked the Amazon reader in vain, but have not found the brilliant artist mentioned anywhere.....However, I accidentally discovered that this person is one of my favorite cover artists -- Kinuko Craft. She has done many of McKillip's book covers. You will find links for her below.
If you check out the Amazon reader yourself, be sure to scroll all the way down, and you'll see the book's back cover, which is also stunning, and has a clear allusion to Mother Earth.
It's a good thing I haven't seen this book at Barnes & Noble, because I would have snapped it up in an instant! As it is, it's really hard to resist heading over to Amazon and putting in the order....
Online Links for Kinuko Craft
What do you think of my
choice this week?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!
Having read your previous post I laughed at your reference to buying this book. Perhaps you can occasionally buy books but only if there is aesthetic value in the cover?
ReplyDeleteThis is a striking cover for all the reasons that you mention. Could the mask represent the women taking revealing her true self or true face?
Hey, Brian!
DeleteYeah, it's funny, isn't it? Right after I tell myself that I won't be buying any more books, especially recently-published ones, I run into this gorgeous treasure.....Well, thos one was published 10 years ago, but it's relatively new. Sigh......so maybe I'll give in and add it to my collection. Lol. I like your idea of only buying books with beautiful covers. Thanks for the suggestion!!
I think you may be right -- the mask could represent the woman's true self. Whatever the mask's meaning, it sure adds to the fascination of this cover!
Thanks for the nice comment!! : )