Judging a Book by Its Cover (And Honestly, No Regrets)
We’ve all heard the saying.
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
To which I would like to respectfully respond…
Have you seen some of these covers?
Of course I judge books by their covers.
I walk into a bookstore with my longtime bestie, and within approximately thirty-seven seconds one of us has pointed at a random book and declared, “That book looks good.”
Not sounds good.
Not has great reviews.
Not won an award.
Looks good.
And somehow we both understand exactly what that means.
Maybe it’s a dreamy beach scene. Maybe it’s a moody cottage in the woods. Maybe it’s a brightly colored illustration of two people who are obviously enemies but will definitely be kissing by Chapter 27. Whatever it is, the cover has done its job.
It got our attention.
Which brings me to a question that has been keeping me up at night (just a reminder, I work night shift. I am more than likely being paid to be awake in the middle of the night.)
How do book cover artists do it?
Seriously.
Do they read the entire book?
Do they get a synopsis from the publisher and just unleash their creative genius?
Do they sit down with the author and say, “Tell me about your emotionally unavailable fisherman with a tragic past?”
I need answers.
Because some of these covers are works of art.
I have spent an embarrassing amount of time scrolling through Libby and Hoopla looking for my next read and placing books on hold based solely on their covers.
No synopsis.
No reviews.
No Goodreads rating.
Just vibes.
My thought process usually goes something like this:
“Ooooh, that’s pretty.”
Click.
“That one has flowers and a bookstore.”
Click.
“This cover feels like it would emotionally devastate me in the best possible way.”
Hold placed.
It’s a completely scientific system.
Sometimes it works beautifully.
The story inside is every bit as magical as the cover promised. The characters become friends. The setting becomes a place I wish I could visit. The ending leaves me staring at the wall contemplating my life choices.
Other times?
The cover art is the best part of the entire experience.
You finish the book and think, “Well, that was disappointing, but somebody should get an award for that cover.”
The literary equivalent of ordering a gorgeous slice of cake and discovering it’s made entirely of fondant.
Pretty? Absolutely.
Satisfying? Not so much.
But despite occasional disappointments, I refuse to stop judging books by their covers.
Because honestly, isn’t that part of the fun?
Before we know the plot twists, before we fall in love with the characters, before we start recommending the book to every person who makes eye contact with us, the cover is our first introduction.
It’s the book’s handshake.
Its first impression.
Its dating profile picture.
And just like real life, sometimes the beautiful ones disappoint you and sometimes the unassuming ones completely steal your heart.
Still, if I’m wandering through a bookstore or scrolling through Libby at midnight, you can bet I’ll continue picking up books because they’re pretty.
Will I occasionally be fooled?
Absolutely.
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