About how long does it take to get through an HP book? When this class is over I think I'm going to try to finish the series, before school starts back up in august. I'm over not being the only person in the world who hasn't read at least one of Rowling's masterpieces. Maybe I'll do it over a weekend so I'm not tempted to skip work.
At the height of the HP book frenzy, I actually bought the blue one. It has its own case and is still wrapped in plastic because I've never had any desire to read it. The art, however, is spectacular. I guess when your pockets are as deep as J.K. Rowlings, you can hire an artist talented enough to give you exactly what you want. The illustrations are very distinct; Lots of shadows, gradients and deep colors and of course the specially designed HP font. I don't think I would ever pick it up because it isn't my genre of choice, but compared to the other versions, I would take the American illustrations every time. I wonder if Rowlings has any say in the covers of the international versions.
I think the two adult British versions, (castle and snakes) were spectacular. I wish I could design like that. Using photographs gives the book a sophisticated spin, which is why, I'm sure, very few children's books take that direction. The other versions I'm not too fond of, but maybe the countries they were designed for prefer a specific angle and style. Also, I think creating a cover that would appeal to adults and children is every designer's nightmare. Perhaps one of the reasons the American illustrations work is because the books already have brand recognition.
