Title: Pawn
Author: Aimee Carter Publisher: Harlequin Teen Cover Design By: Unknown Symbolism is the name of the game when it comes to book covers. Give away enough to get the reader interested, but not enough to spoil the story. When it's done well, the effect is stunning. Unfortunately, the cover of Pawn didn't really hit the mark. The symbolism in the cover slaps you in the face, screaming for attention. Kitty's eye, which is what makes her such a good candidate for doubling as Lila, is front and center, but you can barely see it. The labyrinth from the pendant Greyson gave her (that's secretly a lock pick) covers up most of her eye, and what it doesn't cover is blocked out by the III - Kitty's original ranking and the reason she agrees to turn into Lila. The inside cover of Pawn is much simpler than the front cover. It still had Kitty's eye and her rank, but it doesn't have as much going on as the front cover. And what's the point of that random little pawn in the corner? We get that Kitty's being used as a pawn in the Hart's power game - if the title didn't make that obvious, the use of the word throughout the book did. The pawn on the cover seems to be saying "in case you're stupid and didn't realize yet, pawns are going to be really important in this book." It just isn't necessary. If it's supposed to be a symbol of the series or something like that, it should only be on the spine, not on the cover. If the image used for the inside cover had been the front cover image, or if the front cover didn't have Kitty's original ranking blocking out most of her eye, the cover would have been much better. The design would have been cleaner and the symbolism much more subtle. As it is, this cover is too over the top for me.
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Once Upon a Time...As a longtime lover of stories and a believer in the power and magic of books, I've spent my life seeking out the best reads. This blog is dedicated to reviewing the books I read - good, bad, or magnificent - to help other readers find their next favorite books. Currently ReadingKing Zeno
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