But let's be real as to why I made up this feature: I just want the opportunity to post something about Harry Potter.
About a year ago we were treated to brand new redesigns of the US covers of the Harry Potter series (see them here, here, and here) from artist Kazu Kibuishi. Just recently, UK publisher Bloomsbury decided it was their turn. Bloomsbury have now released all seven new cover redesigns from artist Jonny Duddle and they are a sight to behold:
I like these new covers a lot! They are definitely very pretty and detailed illustrations that depict each key scene very well, and I like the representative scene choices that were made for each book cover. Unfortunately, I really don't think I can justify buying a whole new set of HP books for the cost. I still prefer the US cover redesigns though (and of course nothing will ever replace the fondness I have for the original covers). I think the one thing that I dislike about these covers is that Harry doesn't really seem to be aging very much from cover to cover. Harry does NOT look like a seventeen-year-old on the cover for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, for instance. He looks closer in age to the eleven-year-old Harry on the cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. So I wish that had been done better, but overall I do like these new covers. Thoughts?
IT IS ALL SO PRETTY. They make me want to buy them all. I don't really like the first two (Harry looks a bit weird to me), but the others are pretty. The third one is my favorite :)
ReplyDeleteI think I know what you mean about the first two... And the third is my favourite too :)
DeleteI definitely picked up on the lack of aging on the covers! I do like these. I want to buy a new set and wanted the Scholastic ones, but I can't deal with the Sorcerer's stone and not Philosopher's stone, and any other american-ism changes...
ReplyDeleteOoh yeah the Sorcerer's Stone thing is a pet peeve of mine too! I do wish they would remake just that one cover with the correct name!
DeleteThat was my only complaint too, Harry definitely looks the same age on each cover, pretty much. But apart from that I do like these covers. While the original UK covers will always be my favourite, these are very awesome and magic-y (and waaaaay better than the Signature redesign covers we got a few years ago which were awful).
ReplyDeleteHa, yeah... those signature covers weren't anything super special (not that I ever saw them in person so maybe they are better than I think). I do think these ones are pretty awesome, but I agree that the original UK will always be my favourite for nostalgia!
DeleteI seriously never tire of seeing the new book covers they come up with.
ReplyDeleteRight?? Never ever. :D
DeleteWhat wonderful covers! I love them all! I espeically love Nagini on the cover of Deathly Hallows. It's amazing how each cover kind of portrays the most significant scene from that particular book. I'm astounded. Thank you for sharing, Aylee!
ReplyDeleteSarika @ The Readdicts
Yeah, Nagini is a nice touch on the Deathly Hallows cover! And I love that they showcase significant scenes in each book.
DeleteWow, these covers are just absolutely gorgeous, although I have to agree Harry does not appear to be aging at all. However, I do like all the detail and the rather key scenes from the books, I think they are done really well and will relight the series a little to try and bring in new, younger readers who have yet to come across Harry Potter, or at least I hope they will. Despite this my heart will always be attached to my original set of Harry Potter books that are a little battered but very much loved!
ReplyDeleteAgreed, nothing will ever replace my originals! Despite the not-aging thing, I do really love the amount of detail included in each tableau. And yeah, I'm sure that's the publisher's hope, that they'll bring in new readers! My hope as well :)
DeleteI like them all but I think I like the US ones a little better, maybe it's just because I'm familiar with them. And you're right about Harry doesn't aging, he looks pretty much the same though out the covers.
ReplyDeleteI think that's likely the case with most people - they prefer the covers of the books they first read in their childhood.
DeleteI really like these, I like the scenes they chose to depict with each cover and the rich colours they used!! The dragon, Nagini, Fawkes and Dumebledore look fantastic!! I agree with you though that Harry doesn't seem to age at all within the span of 7 years/covers. I also kind of think Harry looks a bit like a girl >.< ...especially in the second cover. And I'm not sure why?! haha Yeah my heart still belongs to the original covers, both the children's and adult covers. My favorite new ones are the ones where the spines make up a scene of Hogwarts Castle ♥ Thanks for sharing these pretties!!
ReplyDeleteYes, the scenes are great and I definitely love all the beasts that are featured! And yeah... I can see what you mean with the second cover. He does a bit! Ah, oh well, mostly they're pretty great despite those few quibbles. And yes, the spines that make up Hogwarts are a really nice and pretty touch! I would love to have those guys on my shelf.
DeleteI'm more fond of the US originals & redesigns...and I completely agree about the aging on these covers. Why does he look so young on DEATHLY HALLOWS?! So strange.
ReplyDeleteIt IS so strange... I can't help but focus on that fact when I look at the DH cover, which is too bad because otherwise it's excellent!
DeleteI have to agree with you on the lack of aging, Aylee. If someone wasn't aware that Harry gets a year older in each book and just looked at the covers, they'd be pretty surprised. I like the redesigns though and can see it totally appealing to a new generation of readers, especially boys.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I would be curious about what, say, my dad would think of them! He knows next to nothing about HP so maybe he would think Harry was a young boy throughout.
DeleteOMG THESE ARE GORGEOUS!!!!! I agree with you on the aging, he doesn't look 17 on the last one at all, but overall I think these are stunning. The Chamber of Secrets is my favorite though, that snake is simply amazing. Thanks so much for sharing Aylee!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, despite that one quibble I really do think these are gorgeous covers! And the Basilisk is AWESOME!!
DeleteWow I love these covers!! I agree with you, I would not go and buy a new set just for the covers, but if it were donated towards my bookshelf I would not say no *tee hee*
ReplyDeleteGreat post Aylee!!
Chanzie @ Mean Who You Are.
LOL! Well that would sure be nice!!
DeleteI love these! They are so beautiful! I do agree that my favorites are the original US covers just because they have so many good memories attached to them. But I love the redesigns as well! I would love to purchase another set...but, like you said, it's hard to justify the purchase. Gahhhh oh well. Maybe someday for my kids when I actually have them. haha Great post, Aylee!
ReplyDeleteOooh boy I've been itching to buy a new set for a long while now, but I just can't justify it! But yes, maybe for new little ones...
DeleteI liked these when I first saw them, but like you, I was annoyed by how young Harry looked on each cover.
ReplyDeleteI only have the U.S. hardcovers, but I really want the UK hardcovers, and the new U.S. paperbacks. I just can't justify the purchase of the U.S. paperbacks.
I didn't really take in Harry's age at first, I guess I was too distracted by all the other elements. But now I can't help focusing on it!
DeleteAll these new HP cover reveals are making me so happy -- the hype for this amazing series hasn't died down yet! Gosh, gotta love Potterheads. <3 I like this edition's covers, but the only thing I'm a bit eh about is how young Harry looks, especially in the Deathly Hallows one. He still looks like a twelve-year-old, instead of seventeen. xD
ReplyDeleteOne day, I WILL get enough money to own all English cover editions of Harry Potter. Someday... (But in all honesty, though, the box sets are freaking expensive. I just don't have that kind of money to spend. ><)
Hah YEAH!! The hype will never die down in our hearts ^^
DeleteYeeaahhh, the boxsets are always insanely expensive, sadly. Don't worry though, one day when we're millionaires we'll all be able to buy all the special editions ;)
I want these books!!!!!!! I don't care that I already own the entire series in the new paperback covers. I need these! They are so freaking pretty! I just need all of the Harry Potter books in every edition and a new job to pay for my obsession. Ahhhhhhhhh! So pretty!
ReplyDeleteLOL! One day we'll all be able to afford all of these editions, no doubt! Do you really have the new US paperback covers? Because those are GORGE and that makes me very jealous! :)
DeleteThese are indeed awesome, but I still prefer the new US editions. I agree it's hard to justify re-buying all these for the new cover art but SO tempting! :-)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even thin about the fact that Harry doesn't age at all through the books on this cover; while it does bother me just the teensiest but, I'm actually kind of happy about that because until I wanted the movie, I imagined him as the same age throughout the entire series. Oops. And yeah, when I first saw the covers I also said that the original US covers would be my favorite, though I may be biased because they're the covers that were present when I read the series all three times.
ReplyDeleteHah, really? Well I guess in that case it kind of works for you then :)
DeleteHmm I don't mind these covers, but I agree with you about how Harry doesn't age! Also, what I love about the originals is that they seem to get darker and more mature as the series progresses, which these covers don't. The first few match the tone of the first few books perfectly, but I feel as if the final few books should look more mature?
ReplyDeleteThe infer in the bottom left corner of HBP does make me laugh thought… :'D
That's an excellent point. I do like how the original series covers get darker and darker. I do wish there was some sort of gradient here instead of seeming the same level of maturity.
DeleteLOL that inferni's face is funny. Also Harry's seemingly disembodied head on the OotP cover X)
I think I know what you mean. I don't think the original UK covers are anything to write home about, but they hold a special place in my heart because they were the covers the time I fell in love with them. And I do sort of like that they come across as sort of low-budget - how the animation style changes each time.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely glad that they've never styled Harry to look just like Daniel Radcliffe because the Harry in my mind looks nothing like him! But yeah, I guess I'm surprised that they never came out with movie tie-ins for the books.
But yes, we're all incredibly protective and defensive about our favourite series! It's only natural.
Hello! Has anyone noticed that the new hardback Harry Potter edition is 450 pages thicker (for 7 books in total) comparing to previous, Signature one?
ReplyDeleteI possess the hardback Signature edition (7 books, 2011, ISBN 9781408825945) and I noticed that the books 1-3 from the new hardback 2014 edition (ISBN 9781408856789) look quite thicker. I found the next pagination difference between the Signature ed. and the new one (according to my books and the book pagination of the new edition that Bloomsbury give on their site):
(Book number: 2011 Signature. ed. - 2014 New ed.)
1: 223 p. - 352 p. (+129 p. in new ed.)
2: 251 p. - 384 p. (+133 p.)
3: 317 p. - 480 p. (+163 p.)
4: 636 p. - 640 p. (+4 p.)
5: 766 p. - 816 p. (+50 p.)
6: 607 p. - 560 p. (-47 p.)
7: 607 p. - 640 p. (+33 p.)
Is this pagination information from Bloomsbury agree with the real books? Can someone who possesses this new edition check it? Thank you very much!
For the new ed. (9781408856789) they indicate the pages total (extent - 3422) but if to sum up one by one (using their items information) it gives 3872 pages. So I'm very confused. I mean is it the right information about the new pagination? I understand that the pagination reset in the new edition is normal due to some chages (like in books 4-7 within its 50 pages) but the pagination reset in books 1-3 like +130+160 pages for each one looks just mysterious....is it real? I inquire about it because the only one way for me to order it is from some book sellers (like Amazon) and I can't look at it personaly before I buy it! ?
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your kind words.
Harry Potter Phone Case
Such adorable movie it is. Still its having good craze in the market.
ReplyDeleteSameera.
Mobile cases and covers Designer.