Vague ramblings about YA-hood

[lady_schrapnell]

I was talking to steepholm a while ago about how I was looking forward to the (UK) release of A Most Improper Magick by Stephanie Burgis. In part this is because it had sounded good and then sarah_prineas commented and said it was wonderful. But also I was saying that we had no books set in the Regency era for our book, which seemed a bit odd. Having said that I

Comments

[rj_anderson]

What puzzles me more is why Patricia C. Wrede's cover designers have misspelled her name as "Patrica" on not just one cover, but now two. WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE. I hope this time the error was caught before the file went to press! It makes me sad every time I look at my paperback of MAGICIAN'S WARD.

But anyway, MAIRELON and MAGICIAN'S WARD seem quite YA to me, considering Kim's teenaged status and how the books are about her finding her identity and place in life. Are they really being marketed as adult now? So confusing.

Sadly, TO SAY NOTHING OF THE DOG does not really fit into the YA category and I don't ever anticipate it being marketed as such. But you've just reminded me that I need to go and read it again! I love that book so much.

[lady_schrapnell]

Having your name misspelled on the cover is sad.

The Mairelon books are even more confusing than the others, I think, as Magic & Malice (the combined edition I have) is definitely adult, and yet when I checked on Amazon in writing this up, I saw this in the Kirkus review of Magician's Ward: "...but still leisurely, YA-ish, and lacking innovation". Which looks odder because they have listed the age as 9-12. (But hurrah - I hope - for being less likely to see "YA-ish" used as an insult now.) Meanwhile, Mairelon the Magician, which is reviewed by School Library Journal as YA, is adult. Has your head spun off completely by now? Mine has. It's certainly not as simple as even the cynical view that any book will be stuck wherever it can likely sell more copies, which at least you can understand.

I quite agree about To Say Nothing of the Dog - I mean about its not being YA, and I'd grumble enormously if it were to be published as such. (I also agree that I love it so much and need to reread!) But as I was writing that, I started

[rj_anderson]

There isn't much of a YA case to be made for the Queen's Thief books, but only because they're being published and promoted as MG. I have to find them in the 9 - 12 section. The mind boggles.

Personally, I think those books would have amazing crossover appeal to adults, if only most adults knew about them!

[lady_schrapnell]

MG?? That's beyond mind-boggling! I've always got the impression that a lot of the most fervent fans are already adults, but of course I see my friends and the sounis comm and that probably warps my feeling about the ages.

[lady_schrapnell]

::Beams:: ::Beams a LOT::

[rj_anderson]

I am happy to observe that the headless trend seems to be passing from the YA scene, if it hasn't passed already. Now if only illustrated covers would make a comeback... but right now it's all photographs of very modern-looking teens in period/fantasy costume, it seems.

[lady_schrapnell]

Oh, that's good news! Although I was noticing a mini trend for corsetry from the back, which seemed like anything but an inprovement. Hope that doesn't spread.

[vierran45]

First thing I noticed is that Patricia C. Wrede's name is misspelt on the cover. And yes, that does look very much like a YA cover, though I do have to say I'm not too fond of the Darrell K. Sweet cover I have (the original one).

[lady_schrapnell]

Is your cover this one? I noticed that this evening and thought it was particularly awful!

[vierran45]

Yes, I've got that cover. And this one for Sorcery and Cecelia.

[lady_schrapnell]

Yup, that's my Sorcery and Cecelia one too! I'm not that keen on the new covers (of the Kate & C. books) but they're a big, big improvement on that one.

[breathingbooks]

Mmm, I like that cover. It looks like it could go YA or adult to me.

[lady_schrapnell]

Pretty dress, isn't it? I think it's partly the way she's standing that says YA to me - or maybe it just reminded me of Jaclyn Delamore's Magic under Glass. At least the first cover.

[perdix]

I just finished Doomsday Book and am now reading To Say Nothing of the Dog. I don't know how it took me this long to find out about Connie Willis, but I sure am glad to be reading her now!

On the subject of ever-changing YA covers: It always astounds me how frequently Tamora Pierce's publisher feels the need to commission completely new covers for every single one of her books.

Also, how could any modern-teen-in-period-dress photograph ever top the gorgeous illustrations of, say, Kinuko Craft or Leo and Diane Dillon (my fave of theirs being Monica Furlong's Juniper)?

[lady_schrapnell]

Oh yay! I'm surprised Connie Willis didn't come up when we had our long book favourites session in Lampeter!

I must admit I haven't noticed Tamora Pierce's cover changes, as I've never caught the bug. But I was somewhere between horrified and amused to notice that my local bookshop had shelved Laurel Hamilton in the kids' section due to a combination of ignorance (they know nothing in there about either children's books or spec fic of any kind) and new covers for all the books, which look very like a few children's series.

That is a gorgeous cover! I only have Wise Child, and think I may have lent it to someone atm, because I went rushing up to see if the Dillons had done that cover too, and couldn't put my hands on it. I know we spent happy discussion time in complete agreement about Kinuko Craft! (I'll give you my userpic again, in honour of that agreement.)

[steepholm]

Hmm. I think I may have your copy of Wise Child somewhere, but am too sleepy to search for it right now. Remind me tomorrow! (For some reason, when I try to picture it I get an image of Grant Wood's "American Gothic".)

[lady_schrapnell]

I thought that too, but wasn't sure enough to want to say it. This is the cover (or near enough) - American Gothic-ish, in a way, I guess.