For my last blog post, I read a drama novel called The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold and designed my own book cover for it. The story is of a teenage girl, Susie, who was murdered by her neighbor, Mr. Harvey. Readers follow Susie as she watches her family and friends come to terms with her death. I appreciate that the entire plot is not only based on the mystery of who murders her. Us readers know right from the first chapter that Mr. Harvey is guilty. This allows us to gain a clearer perspective of Susie’s thought process and feel connected to her.
At first I was not sure how to organize my original cover, but then I thought of the two main settings Susie spends time in, heaven and her suburban neighborhood. The bottom half of the cover illustrates themes of her neighborhood. You might notice the drawing to the left, representing Susie’s traumatic event and the atrocity of what Mr. Harvey did to her. What is also painful about Susie’s experiences is that Harvey kills her and gets away with it consistently. Susie says, “He wore his innocence like a comfortable coat” (Sebold 26). Susie realizes that even he believes his innocence. Amidst the darkness of her hometown is her family grieving her death. On the right of the bottom half, I drew her two siblings and parents. “Nothing is ever certain” is what her family tells each other hoping that Susie is found (Sebold 21).
While the lower portion of the cover is full of sadness and has a dark theme, I tried to illustrate Susie’s personal heaven in a bright way on the top. Her heaven is unique and true to her personality. It is filled with non-traditional things like big butterflies and roller coasters. It reflects her own imagination and dreams. In order to get to her personal heaven, Susie has to accept her death and allow her family to move on. She has to trust that they sense her watching over them, as she says, “Had my brother really seen me somehow, or was he merely a little boy telling beautiful lies?” (Sebold 95).
Lastly, I hope that my cover all together illustrates the dynamic of the two settings Susie experiences. While she still looks over her family, she moves on and no longer feels the need to get revenge on Harvey, leaving the darkness of her past. What I find so unique about this story is that while most books are in the perspective of the family losing a loved one, we get the perspective of the victim and watch her react to her family’s grieving process. I recommend The Lovely Bones to anyone seeking a dramatic but heartwarming story.
Wow, this book sounds sad but very interesting. The way it is written is unique and I like that it seems to show different perspectives. I'll definitely check this out!
ReplyDeleteThe writing style of this book sounds really interesting! I also appreciate how it doesn't focus on a murder mystery but instead looks through the eyes of the victim, which is unique. I have never read a book like this. I'll make sure to check out The Lovely Bones sometime!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a very unique book. I think it is interesting when stories give the reader information some of the characters don't know. Not only does it give them a unique perspective that allows them to imagine what might happen later in the story, but it also adds to the suspense as the characters piece together what the reader already knows. I also really like your cover, and I think it fits with the story very well.
ReplyDeleteThis book seems like a great (yet sad) read. You also did a nice job with the book cover you designed. The different elements of dark murder and bright heaven really make your art stand out. A murder story without a mystery isn't very common, so I'd like to give The Lovely Bones a try.
ReplyDeleteThe cover you drew is really good! It represents the different aspects of the story well, and I like that the main focus of the drawing is Susie's personal heaven. Just like how the book is more focused on Susie's journey to acceptance than her death.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds so good! Since we are able to see everything through Susie’s eyes, it not only makes the story more engaging because you already know some of the answers to the mystery beforehand, but it’s also interesting to see what Susie’s life is like after dying. Especially the part about how Susie has to accept her death in order live in her personal heaven and that she ends up not feeling revengeful towards Mr. Harvey. I also really liked your cover, and I think it represents the book well!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such an interesting novel. The plot is definitely intriguing. I really like the fact that the readers know right from the start that Mr. Harvey is guilty. I feel like knowing who the killer is gives the story more room to describe other characters and their relationship with the victim or vice versa. Overall, this is a book that I am definitely interested in reading.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a very interesting book. I like how that this book is different from the other books because it does not talk about the murder, and talks about something completely original.
ReplyDeleteI read this book a couple of years ago and I love your interpretation for the cover art! The focus on Susie moving on and finding peace and the contrast with her family desperately trying to figure out what happened to her is such an interesting point. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThe art is really good, and I love what its supposed to symbolize. This book also seems very interesting, The perspective from which it has been written from is new to me and seems like an incredible way of telling a story. I'll have to check this book out.
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