The battle between paperbacks and hardcovers has continued for centuries… just kidding. In all seriousness, there is discourse about whether paperback books are better than their hardcover counterparts, in terms of special editions, covers, and now sprayed edges. Today, we will compare these pretty paperbacks to their still pretty but minimalist counterparts. That’s right; we are judging books by covers! Here are five beautiful paperback covers that, in my opinion, look more aesthetically pleasing than the hardcover editions.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern was published in 2012. It is a magical story about two magicians in a deadly competition with each other at this mysterious circus, where only one can be left standing. However, as they compete, they fall head over heels in love, but how is this relationship possible if only one is allowed to leave alive? The Night Circus paperback has been re-released, and with that comes a prettier cover.
The original hardcover, as you can see, is simplistic. It is a black background with stars, and a white hand holding up a red, white, and black circus tent. Though the border around the title on the hardcover is beautiful, the paperback’s re-release is gorgeous. While the black starry background is the same, the paperback offers more detail. It shows the magicians in a grey silhouette, with birds and swirls. The tent is the same, and between the two magicians, it is almost like it is more symbolic of their story and what separates them.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Another book Erin Morgenstern wrote is The Starless Sea, which was published in 2020. It is another re-released paperback that came with a gorgeous cover. The story follows a young graduate student from Vermont, Zackery. He finds a book of strange lives and realms he didn’t think were possible, but through clues and secret libraries, he discovers that this realm is more than fiction; it is a lost city and seas that defy time and space. Feeling like he has no purpose in his everyday life, he joins forces with two protectors of this realm to discover a new life in a new realm.
These two covers, unlike the last one, are very different. The hardcover has a black background with white ribbons, gold keys, and pearls. Where the keys are a part of the story, the cover is minimalistic, showing small book pieces. The paperback has more of a medieval aspect with intricate details. It shows the ancient library and the withering stone, open to this lost and magical realm of cities and seas. It gives you a piece of the beautiful world represented in the book.
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E Schwab
V.E Schwab gives us another heart-tugging book, A Darker Shade of Magic. It was published in 2015 but was re-published in 2023. It is the first installment in the Shades of Magic trilogy. The story follows a magical man, Kell, who can travel between different realms of London: Red, Grey, White, and Black. He resides in the bloodthirsty Red London. However, on the down low, he is also a smuggler, trading his ability to jump between worlds for a price. After a deal goes wrong, he escapes to Grey London with a girl who is nothing but trouble. The deal put all worlds in danger, and with this girl, they must save every realm, but can only do that if they aren’t killed by lethal enemies chasing them.
The hardcover shown was a special edition, but it is now what most hardcovers look like. It is not as colorful, with a black background and red and gold coloring. Though the hardcover shows Red London, the gold coloring doesn’t fit entirely with the story. The paperback cover is more colorful and eye-catching. It has a minty green background, with a man shaded in red. The red color relates to Red London, and the man on the cover is a sophisticated smuggler. It connects with the book more and adds colors that work well together.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Cinder by Marissa Meyer is the first book in the Lunar Chronicles series. It was first published in 2012 but re-released multiple times throughout the years. In this sci-fi princess retelling set in New Beijing, humans and androids live side by side. Cinder is a girl living with an evil stepmother and a sick sister, and she is a second-class citizen because she is a cyborg. With a dark past and an ill sister, she lies low, under the radar, trying to help her sister, until her paths cross with Prince Kai, and she is pulled into an intergalactic war; her past might be what saves her.
The hardcover, while as beautiful as the original cover, represents more of the princess retelling with the shoe, showing the half-cyborg she is. However, the new cover is full of colors and pays respect to the Asian culture that is represented. The cover is gorgeous with a bright pink background and dark buildings, and I wish I had this version. It shows how strong a warrior the female main character is, rather than representing a princess side, which holds a beauty in itself.
Gild by Raven Kennedy
Gild by Raven Kennedy retells the story of Midas, the king who turns things to gold with his touch. It is the first in the Plated Prisoner series. It was published in 2020 independently before being published traditionally. It follows a girl “rescued” by King Midas, a gold-touched woman whom King Midas claimed as his. In turn for his protection, she gave him his heart, until war loomed and everything she knew, love, trust, and protection, was broken. However, still trapped in her gilded cage, the monster she knew makes her regret every choice she made to get that.
The hardcover book has a white background, intricate designs, and liquid gold dripping over the cover. However, despite that, it lacks the haunting beauty of the paperback cover. With a black cover and the gilded cage, the story shows a terrifying side, showing that she was always trapped. The cage burns at the top, blackened with fire above, representing the broken trust and love. The beauty within this cover comes from the beauty of the story.
Though these paperback covers are gorgeous, they are always up for interpretation. Sometimes people don’t like extra art and prefer the minimalistic views of a cover, which is okay. What do you think? Do you think these paperbacks are prettier?
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Check out our team’s “just because they are pretty” recs here!
