Welcome to Redesign Reactions, where we talk about books, covers, and what happens when new cover designs take over a series!
On this edition of Redesign Reactions, let’s talk about
The Wrath and the Dawn Duology by Renee Ahdieh
If you’ve been keeping up with the bookish happenings lately, you’ve seen the announcement for the new covers for Renee Ahdieh’s Wrath and the Dawn duet! I was totally taken by surprise because I didn’t even know this was in the works, especially since WRATH was already out in paperback, but it’s a fan-favorite with so many people that the internet was all abuzz with the changes! The design is quite different than the original so let’s take a look at them!
OLD COVERS: I really loved these when the books first came out! I enjoyed the WRATH cover more because I really liked that rich pink/red and the shape of the cut-outs on the cover. The merch that was offered with it (like the scarf) was just so stunning and I loved the design! Plus it was fun to see the full image of Shazi on the side cover. I wasn’t as excited for the ROSE cover. Blue is my favorite color but I think I was looking for another rich and exciting cover versus a light, powdery blue. I also didn’t like these cut-out shapes as much.
NEW COVERS: When the announcement happened and I caught a snippet of the full image, I actually wasn’t impressed with the new covers. Once I went to go see the full covers, especially side-by-side, I think I actually do like them so much more! At first I didn’t like the font because it felt a bit outdated but then I thought about how the overall feel really gives it a sort of antique vibe and how the new font, images, and color scheme sort of open the appeal up to such a variety of audiences.
Which do I like better? The original covers scream YA, which isn’t a bad thing, but it’s clearly a young girl with her hand on her hip, looking a little sassy, which Shazi is but that’s not really capturing the tone of the novels well. The new covers bring some new to the table, appealing to an adult audience (in my opinion) and conveying a darker tone with the color scheme and selected images. It’s a much more stoic image of Shazi and the facial expression better conveys a girl who has been essentially sentenced to death instead of a sassy girl who’s up for some clever YA banter (not that I have anything against that. Banter is the best). I think the new covers are the winner for me and I’d actually like to own these books in the new covers instead of the originals!
So tell me! Which design do you like better? Take the poll below and let me know in the comments which you prefer and why! I’d love to hear your reactions!
[bctt tweet=”Which covers for The Wrath and the Dawn do you like better: Original or redesign? Take the poll at @bookaddictguide!” via=”no”]
5 thoughts on “Redesign Reactions [8]: The Wrath and the Dawn Duology by Renee Ahdieh”
I only own the paperback in the original paperback cover, so I’m a bit sad that I’ll now have to repurchase it or have two mismatched covers 🙁 That being said, I do really like the color scheme of the new covers!
Though the new covers are pretty, I prefer the old covers because of the Arabian pattern spread across them. Plus, as you said, the girl with a hand on her hip is a fitting portrayal of sassy Shahrzad. While the new covers have a certain spark and a darkness to them, which will appeal more to an adult audience, I don’t like that the covers don’t match each other like the old covers do. A face and a dagger? What do those have in common? 😉
I think I still prefer the old! I do like the new The Wrath and the Dawn cover, but the new The Rose and the Dagger is just not working for me. But really, the ultimate test for me is when I see them in person! I didn’t love he original cover for The Wrath and the Dawn until I saw it in person.
I like the new covers so much more! The old ones have an interesting idea, but I think it just feels.. small? Boring? Plain? Like there’s not much for me to look at? I think it all just feels too hidden for me. The new ones intrigue me much more and may actually prompt me to read the books. 🙂
I had not seen these new covers! I really like them the more I look at them. The images are great and I love that the tag lines made it on the top of the books.
Thanks for sharing!