Top Ten Tuesday is a weakly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They love lists as much as I do, so it's only fair to tip my hat.
Some books are liars. They dress up with covers and titles and blurbs that really throw us off what the book is actually all about. I’ve scraped up a list of eight of these deceiving reads, let me know what books fooled you!
Love in the Time of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Charges: Title Deception
This book should have been called ‘Scary obsessive stalking in the time of cholera’ in my mind. To me, this book wasn’t about love, it was just creepy.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius – Dave Eggers
Charges: Title Deception
This book was neither heartbreaking nor of staggering genius. It was self-indulgent and self-important.
Sloppy Firsts – Megan McCafferty
Charges: General Appearance
This book looks like it’s fluffy, light, and completely throw-away dime-a-dozen contemporary YA. IT IS NOT. It is amazing and wonderful, and has very much beneath the surface.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson
Charges: Title Deception
I do not, for the life of me, understand why this was the chosen title when translating “Men Who Hate Women” from Swedish. I don’t. It’s beyond me. This book doesn’t center completely around this ‘girl with the dragon tattoo’. But whatever, I guess I probably wouldn’t read a book called Men Who Hate Women either.
Midnight in Austenland – Shannon Hale
Charges: General Appearance
This book would appear, generally, to be a companion novel to Hale’s lighthearted romance, Austenland. And while I suppose that remains true, it is so not the same kind of book as Austenland. It’s not so lighthearted, and more of a mystery.
Going Bovine – Libba Bray
Charges: Cover/Title Deception
So for some reason this title/cover combo had me believing that mad cow disease somehow turned the main character into a cow? Not so much. Still, a fun, quirky read.
Juliet Immortal – Stacy Jay
Charges: Cover Deception
Sure, the cover’s gorgeous, but it has absolutely no bearing on the story. Again, unnecessary dress, but more than that why the heck is she huddled on some rock on the beach? I’m pretty sure open water was never even mentioned in this book…
The Name of the Star – Maureen Johnson
Charges: Cover Deception
I’m fairly sure I’m not the only one who assumed from this cover that The Name of the Star was a historical fiction. It is not. It is a contemporary paranormal with elements of history in it and the girl on the cover is barely mentioned.
I agree about the Name of The Star. I thought it was going to be historical fiction. I still liked it, though. Oh, and Sloppy Firsts was on my list, because of the title, though.
ReplyDeleteTerrific list! Lol at your Cholera note!
ReplyDeletehttp://ajarndtbooks.blogspot.com/
I haven't read Sloppy Firsts yet, but I had another Megan McCafferty book on my list this week so I can totally see what you mean! I really want to start that series though!
ReplyDeleteThat's such a shame about Juliet Immortal - I admit, that book's been sat on my TBR for a little while, but maybe I'll wait a while before getting it!
ReplyDeleteGreat list!
Tara @ Hey, Tara
Oh, I actually really liked Juliet Immortal! The cover just had nothing to do with the book.
DeleteGirl With the Dragon Tattoo is on my list for the EXACT same reason! Weird! I guess it shows a title has power- I don't think it would have sold many with the original title!
ReplyDeleteI need to check out Sloppy Firsts- it is one I would never have read normally because of the title but I have seen so many good things about it now!
My TTT: http://www.pocketfulofbooks.com/2012/04/top-ten-tuesday-books-that-were-totally.html
I think a lot of YA books are misleading, aiming at an audience the publisher thinks exists (young people) rather than the real audience (everyone).
ReplyDeleteHere's my
Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Were Deceiving. I'd love to have you stop by!
I never read Love in the Time of Cholera but did see the movie and I completely agree! Crazy stalker man is not love just a sick creeper! :). I didn't follow the theme this week bc I had a hard time with this one. Oh well!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness someone else had issues with Love in the Time of Cholera! I could not get through that book no matter how hard I tried. And yes, I feel EXACTLY as you do about The Girl w/ the Dragon Tattoo! Loved Sloppy Firsts! That series is one of my favorites. Enjoyed your top ten:)
ReplyDeleteMy TTT
I'd definitely agree about Sloppy Firsts. Those covers look like light, chick-lit covers, and there's WAAAY more going on there.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that the Swedish title for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was Men Who Hate Women!! UGH TITLE. I haven't read those books yet because I'm not sure that I want to. But even though the translation is terrible, I can't imagine ANYONE in the US wanting to read a book called Men Who Hate Women. So much worse!
Ha! I have Juliet Immortal on my list as well! Have you seen the cover for Romeo Redeemed? Not cute. Also, my ex boyfriend is from Sweden and he gave me a first edition of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and I was SO confused when it came out in the US under such a confusing title.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Juliet Immortal!
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, totally was deceived by the Name of The Star. I was so psyched because I thought it was historical fiction. And while I loved the book, I will admit being disappointed on initially hearing that it wasn't hist fic.
I see a lot of bad reviews about Juliet Immortal :( Still curious about it, though..
ReplyDeletehttp://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.com/2012/04/top-20-tuesday-6.html
No, no, I really liked Juliet Immortal! I just thought the cover was deceiving.
DeleteI totally thought The Name of the Star was a historical fiction for a while so I wouldn't put it on my list since I never read those :P
ReplyDelete