Do you judge a book by its cover?

[Chitra Ayengar]

I normally don't not go by the cover. I will decide if the book fits into my genre based on the synopsis. How much ever attractive the cover may be if the description doesn't meet my criteria I will not go for that book.

[Esther Deekor]

I definitely judge a book by its cover and if its cover doesn't pique my interest then I don't bother with reading the book but I'm undecided about Nimue: Freeing Merlin's cover.

[Ceildric]

It really depends.

On the one hand, if we are talking about a well-known book, or a book recommended by someone I trust, or a book referenced by another book then the cover makes little difference. I would shop around for the best cover I could get, if a book has multiple editions though.

On the other hand, if we are talking about just browsing a selection of random unfamiliar books in-person or online, then yes the cover does play a significant role in filtering my attention. The overall quality and tastefulness of the cover often correlates (in my experience) to the quality of the material within. A cover also ideally communicates the genre and themes, or perhaps the atmosphere of the book.

Specifically regarding Nimue: Freeing Merlin, the cover has the right idea. I like the design idea, and it avoids the mistakes of gaudier covers. It also does a good job of conveying the idea of a story in the fantasy genre, with an emphasis on Celtic inspiration.

However, I think the execution is still a bit lacking. Someone needed to take the current design and just put a few finishing touches that would make it feel less like a basic Photoshop or 3D render job.

That said, I would probably give it at least a second look, based on the current cover, so it does its job.

[Mari Inez]

I sometimes judge a book by its cover. The more interesting the cover is the more likely it is that I will give it a chance. Some covers are very obvious about what the book is about. However sometimes I do pick up books whose covers don't really interest me.

[Seetha E]

Although the book's title, writing style, and cover art do tempt me to check it out, I make it a point to read the description before deciding whether or not to take it up. If the description of the book meets all of my criteria, I will still choose it despite the unattractive cover, but not the other way around.

[Bettny Andrade]

I like the cover of this book, it's simple. I like the color combination too.

Yes, I normally choose books based on the cover and synopsis. I would say that 99% of the time I have been right. I judge books by the cover almost always.

[Chimdik Chimezi]

A book's doesn't always tell about the content. If you have every predicted that content of a book from the title, maybe you are smart or lucky. The taste of pudding is in the eaten.

[Erinbenyak]

I definitely judge a book by its cover, but only an actual book. I don't judge like that in other areas of my life. If it doesn't have what I objectively believe to be a pretty cover, I'm not interested in reading it. There are too many books out there to read them all, so I don't see an issue with choosing what to read based on criteria including a nice cover. Nimue had a nice cover, unfortunately the book has been a bit dull.

[Hazel Arnaiz]

The cover and title are significant factors in drawing attention to a book. But they are not the only indicators of whether the contents are good or not. Reviews or recommendations will make me check out the blurb or the synopsis to give the book a chance. In the case of Nimue, the cover and title did not grab my attention. Looking at them does not give clues on what the story is about to pique curiosity.

[Osakwe Favour]

To be very honest, I do judge a book by its cover although it's not a good habit because each book holds a world of stories, ideas, and emotions waiting to be discovered. While an enticing cover can be alluring, it's the contents—the characters, the plot, the depth of insight—that truly captivate and resonate with us.

[Soma Ezenwanne]

I don’t judge a book by its cover. This is a wonderful book and I loved every bit of it. The writing style is also complex but this makes it stand out.

[Carli Siegfried]

The cover of a book catches my attention, and it will usually have a better chance of being picked up by myself to see what is behind the cover. I love fantasy covers, however, the dark coloring made this one slip into the background for me. With that being said, I enjoyed rediscovering the cover after I read the book and understood the imagery.

[Carol McCoy Phelps]

If the cover of Nimue: Freeing Merlin had been the deciding factor, then the book would be left behind. At first glance, the color scheme is unappealing. The second glance fares no better, since the imagery fails to conjure any recollections that might pique my interest.

Do I judge books by their covers? Of course, don’t we all do it? It’s human nature to keep things we find visually appealing and pass up the rest. Aye, but we have been admonished against this very habit, though sneaky it may sometimes be.

So, what does that mean, after all?
Beauty is only skin deep.
All that glitters is not gold.

Occam’s razor situates itself cleanly between the adages, which tell us to look at more than the exterior. That’s really benevolent when it comes to people or furry little animals; but books, not so much.

Tangible books present an array of colors, textures, and artwork. If a book has glaring colors outside the scope of my Crayola 64 and no more, it might stay on the shelf without a peep from me. If the artwork is emotionally offensive, the book is going nowhere.

I prefer books without artwork, since that can distract and detract from the array of words between the book covers. It’s more fun to “unwrap” the gift of an author’s talent by reading the foreword or sampling the table of contents. Any given book has at least a 50/50 chance of going home with me this way, and no cover judgements interfere.

[Aaron Joseph Maupin]

When it comes to book covers, I'm typically drawn to those that catch my eye. However, I remain open-minded and not easily discouraged if a cover appears less impressive or visually appealing. I understand that a cover doesn't always fully represent the depth and richness of the story it contains.

In the case of Book covers and how it affects Nimue. I'm of the opinion that the somber and dark cover does not do justice to the vibrant and captivating contents within its pages.

[Melissa Morton Miller]

I don't always judge a book by its cover, especially if I am familiar with the author. However, in the case of "Nimue: Freeing Merlin" by Ayn Cates Sullivan, I must admit that it was the cover that caught my interest to begin with. The artwork on the cover was eye-catching! I read the short blurb about the book and decided I was interested in reading it. While many have commented on the darkness, I found it to be somewhat foretelling of the conflict within the story.