Judge A Book by Its Cover - Across the Universe

In Judge a Book by Its Cover posts, I compare different covers for the same book, and judge which cover, in my opinion, best fits the book, either because it is the cover I'd be most likely to pick off the shelf or because it fits the style, mood, or plot of the book. I'd love to hear your opinions on these covers.

For this edition of Judge a Book by Its Cover, I will be judging the covers for Beth Revis's debut novel, Across the Universe. The publisher, Razorbill, recently released their new repackaged look for the entire series. All of these covers are American editions. Which do you prefer?

As always, click on any cover for a larger image.

Cover No. 1

Original Hardcover

Cover No. 2

Reverse side of original Hardcover

Cover No. 3

Paperback

Cover No. 4

Newly repackaged cover

Cover No. 1: I haven't been too quiet about my love for this cover. The cover is one of the things that originally drew me to Across the Universe (aside from the many positive reviews that seemed to be flooding the internet at the time of its release). I love the beautiful colors and incorporation of the stars as the background. I do understand, however, that this cover, however pretty, would be an immediate turn-off for some readers.

Cover No. 2: This is the cover I usually use when I am reading Across the Universe at school or in some other public place. For some reason, I am more comfortable when people see me holding a book with an awesome-looking ship than with the very romance-y looking Cover No. 1. I really really like this cover, but I understand why the publisher would not want to use it: for one thing, it's not nearly as eye-catching, and for another, it would be difficult to make three different covers from this design.

Cover No. 3: I do like this cover, but it doesn't seem like anything special to me - just another typical YA. I like the view through the escape hatch and the general design of the cover. Also, it just occurred to me that perhaps this is the scene just after Harley jumps out the hatch, and Amy is trying to find him, which makes me like the cover a lot more, since it is actually a scene from the book.

Cover No. 4: I think if I hadn't already seen the original cover(s), I might like this cover a lot more, but comparing the two, there is no contest for me. However, I do like that this cover could appeal to both boys and girls, and I really like the ice on the cover as symbolism for this stage of Amy's journey. As a side note, Misty from The Book Rat mentioned that this cover reminded her of Artemis Fowl, and now that's all I can think of every time I see this cover.

My Favorite: I think I'll have to stick to cover No. 1. I can see why the Razorbill team would want to change it, but it is by far my personal favorite.

Which is your favorite? Judge this book by its cover!

Want to suggest a book for Judge A Book by Its Cover? Click Here for the form!