Cover to Cover: The Maze Runner

Hello all! It has been such a long time since I've posted anything (not including the other post that I posted today), and I apologize. I've been so busy lately!!

Today I will be introducing "Cover to Cover". Inspired by Danika over at Books To Dream (http://loveliterature713.blogspot.ca), I have decided to try it. "Cover to Cover" is basically where I will put a few different covers of the same book into a battle. I will discuss my thoughts on each of the covers, and choose my favourite one based on my criteria: general looks, gender appeal, connections to plot, connections to characters, connections to setting, each getting points for how good the cover fits. If I am especially impressed with the cover, I will give extra points. For my first Cover to Cover, I have decided to compare The Maze Runner's US cover to the UK cover to the Polish cover. I hope you enjoy!

Firstly, I would like to share with you the US cover (above). This is the copy that I have in my bookshelf. I won it for a local library challenge. I'm so happy that this was the book I received because I loved it, and since that I don't buy books it was a more than wonderful treat. Not only was it filled with an amazing plot and story, it added colour to the small shelf that I do have. It looked pretty in my shelf and fit the setting of the book. Throughout the book, details about vines hanging on the walls of the Maze and the green fits this description well. As for gender appeal... meh. I am a female and I really enjoyed this book, but I didn't pick it up because of the cover. I chose to read this because of the hype and the description on the back of the book. Therefore, the gender appeal is a bit lacking as far as both sides go. I think that I would be more drawn to this cover if I was a male, although that is the target audience. This cover also didn't have much to do with the plot. Yes, the whole book is about the Maze and the fact that it surrounds the Glade, but no specific scenes are directly drawn by the scene on the front. Last but not least, characters, and this is a hands down, no. This version of The Maze Runner lacks any faces or bodies, so this category is not applicable.

US Cover Points (out of 5)
General: 1
Gender Appeal: 0.5
Connections to Characters: 0
Connections to Setting: 1
Connections to Plot: 0.5
Total: 3

Above is the UK cover for The Maze Runner, and I think that, just in general, this book cover is amazing. The title of the book is expressed in a creative way, although it looks a bit dark and would look dull on a bookshelf, but that's not the point. I think that the individuals that created this cover did this because it emphasizes on the part that is lit-up. Again, I think that this cover does a bad job at appealing to both genders, but since this book targets males I guess that this is logical, but it still would have been great to change this cover to something more appealing to both females and males. Then there is the characters, which I cannot help but love in this cover. Firstly, there is a person in the cover, which I can only assume to be Thomas, although it could also be Minho. It isn't exactly in detail, so I will dock half a mark for it, but it pleases me that there is actually a person in this cover, which the other two covers lack. Which makes me even more happy is the how much the plot fits into the cover. When I see the darkness I think "elevator" the first chapter in the book.  SPOILER ALERT! When I see the guy running through the walls of what I assume is the Maze, I think of when Minho is watching Thomas the first time he was in the Maze. SPOILER OVER. Another great thing about the cover and it's connections to the plot is that it doesn't give because it's concise yet precise. Then there is the setting, which again isn't exactly great great. As I said before, there are vines mentioned in the book, as well as the Maze in general (which is on the cover), but the "vines" in this cover aren't exactly the colour of vines, so I will give "connections to setting" a half point, leaving the whole cover at a 3.5

UK Cover Points (out of 5)
General: 1
Gender Appeal: 0.5
Connections to Characters: 0.5
Connections to Setting: 0.5
Connections to Plot: 1
Extra Points: 1 (Plot was portrayed SO well)
Total: 4.5

This final cover is the polish cover. Yes, I know it is in another language, but I am going to ignore that part of it and focus on the other critiera. It's not my fault that I can't read the words! Just for reference, the translation is Prisoner of the Maze. So ya. On with it. So.... I like this cover. I can see the main setting of the book, which is the Maze, and I cannot see the end of the Maze which is a big detail throughout the book. I just have a couple questions. What's with the eye for firsts? Very, very creepy, and it adds the mood that this cover deserves, but I cannot understand why there is an eye in the first place. I'm going to have to dock a mark from "Connections to Plot" for the misunderstanding. The remainder of the plot is shown nicely though, as the Maze is on the front cover. Again, gender appeal is lacking, and characters aren't shown.

Polish Cover Points (out of 5)
General: 1
Gender Appeal: 0.5
Connections to Characters: 0
Connections to Setting: 1
Connections to Plot: 0.5
Total: 3

So... The winner is.... the UK (and it's cover)! The cover portrays the plot so nicely, and it is interesting to look at, even though it is a bit dull. And, of course, the connections to the plot are demonstrated nicely without giving any spoilers away. 4.5/5, including extra points!

What cover is your favourite? Leave a comment below!


http://www.wondrousreads.com/2010/03/us-vs-uk-maze-runner-covers.html
http://www.thereadingfever.com/2012/02/foreign-cover-friday-maze-runner.html

Vlog post coming soon!