Poison For Breakfast Cover Art

[Optimism is my Phil-osophy]

What did you think of the cover art?

Moderator Edit: This is the official cover art and can be seen on Amazon.co.uk:
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1324090626

[J. S.]

There’s nothing objectively wrong with it...however it wasn’t what I was expecting and doesn’t give me “Snicket” vibes at all. Still, it might grow on me.

[Optimism is my Phil-osophy]

The cover art of the books of some of Agatha's books published in Portuguese, reminds me of this art.






I think this cover is the final evidence that Daniel Handler wants to distance himself from any comparison between his current work and any previous one.

[bear]

where did you find this?

[FileneNGottlin]

I like the artwork, but not as a Snicket cover: it lacks the detail of the Helquist and Seth covers, and it just doesn't feel right.

I looked up the book to see if I could find the cover art: I cannot, although the Goodreads and Google Books descriptions now describe it as a contemporary fable, like the Little Prince or Phantom Tollbooth, and while those are great, it seems like a strange fit for the Snicketverse.

[R.]

It looks like it belongs on a more realistic work of fiction.

[Dante]

I tracked it down; it's the official cover. Jean Lucio, given that this is new information, you really should have provided a source. I'll be editing this into your post, though if you got it from elsewhere then you should say so and link it, because as it stands it genuinely was not clear whether this was official or whether you had made it yourself and the result was that I had to do the hard work reconstructing your actions.

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1324090626

I agree that it's not very lively, and has a somewhat more severe aspect than most of Snicket's work; I've suggested in the past that ATWQ's covers were too cartoony, but this seems like a swing too far in the opposite direction. Still, it's not as though we've read any text excerpts yet, so we may yet conclude that it is only appropriate. It may also be that it's a better fit with the otherwise more adult output of Liveright, or perhaps simply within the scope of their art department.

[tricky]

it would be better with a black or dark purple background so it's more snicket. the designs are fine, but yellow is too chirpy for the background and having breakfast as break-fast is ugly, especially when it's the TITLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dante]

The saga of this book is absolutely bizarre. It's been delayed for three years, Snicket's publishers didn't want it, his new publisher won't talk about it, it's not in their book catalogue, and the imprint doesn't even publish children's fiction. Almost every piece of information we've ever acquired about this book has come from unofficial sources, be they online retailers, private enquiries, second-hand information, rumour, hearsay.

With that said, I think I finally understand this book. It took me long enough. "Too adult" was probably an accurate assessment. This very likely isn't a children's book per se, and there's a high likelihood it will have no connection to ASoUE and ATWQ whatsoever (or at least not ones you'll have to have read those books to understand). The official blurb compares it to Sophie's World and The Little Prince, and those would be good analogies if the image I have in my head is remotely accurate; a philosophical, almost allegorical text where the narrative is less important than what it means. I can easily see Snicket writing a book like that. I can also see it being difficult for his publishers to understand how to handle it.

[Hermes]

That seems about right. Though The Little Prince and Sophie's World are in fact children's books. (Or is Sophie's World YA? Young people's fiction, anyway.)

The dead plant seems to show a link with ASOUE, though.

[Optimism is my Phil-osophy]

Feb 20, 2021 4:20:21 GMT -5 Dante said:

I tracked it down; it's the official cover. Jean Lucio, given that this is new information, you really should have provided a source. I'll be editing this into your post, though if you got it from elsewhere then you should say so and link it, because as it stands it genuinely was not clear whether this was official or whether you had made it yourself and the result was that I had to do the hard work reconstructing your actions.

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1324090626

I agree that it's not very lively, and has a somewhat more severe aspect than most of Snicket's work; I've suggested in the past that ATWQ's covers were too cartoony, but this seems like a swing too far in the opposite direction. Still, it's not as though we've read any text excerpts yet, so we may yet conclude that it is only appropriate. It may also be that it's a better fit with the otherwise more adult output of Liveright, or perhaps simply within the scope of their art department.

Excuse me, it was not my intention. I thought that since the associated image came directly from the Amazon website, the image itself would keep the address online.

In the Little Prince, the protagonist chooses death and states that death is just a passage. We know that in PFB Lemony will deal with the cabalistic concept of free arbitrator from God (tzimtzum) And before you ask me, that information is also on the Amazon website. So ... this is really philosophical and religious. I think it may be seen as controversial or even controversial within the Jewish or evangelical community.

[the panopticountolaf]

Woah! This was unexpected... it’s a not exactly a nice surprise, either. I agree with what everybody else has said — the colors are a bit too pastelly, and the text formatting is a bit odd. I wonder if switching the colors out for something a bit more dark and muted (especially the background) would improve its looks. I do love the font used, though — it has this kind of delicate air to it that I think clashes wonderfully with the book’s title.

I’m getting more and more excited about this book’s release by the day, but for now a question: Does anyone know if the UK will have a different cover? While I understand that the UK versions of ALL THE WRONG QUESTIONS didn’t exactly have great covers, there’s a small chance that the UK version (if indeed there is one) of this book might be better looking.

EDIT: Oh, wait, the link’s to Amazon UK. In that case, does anyone think that the US version will get a different cover?

[tricky]

Feb 20, 2021 7:46:09 GMT -5 the panopticountolaf said:

Woah! This was unexpected... it’s a not exactly a nice surprise, either. I agree with what everybody else has said — the colors are a bit too pastelly, and the text formatting is a bit odd. I wonder if switching the colors out for something a bit more dark and muted (especially the background) would improve its looks. I do love the font used, though — it has this kind of delicate air to it that I think clashes wonderfully with the book’s title.

I’m getting more and more excited about this book’s release by the day, but for now a question: Does anyone know if the UK will have a different cover? While I understand that the UK versions of ALL THE WRONG QUESTIONS didn’t exactly have great covers, there’s a small chance that the UK version (if indeed there is one) of this book might be better looking.

EDIT: Oh, wait, the link’s to Amazon UK. In that case, does anyone think that the US version will get a different cover?

Considering it's been pushed back 400 thousand times, they probably don't have the marketing budget.

[Dante]

Feb 20, 2021 7:46:09 GMT -5 the panopticountolaf said:

EDIT: Oh, wait, the link’s to Amazon UK. In that case, does anyone think that the US version will get a different cover?

It's the same edition on both sites. We don't know if there's going to be a separate U.K. edition; strictly speaking, we don't even know that there'll be a U.K. release.

[Skelly Craig]

I actually quite like the cover art - very classy in its minimalism, warm muted color scheme, and playful typeface. Mind you, I was not a fan of the ATWQ cover art when it first appeared (I guess with later books I got used to it).

The font definitely reminds me of Edward Gorey, especially his cover designs for Doubleday Press. It is also the only thing that's remotely "Snickety" about this cover. The impression of the cover as a whole gives me an Evelyn Waugh-vibe, i.e. adult fiction with a humorous satirical edge (and thus more in line with Handler's work under his own name). It definitely does not come off as a children's (or even YA) book.

I am intrigued, because everything continues to point towards the book being a departure from previous Snicket books.