Many books have totally inappropriate covers. It must be of great frustration to authors - especially women authors - that a book may end up with a cover that attracts the wrong kind of reader. I think women authors get the raw end of this more often than men, as I've noticed that so many books by women end up with shoes, cocktails or lipstick on a pink-themed cover regardless of how relevant they are to the book's content.
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A pet peeve of mine is also blurbs that give away too much plot. Reading on the back cover of the book that it's about a character coping with the loss of their job is one thing if it happens in the first chapter, but deeply irritating if the job isn't lost until half way through the book. Sometimes I wonder if whoever drafts the blurbs on the back of books even understand what it's like to enjoy reading and plot development.
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The great thing about The Other Hand is that a decision was made at some point by the publishers to have an oranage cover and a minimalist blurb. That allowed me to pick it up with nothing but a strong recommendation from a friend, and enjoy it without even knowing the plot beforehand. To give you the same chance I had to enjoy it I won't say any more except that after reading it I gave it to both my Mum and Mother In Law for Christmas last year.
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Publishers having nous rating: 10/10
Overall rating: 8.5/10
Unhappiness at hearing Nicole Kidman wants to be in the movie rating: 9/10
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