Jane Eyre is one of the world’s most loved books. It certainly is very special to me. And with the pending film release of yet another adaptation (I’m terrified of seeing it, yet I cannot wait!), there’s been a recent influx of reissues of the classic novel, penned by Charlotte Bronte in the 19th century. New editions of literary classics are a cause for excitement and occasionally dismay – there have been some beautiful redesigns lately, in particular by Penguin. However, I was horrified to to see such classics as Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, even Pride and Prejudice, being rebranded as clichéd young adult fiction, which strongly suggests that publishers are trying to cash in on the very loose connection Twilight‘s creator made between her vampire romance series with the aforementioned classics. But hey, if this marketing gimmick gets the kids interested in reading the classics, more power to them.

On the other hand, as a designer and observer it pains me to see a disregard for the content within on book cover designs, which could make a potentially iconic work into just another meaningless, dispensable thing. I’ve always aimed to follow the dictum that content dictates style and not vice versa. Cover designs for YA fiction, indeed genre fiction, are getting, dare I say it, lazy. Genre fiction is restricted by its set characteristics, so by default covers have to follow this logic too; however, I think this homogeneity within genres is so pervasive that now it is very hard to discern one book from the next, which has deeper cultural and moral implications.

So, let’s have a look at what I’m talking about…

HarperTeen’s line of covers of the romantic classics couldn’t be more blatant in their referencing. Good grief, even the colour palette and typography echo the Twilight covers. Got to love an author’s name printed with massive letter spacing!

Tribeca Books’ line-up of covers (below)  bothers me the most – at least HarperTeen tries to include subtle symbolism on each cover. All I see in these designs is superficial beautification. They’re aesthetically pleasing, but distant. Granted, these are stories of a gothic nature, so perhaps that’s fitting. Since when did our modest Jane wear red nail polish and lipstick? What’s the rose for? And let’s not go where those clasping pale hands have been either. Wuthering Heights is less obtrusive, but no less dull. Dark ominous clouds? Check. Dishevelled eyeless beauty in her negligee and random drapery? Check. Originality? Yawn.

Signet Classics’ mind-boggling take on Jane Eyre (left) had me mistaking it for a Jane Austen novel. Where’s the gothic mood? The torment? The passion? Puffin’s interpretation (right) isn’t much clearer. The smoke at least may be alluding to the fire at Thornfield Hall, or passions severed.

To finish off – covers of Jane Eyre that I actually like …

This lovely illustration with its dark palette and thorny flowers and meandering linework has contemporary gothic and moodiness all over it. Click here for more gorgeous designs from White’s line. Wuthering Heights is also a brilliant one. Too bad I couldn’t say the same for the story…

I’d also love to get the illustrated Jane Eyre, with illustrations by Dame Darcy. The scratchy, distorted figures and typography are fantastic.

I also recently got the Jane Eyre paranormal parody, Jane Slayre, which sports a bloody Charlotte Bronte wielding a stake. Zombie classics are in vogue and getting tiresome, but I devour spoofs despite being a purist. Looking forward to sitting down for this one.

For more Jane Eyre cover and illustration love, you’d better go to Jane Eyre Illustrated. Beautiful collection of works – from the pulpy kind to the restrained Victorian!