Sunday, November 12, 2017

Shelf Candy Saturday No. 230: At Water's Edge, by S. McPherson



Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!


***Late Edition***
This is my weekly feature
showcasing beautiful covers!
It also provides information, 
if available, on their 
very talented creators!



Here's my choice for this week!




At Water's Edge
(The Water Rushes, Book 1)
S. McPherson
Trade Paperback, 390 pages
S. McPherson Books
September 1, 2015
   Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, 
Young Adult Fiction

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36573713-at-water-s-edge







My Thoughts About This Cover

Every single time I see a cover with lots of blue in it, I stop and take a second look! This cover is no exception. Besides that most beautiful of all colors, though, the main image has such a mystical feel to it, I am even drawn even more to the whole cover!

That mysterious circular design in the upper part of the cover certainly has me intrigued. I wonder what all of these symbolic images around it mean. My first thought was that this was the Zodiac, but there aren't enough sections to this circular design. 

This design became even more interesting to me when I realized that, when you look again, it looks like a pie with a slice cut out. This is what I would call "a visual pun", lol, because I've never heard of a blue pie! (Unless it had some blue icing all over it....)

I love the ornamental "curlicues" placed at certain strategic points on the edge of this circular design. Specifically, they are at the four points of the compass. Interesting.... This design could also be seen as a mandala, which is an Oriental circular design used in Eastern meditation. I happen to LOVE mandalas!

The light streaming from the circular design, and flowing out over the blue background, contributes to that mystical feeling. Also effective are all the blue "snowflakes" and sinuous lines flowing from the design. In fact, this design seems to be what imbues the entire cover with pulsing energy.

I'm wondering about what looks like the figure of a young girl to the right and underneath the circular design. She's merely a silhouette, but she's also a silent witness to all light, and the blue splendor around her. She's also apparently standing at the edge of a body of water, because her shadow is reflected on the still surface of the water.

I'm not too happy with the font used for the title. It could have been more graceful and stylized. As it is, I don't think it really goes with this cover's beauty. But then again, it's not too, too bad.

The gorgeous cover illustration was created by the author, S. McPherson, and Sara Salim. When I looked up Salim on Google, she was listed as an interior designer, which seems a little strange. Her company is listed on Amazon as "K-edge Design". Hmmmm....

There's a graphic designer/illustrator with the name Sara Salim Pour. When I checked out her website, I wondered whether she was the collaborator listed in the book's Copyright page. However, the last name "Pour" is not included on that page. I haven't included any links for McPherson's collaborator, as I'm not sure exactly who this person is.

As for the cover design, it was a collaboration, too -- between Salim and someone named Keith Tarrier. He's an illustrator and photographer. His wife, Rose, is also an illustrator. I have posted links for him below.

This situation is rather puzzling. So, for now, I'll just admire this cover, and put the book on my Goodreads shelves, with the hope that I might someday add this treasure to my physical bookshelves, as well!




Online Links


What do you think of 
this week's cover?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!







2 comments:

  1. I agree that this is a fantastic cover, It exudes the mythical and has a bit of mystery to it. I also want to know about those symbols.

    Years ago I used to play the Myst video games. This cover reminds me a lot of the graphics in those games.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Brian!

      I'm glad you like this cover, too!! Yes, along with the mystical quality, it also has mythical and mysterious ones.

      Although I'm not a gamer, I have seen the Myst games when my husband has played them in the past. And you're right -- this cover is indeed reminiscent of some of the graphics featured in those games. I'm now wondering whether there was some influence there....

      Thanks for your interesting comment!! Hope you have a WONDERFUL week ahead!! <3 :)

      Delete

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