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This hasn’t been an easy year for sustained, careful reading. But you know what doesn’t take any attention at all? Judging a book by its cover! That’s why we’re doing our first ever “best book cover of the year” tournament—and we want you to weigh in.
Vote for your favorites on Electric Literature’s Twitter and Instagram stories every day this week: round 1 (a whopping 16 matchups) today, round 2 Tuesday, quarterfinals Wednesday, semifinals Thursday, and the final face-off on Friday. You can familiarize yourself with the competitors and their first-round opponents below. If you want to make your own predictions, click the bracket above for a large version or download one here. The winner will receive bragging rights, which in many ways is the most any of us can hope for this year!
Sisters by Daisy Johnson vs. Hysteria by Jessica Gross
True Love by Sarah Gerard vs. Sad Janet by Lucie Britsch
Animal Wife by Lara Ehrlich vs. The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld
A Children’s Bible by Lydia Millet vs. I Hold a Wolf by the Ears by Laura van den Berg
How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang vs. The Shapeless Unease by Samantha Harvey
The Seep by Chana Porter vs. Follow Me to Ground by Sue Rainsford
Sin Eater by Megan Campisi vs. The Exhibition of Persephone Q by Jessi Jezewska Stevens
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo vs. Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi vs. The Disaster Tourist by Yun Ko-Eun
The Prince of Mournful Thoughts by Caroline Kim vs. And I Do Not Forgive You by Amber Sparks
Sometimes I Never Suffered by Shane McCrae vs. What Happens at Night by Peter Cameron
The Illness Lesson by Clare Beams vs. You Will Never Be Forgotten by Mary South
Show Them a Good Time by Nicole Flattery vs. The Magical Language of Others by E.J. Koh
The All-Night Sun by Diane Zinna vs. The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao
