Blurbs come in all shapes and sizes. Some are single lines. Even single words! Some are quoted snippets, borrowed from the main book. And some think completely outside the box.

Whatever form they take, most book lovers know blurbs as a short bit of text at the back of a book. Designed to foreshadow, they give us a flavour of the book. In other words, they tell us with a handful of words whether we’ll like the story or not. 

But some authors famously get creative with them. 

Photo by Peter Ivey-Hansen on Unsplash

Is A Memorable Blurb A Good Blurb?

As any reader or publisher will tell you, a well-written blurb can make the difference between buying a book or putting it down. In some cases, readers can be won over by the blurb, only to be let down by the story itself!

With that in mind, whether a blurb is good, or just memorable, they can still have a massive impact. 

But why not see for yourself? Below are some examples from certain editions of well-known books that have been considered memorable blurbs: 

A Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket

“You still have time to choose another international best-selling series to read. But if you insist on discovering the unpleasant adventures of the Baudelaire orphans, then proceed with caution…”

Don’t even think about reading this paragraph. Don’t do it. Seriously, stop… 

Still reading? Then you’ll understand why Lemony Snicket’s blurbs have proved so popular in this series. They do everything they can to put you off. And this is exactly why you do the opposite. 

The Book Thief by Marcus Zuzak

“It is 1939. In Nazi Germany, the country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier – and will become busier still.“

Some blurbs are a perfect reflection of the narrating style. And this is one of them. Descriptive, heart-breaking, and hard-hitting in equal measure. 

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy

“In a burned-out America, a father and his young son walk under a darkened sky, heading slowly for the coast. They have no idea what, if anything, awaits them there.”

In just a few brief sentences, the entire bleak and brutal world that underpins McCarthy’s novel comes crashing out. Word choices like ‘cold’ and ‘crack’ also reinforce this sense of desolation. 

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

“A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs.“

Not every blurb comes with props. And of those blurbs that do, Riggs writing definitely stands out. 

Three short and snappy sentences draw your interest to mysterious photographs – a centrepiece of the series. But to incite your curiosity even further, some books even come with copies of the photographs as well. So just like that, you’re propelled into the same position as the main character.

The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger

“The city is beautiful and terrible, in all its neon loneliness and seedy glamour, its mingled sense of possibility and emptiness.” 

For some readers, this is no surprise. While most modern copies will use a blurb of some kind, Salinger didn’t like them at all. And most of his books only had the title and his name on the cover.

Even with a blurb to speak of these days, this rebellious act at the time might only add to the intrigue of his books today.

What Can We Learn From Blurbs?

Is there a formula for writing a good blurb? Some would say so. But having seen a variety of approaches, who knows. The formula in some respects is still unclear. 

Whether blurbs are memorable for good reasons or not, it’s clear they can leave a lasting impression in all sorts of ways. And as a tool to entice a reader, it’s crucial they do stand out. 

Written or presented well, blurbs can do so much more than just provide a little preview. They can also give you clues about the storyteller, a character, even the tone. They can even have a hint of personality in them.

More Reading

Discover more from Books of Brilliance

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.