The importance of a beautiful title

I love beautiful, poetic book titles.

I think that titles can not only give the reader a hint of what a book is about, but in just a few words, can portray the emotion of a book.

This can be both positive or negative. Let me explain.

Without looking at the book’s cover, what would you think a book titled, “Secrets of a Charmed Life” is about?

While I am fully aware that a person’s first thoughts would probably be based on their own reading trends and life experiences, when I hear the title “Secrets of a Charmed Life,” I picture a contemporary or even nonfiction novel.

I picture big blown-out blonde hair, a chihuahua, and lots of pink. Basically “Legally Blonde.” Because isn’t Elle Woods’ life charmed?

Once upon a time, I won a copy of a book called “Secrets of a Charmed Life” in a Goodreads Giveaway. (Here’s my review if you’re interested.) The book itself was a solid 3 for me, but the title absolutely ground on my nerves. Every time I’d pick the book up, I’d shake my head at the title, which I felt was inaccurate, cliche, and did not represent the book at all.

If I was expecting Elle Woods from such a title, I got something different. The book was about a teenage girl who lives through WWII’s London blitzkrieg with her sweet little sister and her single mother. There are bombings and soldiers and sadness.

“Secrets of a Charmed Life”? Ugh. I can’t even. What about the story was secret or charmed?

On the flip side, the power of a good title can also be very beneficial.

I have a bookshelf on Goodreads called “Beautiful Titles.” It’s a collection of books that have amazing titles, whether I’ve read them or not.

Let me share with you some of my favorite titles from the list, all of which I check back on and coo at like newborn kittens every now and then. Because I love them and they make my heart melt like a chunk of chocolate left on a car’s dashboard on a hot day.

Everyone Brave is Forgiven

Stay Where You Are and Then Leave

I Shall Be Near To You

Walk on Earth a Stranger

But You Did Not Come Back

Everything Beautiful Is Not Ruined

No One Is Coming to Save Us

Someone Knows My Name

The Stars are Fire

These titles tell a story. They communicate a feeling. They aren’t cliche and they aren’t expected.

(Also, I apparently love book titles with pronouns in them.)

Of course, there are plenty of simple book titles that do the job wonderfully. Book titles can still be simple. They don’t have to be poetic.

But think of how much extra oompf and power a book can have, just by having a powerful title.

Do you agree? Is the title of a book important to you? What are your favorite book titles?

 

This post is also posted to the 2017 Book Blog Discussion Challenge, hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction and It Starts at Midnight!