I recently read a novel that described five plot points on the back cover copy, points I assumed would be dealt with in the first third of the novel, at the latest. Rather, the first point didn't occur until page 80, and the final one on page 280 in a 328 page book. That description didn't tease the reader, rather it gave a synopsis. I didn't even have to read the book to know what was going to happen. Talk about disappointing.
Now, I actually enjoyed the story. The writing was beautiful and the characters well thought out, but there were no surprises, no twists, because the description revealed them all. The back cover copy could have / should have been written as a teaser, not a tell all. Had that been done, my entire perception of the novel would have changed. Rather than being a so-so book because of it's predictability, it could have been a page-turner with its unique twists.
Needless to say, this trend perplexes and disappoints me.
Has anyone else noticed this trend? Why do you think publishers are writing descriptions this way? Does it bother you?
