Harper Muse Painted Classics

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The Harper Muse "Pretty Books" Painted Editions

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About the series

This is a limited edition collection of classic literature published by Harper Muse. Each hardback book features wraparound artwork painted by artist Laci Fowler on glossy, sculptured boards, with an interior treatment that includes full page decorative pull quotes. The books also come with a matching ribbon marker and gold sprayed page edges.

The series was originally marketed as the “pretty books” series but that was later changed to the more helpful “painted editions” moniker. As you will see in the video review, I think the books look and feel lovely, but I do have a small issue with the out-of-order placement of the quotes in some of the books.

From the look of the design, I would hazard a guess that this series was inspired by the success of the Seasons Classics, which also reproduce the classics with a distinctive cover design and have similar pull-out quotes throughout the text.

Cover Artist Laci Fowler

It’s nice to see the cover artist getting love and appreciation from the publisher – so often we are drawn to books because of their cover designs yet the details of the artists are often hidden in tiny print on copyright pages. Laci Fowler, a painter based in Nashville, Tennessee, is the artist behind the primarily landscape focussed covers for this series (check out her website and Instagram for more).

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Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links for which I may be compensated (this does not affect my reviews nor cost you any money, but helps support my site hosting costs). I deeply appreciate your support of my site if you use these links, but warmly encourage you to buy from your local Indie bookshop if you have the opportunity.

Video Review

Series 1 (2022)

The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

9781401603915. April 26, 2022.

Nick Carraway, Daisy Buchanan, Jordan and Tom Baker, and of course, Jay Gatsby himself, weave a sordid tale of love and betrayal, wealth and power, and the dark side of the American dream.

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum

9781401603908. April 26, 2022.

Kansas farmgirl Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are transported by a violent cyclone to a faraway magical place called Oz, land of the Munchkins and witches.

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


Frankenstein – Mary Shelley

9781401604110. April 26, 2022.

Shattered by grief, the unstable Victor Frankenstein conducts a bizarre experiment, using electricity to shock inanimate matter and create an enormous man-like monster. Terrified by his own actions, Victor abandons his creation to the wilderness. Years later, the intelligent and hideous Creature finds his creator and demands his right to happiness.

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


The Return of Sherlock Holmes – Arthur Conan Doyle

9781401603977, April 26, 2022.

Literature’s beloved private detective returns from the grave to crack thirteen absorbing cases with the assistance of John Watson, including The Adventure of the Empty House, The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez, and The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist.

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


Series 2 (2022)

Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë

9780785294788. November 8, 2022.

Jane struggles to escape the hardships of her childhood, eventually finding work as a governess at the sprawling Thornfield Hall.

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


Little Women – Louisa May Alcott

9780785294801. November 8, 2022.

The March sisters Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth, endure hardships, experience true love, and enjoy adventures in Civil War-era New England.

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


Persuasion – Jane Austen

9780785294771. November 8, 2022.

Anne Elliot is no longer considered young enough for worthy romantic prospects at 27. Until she reunites with her ex-fiancé Frederick Wentworth, a handsome naval captain with neither fortune nor rank.

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


The Mysterious Affair at Styles – Agatha Christie

9780785294740. November 8, 2022.

When the family matriarch overseeing the beautiful mansion Styles Court is found poisoned, suspicion falls on the relatives who stand to benefit from her last will and testament, and beloved detective Hercule Poirot is called in to investigate.

❦ Read more about collecting Agatha Christie here…

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


Series 3 (2023)

Anne of Green Gables – Lucy Maud Montgomery

9781400336166. Jul 4, 2023.

The beloved story of orphan Anne Shirley’s adoption by elderly brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert.

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


Peter Pan – James M. Barrie

9781400336111. Jul 4, 2023.

The magical time honored tale of a little boy who doesn’t want to grow up.

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett

9781400336159. Jul 4, 2023.

When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle’s great house with nearly one hundred rooms, she finds it full of secrets. Her uncle keeps himself locked up, and at night Mary hears the sound of crying echoing down one of the long corridors. The gardens surrounding the large property are her only escape. Then one day Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and a locked gate. With the help of two unexpected companions, Mary discovers a way in–and becomes determined to bring the garden back to life.

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


Winnie-the-Pooh and other Delightful Stories – A. A. Milne

9781400336135. Jul 4, 2023.

Winnie-the-Pooh and his irresistibly lovable friends–Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Baby Roo, and the eternal pessimist Eeyore–gently meander through Hundred Acre Wood with their favorite human Christopher Robin, embarking on whimsical adventures and solving hilarious dilemmas. Also includes additional stories from Milne’s collection A Gallery of Children, illustrated with pen-and-ink facsimiles of H. Willebeek le Mair’s original full-color artwork.

► Buy from Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay


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