A la recherche du temps perdu - Marcel Proust
by mariuca

Comment:
I'm glad this very personal expression finished well. I'm going to have to read some Proust. It's rotten to feel so ignorant.

Zafar Mahal - "The Last Mughal" by William Dalrymple
by dougi555

Comment:
From what I can find, this book is not a novel but a modern and well-researched accounts of the Indian mutiny of 1857. But aside from that issue of topicality, the image is perfectly processed photo of a beautiful location. The point of view reminds me of Europoean Renaissance paintings such as Masaccio's "Holy Trinity" of 1427 with its single-point perspective focused at the horizon line, as well as teh finely rendered archetectural detail. This image could rate a 10 easily for an archetectural topic but since it is supposed to be inspired by "classic novels", I have to downgrade it... all the way to a... 9.

Kafka's "The Castle"
by RyanW

Comment:
It's the image pov that makes this very effective in depicting the remotness of the unknown authorities residing in these towers of power that is such an important theme of the novel. Technically the image is well executed - sharp and detailed without any hint of processing artifacts. 7

To Kill A Mockingbird
by mefnj

Comment:
For such an iconic novel and familiar story, it is painful to see it interpreted or "inspired" in this way. The book itself is the antithesis of this image insofar as the message is to "not kill a mockingbird". On the other hand, the image is technically and even artistically well done with excellent tonality and details including its gritty texture. The processing to include some arty vignetting is quite well done. If this were somehow more sympathetic to the book, I could feel comfortable with giving a 6 or maybe better. But for this topic only a 5.

Charlotte's Web
by glad2badad

Comment:
A true classic, which can't be said of many other entries. However, it would have been nice to have some specific reference to the book beyond the anonymous spider and pearl-drop dappled web. The water drops are pretty as captured but overall the image lacks impact to raise it above an average score. 5

"North and South," by John Jakes
by ShaneBlake

Comment:
Somehow I hadn't heard of the book, which seems to be too recent to be considered a "classic" but we'll let that pass. So this is clearly a Civil War reenactment so it seems to fit the novel, although the action is more of less static except for firing the gun. The photo itself is perfectly timed to capture not only the smoke but the flash and even a the shock as the discharge blows up debris from the ground. However, the processing has created halos edging the gun and gunners against the white smoke, and the overall contrast is washed out. 5

To the Lighthouse: Virginia Woolf
by vikas

Comment:
Visual impact here is mixed: nicely framed and centered subject and atmospheric with a cottony sea from the long exposure. However, on my monitor, the colors appear oversaturated and the contrast a little excessive with halos along the contrasty edges caused by a bit too strong sharpening. The centered composition is useful to pull attention to the lighthouse itself, which would or should be the main subject. As to topicality, like so many others in the challenge, this is a very literal take on the title of the book. I haven't read the book but from the synopsis is appears the trip to the lighthouse only takes place only in the last section of the book and may include a sunset, if only in the minds of the characters. Overall, I feel this rates a 5. Could be a 6 with gentler processing.

Exit Music by Ian Rankin
by MAK

Comment:
Based on the plot summary (I haven't read the book) there is no apparent connection to this crime novel, only a literal reference to its title. The shot is well detailed and moodily exposed and I like the POV to add some instability/tension - but this old organ has me thinking more Broadway theatrical horror (as in Phantom of the Opera) than modern Welsh noir thriller. 5

Blindness - José Saramago
by Alex_Petrini

Comment:
As to the inspiration, it seems to work very well as a representation of the book which is where the majority of images in this challenge fail. And I was enjoying this image very much at first glance until I realized the eyes were manipulated in post processing. Now all I see is this defect in an otherwise very well executed shot. I think her blankly staring eyes could have been a wonderfully natural effect. Regretably, my vote is only a 4 in this form.

"Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston
by rodfulk

Comment:
The photograph is techincally good with clean textures and extended black & white tones. From the synopsis of the book, this seems only remotely connected with the story. Instead it takes inspiration from the title alone out of its likely aligorical context. I like the artwork, but can't validly give a good score of it as yours. 3