The Friday Face-Off was created by Books by Proxy, where each week bloggers can showcase books with covers centered around a weekly theme. You can visit Lynn’s Books for a list of upcoming themes. Join in the fun each Friday by finding a book whose cover is based on the theme!
This week’s theme: “A Hand without a hand? A bad jape, sister.” – A cover featuring a hand/hands.
I had a couple of ideas for this week’s theme, but ultimately I decided to make it simple and I chose a book with only two covers. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor was a fun and trippy sci-fi novella about a girl leaving her home planet to go to university. It’s hard to miss the hands on this stunning U.S. cover, and I was pleased to see that hands are also prevalent on the Spanish edition. Take a look:
2015 Tor.com (U.S.) | 2018 Crononauta (Spanish)
I find it very hard to compare the two because they are so different. I honestly don’t know which to pick. Instead I’d love for you to vote for your favorite below, then tell me in the comments why you picked it!
The Tor.com one is my favorite. I think it’s beautiful. There is just something that’s not working for me on the other one. It might be the hair…too medusa like? and you know my aversion to snakes. I do love this author though after reading Akata Witch!
Barb (boxermommyreads) recently posted…Weekly Reads (05/04/18)
Ooh, I need to read Akata Witch one of these days:-)
Ooooh I really love the TOR cover! It is really pretty and striking! The other cover is cool too, but the girl looks kind of weird and it just doesn’t compare to the first one!
Brittany recently posted…Throwback Thursday – Frankenstein’s Comic Book Swap
I agree, the Tor cover really captures her character!
Definitely the US cover. I’m with Barb, the other one reminded me of Medusa and the colors are unappealing to me.
Not much love for the Spanish cover! Oh well, I kind of agree:-)
Great choice. I love the Tor cover – i think it’s great. The other one I find oddly jarring. Not sure why.
Lynn 😀
I’m not sure about the medusa hair on the Spanish cover, I don’t remember that being in the story (although I may have just forgotten).
Fantastic choice of book! I vote for the Spanish cover. And this is such good timing because just earlier this week I saw that they are putting out hardcover editions of these books, and they’re going to have nice new covers too.
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum recently posted…Friday Face-Off: Hands
Yay, we have one vote for the Spanish cover! I saw those new hardcovers as well. They are gorgeous!
I do like the strangeness of the Spanish one, but the U.S. one is just so visually striking and you can’t help but remember that it’s Binti.
The girl on the Spanish cover isn’t at all what I pictured Binti looking like, so I have to agree with you.
I have to go with the TOR cover, I’m not a fan of the other one at all. 🙂
Greg recently posted…Comic of the Week #17
Yeah, Tor is definitely winning this race:-)
I’ll join the Tor team 🙂 because I think that cover is much more dramatic and arresting: the colors are gorgeous and the image is a perfect representation of the character, in my opinion.
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…Review: HEAD ON (Lock In #2), by John Scalzi
You’re right, this is how I picture Binti when I think of her, with the clay on her face:-)
I love the US cover.
Don’t like the Spanish one at all. I think it’s mostly because of the colors.
Ha ha, I actually like the pinky colors, but I do agree the US cover is striking:-)
I didn’t realize this had any alternative covers, but both are pretty! I do like the US one better though.
Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight recently posted…Visual Novel Review: Tusks: The Orc Dating Sim by Mitch Alexander
I think the US cover fits the story better, but I am drawn to the Spanish one, maybe it’s the color?
Lovely to see you joining the gang for this meme, Tammy – and what an excellent choice! I’m going to add my vote to the chorus who went for the Tor cover – so beautiful and intriguing… The Spanish cover simply isn’t in the same league.
I believe Tor is winning!