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: Bodice ripper
This is sort of tough if you’re looking for speculative fiction covers, but I did find a book I read before blogging with the main character wearing a corset on the cover, so I believe this counts as a “bodice ripper,” or at least that’s what I’m going with! A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray is a YA alternate Victorian fantasy and I remember really enjoying it at the time. Also it has a lot more covers than I expected:
Simon & Schuster (U.S) edition 2003 | German edition 2007 | Spanish edition 2006
Dutch edition 2008 | Simon & Schuster edition 2010 | German edition 2014
Turkish edition 2010 | Czech edition 2011 | Indonesian edition 2009
Although I really like the German edition, I’m going to have to go with the U.S. Simon and Schuster hardcover as my favorite, since that’s the one I own:
Oh yes, this is the best cover. I had already selected it before realising it was also your favourite, too. I think I took the subject a bit too literally this week…:)).
Hey, I loved your interpretation!
This is kind of a tough topic for speculative fiction, lol. I love your choice though. It’s my favorite from the group. I like the over the shoulder pose and that it’s a little shadowy and mysterious.
I think it’s a really pretty cover, and not too “bodice rippy” lol.
I actually thought you might have gone for the covers from the Absinthe Earl (not sure why I thought that really). I love your choice though – I read this a long time ago and your choice is perfect.
Lynn 😀
Lynn recently posted…Friday Face Off : The bodice ripper
Oh you are right, I should have used that series! Absinthe Earl only has one cover I think, but I could have shown both books. Great idea!
For me it’s a tie between the one you chose and the Indonesian one. There’s something about it and to me it’s not as cringe-worthy as some of the others. I’m familiar with this series but have never read it.
Ha ha, cringe worthy sums up a lot of bodice rippers, lol.
I like your pick best. 🙂
Agreed, thanks Kristi:-)
I always think of bodice rippers as historical romances! LOL I like the cover you picked the best too.
Exactly, and I don’t really read those anymore. I should have just used an old romance that I read a long time ago, but I think this works:-)
Too funny! This one made me laugh. For the theme I’d agree with your pick. But for overall cover design I like the German one. I love how we only see part of the woman’s face and her gaze is off to the right towards the light, and how it perfectly transitions to the building below (a cathedral or castle?).
Ha ha, I know this theme was sort of funny. But also it really made me think:-)
I do love this cover!
Me too, kind of makes me want to reread the book!
I agree, I think that one’s the prettiest!
It is pretty:-)
It is really hard to choose between the German one and the one you chose!!
I agree!
This is a perfect choice for a speculative fiction book! I completely blanked on finding anything to fit, haha. I think I also pick the US Hardcover as my favorite, though I agree the German one is a nice one, too!
There are quite a few urban fantasy books that could have worked this week, but I was trying to pick something I’ve read.
I had no idea it had so many covers either. I agree with you – that 2003 US cover is the best.
Although that US cover doesn’t say “fantasy” at all, and if I remember, this is a fantasy:-)
I had to check this out, because I was so curious to see what you’d come up with for this topic. xD I’m impressed! Not the sort of cover I expected, but it totally fits. Some of these covers look painfully contemporary, and I wouldn’t have even known it was fantasy at all if you hadn’t said it. I thought it was straight historical fiction. I agree with your choice for the best cover, though!
It doesn’t say “fantasy” at all, but if I remember there are some elements. It’s been too long since I’ve read it!