Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a new weekly meme here at Books by Proxy. Join me every Friday as I pit cover against cover, and publisher against publisher, to find the best artwork in our literary universe.
A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
Welcome to this week’s Friday Face-Off! This week we’re looking at covers which feature a road… preferably a lonely one!
Published by Titan in the UK and by Penguin / NAL in the US, A Curious Beginning is a book which fell into my lap through Goodreads a few months ago – and one which I am still yet to read! This Face-Off features two stunning covers in completely different styles, making this week’s choice incredibly difficult. Take a look and see which one, if any, came out on top!
Titan – UK Cover
Artwork by Julia Lloyd
Penguin / NAL – US Cover
Artwork by Michael Heath
| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |
This week is a definite draw! The style of the UK artwork is wonderful – and even better in real life! This eye-catching, illustrative cover is a light hearted edition which uses various Victoriana motifs to hint at the contents within. The colour palette – and that aged aquamarine especially – works perfectly as a backdrop to this elegantly fun composition, and the scroll-work and typeface used are interesting, detailed and work to draw the eye.
The US cover is a completely different affair and works with an atmospheric image to capture another side to the story. The use of lighting and a warm colour palette, especially the pink overlay to the street scene and the swirling mists, work together to create an eye-catching image – an image which almost feels like you could follow the figure into it – and the typeface is simple and elegant.
Which cover wins your vote this week? Have a cover of your own? – Post the link below!
Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads
Tomorrow’s theme is: You Got The Blues
A cover which is predominantly blue
Remember to check The Friday Face-Off Feature Page for upcoming themes
Books by Proxy 
I’d have to call it a draw for me, both are very different covers but both look really cool to. 🙂 Here’s my link: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress.com/2016/04/29/friday-face-off-29nd-april-2016/
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Yea I’d be happy owning either – though I do love my own copy!
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I would happily own the book with either cover 🙂
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Me too! 😀
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I can see how call this a draw, but the colors the lamp turns the sky, bricks, and cloud is too good to pass up. It’s like cotton candy in the air! XD
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And here is my link! http://wp.me/p53gyJ-33s
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Haha perfect description!! 😀 That’s one Victorian alley that I wouldn’t mind finding myself lost in 😀
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Tough theme this week! Great choice, and I think I would have called a draw too.
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It was! I do love these covers… now to get round to reading it!
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It’s a draw for me too. I like the illustrations on the UK cover, especially the silhouette, and I love the colors on the US cover and the mysterious tone to it what with that thick fog in the background that the lady is heading into. Both covers make me curious about the book so now I have to head to Goodreads to look them up.
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They both use a fantastic range of colours that would make me pick either up in a bookshop!
And yes, it definitely sounds like a fun read. Will definitely be getting round to it asap!
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