Friday Face-Off: School
Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.
This week’s theme is:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
~ a cover featuring a SCHOOL
Mogsy’s Pick:
Roses and Rot by Kat Howard
Roses and Rot follows the lives of two sisters, both of whom are talented artists in their own fields. Imogen is a writer, while her younger sibling Marin’s passion is in dance. The two of them grew up together suffering at the hands of their cruel and abusive mother, but it was awkward and introspective Imogen who bore the brunt of the mistreatment. This prompted Imogen to leave home as soon as she was able to, using the money she saved in secret to attend boarding school, even though her own escape meant having to leave Marin behind.
Now nearly ten years later, the sisters are in their twenties and have seized upon an opportunity to reconnect. At Marin’s urging, Imogen applies with her to a prestigious post-graduate arts program at an institution called Melete, and both end up being accepted. The school is a dream come true, a quiet retreat in the scenic woods where fellows can dedicate their full attention to their art. Unfortunately, the peace doesn’t last. After a while, Imogen starts noticing strange things happening about on campus. Nature behaves differently at Melete, with the paths through the woods seeming to wind and shift with a life of their own, and she can never shake that unsettling feeling of being watched.
Turns out, there is more to the school than meets the eye. But how well do the novel’s covers reflect its mysterious vibes?
From left to right, top to bottom:
Saga Press (2016) – Gallery/Saga (2017)
Turkish Edition (2017) – Russian Edition (2019)
Winner:
This week’s covers feature a wide range of emotions, from melancholy and whimsy to horror and enchantment. Since the wonders and beauty of this novel reminded me very much of a fairy tale, I would say any of these would be quite appropriate for its themes. For the winner though, I would have to go with the cover I own because I just love its atmosphere.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
The BiblioSanctum 
I will go with the Russian demon, though would I pick it up from that? Nah
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It is quite creepy, I agree. I like the cover, but it probably wouldn’t make me pick up the book either, lol.
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I actually really like the Turkish one
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That’s the one I would describe as whimsical – it’s very pretty!
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Great choice, I didn’t even think of this book! I love both Saga editions, they’re different but both effective😁
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It came to me much later than it should have, I almost forgot it took place at an art school 🙂
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This book sounds super intriguing! And, I agree with your cover choice 🙂
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It was a great book! Kat Howard’s now one of those must-read authors 🙂
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Good choice! That house looks so eerie – thanks to the color choice, as well – that you can almost hear some ominous music in the background… 😀
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There is just something so atmospheric about the sepia tone 🙂
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I had no idea that this book had a school – now I want to read it even more! And, yes, that was my choice of cover too – even though it’s very sombre it’s the book I’m familiar with.
Lynn 😀
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Yes, and it’s a very unique school! 😀
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I would go with your favorite Mogsy! That cover is fantastic!
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Glad you agree, I love the sepia tones of the cover!
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Yes – I think your favourite cover is spot on, Mogsy. Great-looking school in the background:))
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Yes, the school looks very stately in that image! It wasn’t how I imagined it when I read the book, but they got the atmosphere right, at least!
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Yes… here most schools are brutalist box designs hailing back to the unlovely 1960s when at least they were building schools!
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I think I’ll go with the Gallery/ Saga edition. I like the pop of red from the rose…
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Yes, I like that one, though it gave the book kind of a dark romance vibe!
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I’d say your choice is about the best option but none of them would make me desperate to read the blurb!
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Haha, fair enough! I admit I am a bit attached to my choice because it’s the version I own.
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I think the on you picked is definitely the most appealing of these. Haven’t heard of this book!
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You should check it out if the description interests you! I’ve read two of her books now, the other one being An Unkindness of Magicians. This one’s better, imo 🙂
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I think I’ve heard of that one! I’ll have to see if the library has a copy of this one to check out. 🙂
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