I really like dresses. I really like pretty people. Who doesn't?
But I'm really annoyed at this trend of taking any YA book with a female protagonist, decking her in the prettiest dress that can be found, and having her lay on the ground or thrown into water or tossed into the air.
It's not that these covers aren't pretty. They are. And they sell, or there wouldn't be so many of them.
But why can't we have pretty girls, maybe even in dresses, actually... you know... moving?
A lot of the covers have girls still. The world affects them rather than them affecting the world, and in a lot of these books, that's not how it works. It gives the world the power in the images rather than giving the girls the power.
And while the covers are pretty, I don't think changing how we portray them in the pictures - letting them stand on their own instead of lying down; letting them look fierce instead of dainty; letting them wield a sword rather than being thrown into the air - I don't think it will change how often the books sell. They can be gorgeous and still be active.
And let's face it - I'm more likely to pick up a book if there's weaponry on the cover.
What do you guys think?