In an effort to regain her lost youth, a woman subjects herself to a series of surgical interventions, progressing ever further back as each operation suggests another. At each stage in the regression, the story takes us back in time, until we see in her youth - beautiful, yet tragic.

Skin  is a controversial examination of the beauty industry and one woman’s quest to deal with both her own fading beauty and her obsessive and destructive love.

It was the subject of much radio and television debate, a Guardian cover story and a feature in Vogue.

Praise for "Skin"

“A mesmeric and extraordinary novel… Briscoe’s prose is masterfully fluent…some of the most erotic writing ever”
–Observer

“Briscoe is refining erotic writing into something quite unusual and transfixing.... Joanna Briscoe has superbly enhanced her portrait of Adèle with carefully crafted suspense....... Skin is an accomplished and very striking second novel”
- Independent on Sunday

“A triumph of ventriloquism.....Every little detail stings true.... Her passionate refusal to be nice only adds to her achievement”
- Maureen Freely, Literary Review

“Joanna Briscoe has a well-deserved reputation as a fine writer”
- Times

“skilful eroticism. I must admit to envy - both of Briscoe for her writing and of Adèle herself.... accomplished, intelligent novel....Skin has some beautiful passages...I suspect that Skin will be remembered most for its powerful evocation of panic and loneliness.”
- Elisa Segrave, Independent

“A startling and provocative novel..... intense use of language to create a hypnotic mood. She mixes deeply sensual writing with stark truths”
- Mail on Sunday

“While the sensuousness of the descriptions owes much to Symbolist poetry and European writing, there is also a morality, a fable within the story”
- Fiona Pitt-Kethley, Telegraph