Author: Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Macmillan
Release: March 4, 2014
Series: The Winner's
Pages: 355
Review: 5 Stars
Looking at my list of books, I realized that I haven't reviewed many books this month. Partially because for the first half of the month, I was in a horrible reading slump. One word: ugh. I simply could not read. Last week, I got back on the boat, and have read six books, and I've only reviewed one of them. I loved them all, and feel that I am breaking my New Year's resolution to review more. So, here I am, reviewing The Winner's Curse!
I'd been hearing a lot about this book, but had never been truly interested. Finally, a little after its release, I thought to myself, enough is enough. EVERYONE is saying how amazing this book is, so I must read it to see if it is true. Hence, I got a copy from the library and OH MY GOD, WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE! I can't believe that I didn't pick up The Winner's Curse sooner. I started it at school, but didn't get much read. So that evening, I started reading what I promised myself would be one chapter, but ended up staying up way too late (like, until the next morning), to finish the book.
The book is dual POV between Kestrel, a rich girl who's father is the head of the military, and Arin, a slave with a secret. I liked Kestrel from page one. She was headstrong and did not bow to the views of her people. She has been told that within the next few years, she can either marry or join the military, neither of which Kestrel wants to do. Kestrel is shrewd, and easily makes plans to avoid this as long as possible. It is really fun to be in Kestrels' head, and I love her character. She's intelligent, and sees things long before others do, but in a few ways, ways that bite her in the butt, she is naive.
Arin is really something. I like his character, that's for sure, but grr, he keeps SO many secrets! And these secrets end up causing a ginormous rift between him and Kestrel, a rift I do not like. Arin has much more brute strength than Kestrel, and is willing to do things others aren't, but can also be easily persuaded into doing the wrong thing. I admire Arin's loyalty, as well as the times when his kindness shines past his stoic exterior.
The plot in this book is fast, yet not fast enough. For a large chunk of the book, I'm being surrounded by action and plot, yet the reader is waiting for a few key moments. And then suddenly, those moments have passed and things are blowing up! The book was really fun to read, and I am dying for the second book! Readers of Legend by Marie Lu would definitely enjoy The Winner's Curse. This book surpassed my expectations and I give it a full five stars!
Author Bio:
Marie Rutkoski is the author of the YA novel The Shadow Society, about a girl who discovers that she’s not human and that her kind are terrorists in an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire never happened. The Shadow Society will be published October 30, 2012. Marie has also written the children’s fantasy series The Kronos Chronicles, including The Cabinet of Wonders, The Celestial Globeand The Jewel of the Kalderash. The Cabinet of Wonders, her debut novel, was named an Indie Next Kids’ List Great Read and a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, among other honors.
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Synopsis:
Winning what you want may cost you everything you love
As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.
One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.
But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.
Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.
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