Details
Title: The Winner's Curse
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Number of Pages: 355
Date Published: March 4, 2014
Synopsis
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.
Review
I actually got this book from The Twins Read when they hosted a giveaway. So, I thank you guys!
This book follows the story of Kestrel, the daughter of the noble General Trajan, and her misadventures in Valoria. It has a mesmerizing love story intertwined between, and I really enjoyed and cried myself out while reading this.
The novel opens with a simple day in the life of Lady Kestrel, and it just so happens that she got herself involved in an auction--where she won a scrawny male slave. I wouldn't go far in what really happened, because I'm afraid I might spoil you guys, but yeah. That's the general story line.
The world-building in this one was full of intricate details, such as the historical background of Herran and Valoria, even their culture, rendering it effective in capturing my attention. The progression of the plot was also very amusing, because I understood what Kestrel felt, for instance, when she felt despair or rage. If you were to read this, I'd think that you'd also be interested in Kestrel's deceptive manner in dealing with things, and the ladylike-unladylike contrast in her personality.
I also somewhat liked the taboo relationship between Kestrel and the slave. It was filled with rich moments and their story would leave you heartbroken at the end. ESPECIALLY with that last line.
Lastly, I loved how thorough the author was in telling the story. You wouldn't miss a thing, and as I've mentioned earlier, it's full of intricate details about everything. From the beginning to the end, I was really gorging on the book. It's THAT good.
Rating
For this book, I'm giving 5 out of 5 grenades. I loved the overall beauty of the story, and the devastating love story between Kestrel and you'll-know-who. Please read this!!!!
About the Author
Marie Rutkoski is the author of the YA novel The Shadow Society and the children's fantasy series The Kronos Chronicles, including The Cabinet of Wonders, The Celestial Globe and The Jewel of the Kalderash. Her next project is a YA trilogy that begins with The Winner's Curse, which is scheduled to be published in March 2014.
Marie grew up in Bolingbrook, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), as the oldest of four children. She holds a BA from the University of Iowa and a PhD from Harvard University. Marie is currently a professor at Brooklyn College, where she teaches Renaissance Drama, children's literature and fiction writing. She lives in New York City with her husband and two sons.
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