Book Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Pages: 355

Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Pub. Date: March 4, 2014

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "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."

Kestrel, a seventeen year old, is the general's daughter and she has two choices.  She can join the military, which is what her father wants, or get married.  Kestrel hates that her world is so limited and wants more for herself.  She lives in a world where there are slaves and while at a slave auction, a young male slave catches her eye.  She pays an exorbitant price for him, which raises many eyebrows. As they spend more time together, she realizes that she is starting to have feelings for him, which is definitely not allowed in her world.  Arin, the slave, has many secrets; secrets that could destroy Kestrel's world.  Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Curse is an imaginative novel that was slow out of the gate, but once half way through, I was glued to the pages.

Kestrel and Arin's relationship is a sllllloooooow burn.  It didn't bother me too much, but as I learned more about Arin's past, I thought that there was no way these two star crossed lovers will ever have a chance at love.  Things get more and more complicated in their world, but what I like about Kestrel is her determination.  She is a fun, gutsy, and dedicated heroine in The Winner's Curse and even though I rolled my eyes a few times at her choices, I thoroughly enjoyed her journey.

The Winner's Curse has a lot of action and strategizing regarding battle plans.  It reminded me a bit of Carson's The Girl of Fire and Thorns,  Cashore's Graceling and Bardugo's Shadow and Bone, which is high praise. The world-building in this novel is pretty great.  Also, Rutkoski's writing is elegant and almost lyrical at times.  I can see why many readers are a fan.

So, why didn't I give The Winner's Curse five stars?  For me, the book was SO slow in the beginning.  Plus, I felt really disconnected from Kestrel. I'm not sure why. I think it was the the third person point of view, which sometimes I struggle with.  Sometimes I felt very removed from the story instead of right in the thick of it with Kestrel.  So, for the first half of the book, I didn't feel very invested.  Then, all of a sudden, the story sucked me and I was hooked.  In the end, I was glad I stuck with The Winner's Curse.

So, if you are looking for a young adult fantasy that deals with forbidden love, revenge, and the notion of loyalty in an imaginative war-torn world, check out Rutkoski's The Winner's Curse. Fans of Kristin Cashore, Leigh Bardugo, and Rae Carson won't be disappointed….just make sure to give the story some time to unfold.