The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, Book Review

By: Marie Rutkoksi
Published by: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Released on: March 4th, 2014 - TODAY
Source: bound manuscript / arc from publisher to review
Rating: 5 Stars- I LOVED IT!

Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Add it to Goodreads

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.

I can not even begin to tell you guys how excited I am to finally share my review for this amazing book! I read this book last March, and I have been impatiently waiting for this day, RELEASE day, ever since. 

**************

I absolutely LOVE this book! It sits nicely displayed on one of my "favorites shelves" which also holds some of my other favorite historical fantasies like Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy, and Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series. Like both of those series, I could not get enough of this book. I loved everything about it. From Marie's writing, to the historical fantasy elements, the incredible world building, the characters, the romance, and more. There wasn't anything I didn't love about this book.

Marie's writing is simply stunning. There is no detail little or big that goes unnoticed in this book. Every thing included in The Winner's Curse has a purpose. I love it when an author uses every element, and every little detail to tell their story. These details go into the characters, and the settings. I've rarely read a story that has such well defined characters who felt like they were real. Marie's characters are not two dimensional characters who are simply in the story. Her characters are the story. Their personalities, their beliefs, their backgrounds, and the way they were/are raised not only define each character, but these important elements make them feel that much more real. They're believable. 

Normally in my reviews I focus on a couple of the characters that I loved reading about, but with this book aside from the main two, I'm going to focus more on they way Marie crafted her characters. I love what she did. Marie gave me characters I understood, both right and wrong. She emotionally connected me with them. Normally when I would have decided I didn't like a character, she made me understand them, and understand the choices they made, and understand the beliefs they stood by. The character relationships are awesome! They are complex, and complicated, because of the differences of cultures and view points. Krestel and Arin couldn't be more different, and more similar. One is the daughter of a successful General who continues to grow his empire with each conquest. Taking captive those who's land he wages war against, and then there's Arin. A slave she wins the bid on. While both characters are bound by the circumstances that surround them, they both want to fight for something more, something that's impossible for either to have, freedom.

Ringing true to the book's title, I loved how Marie tackled the winner's curse. There is so much at stake for those on the opposing sides to all that happens in this book. Everyone has something to lose. Even those who win, don't win without losing something. I loved that instead of telling who was good and bad, Marie showed me both sides of all that was happening. It made me realize just complex things, because no one is right or wrong, and yet at the same time everyone every one was both of those things. Everyone has a little of both in them and their decisions. They're all right in some accepts and yet they're wrong in the same ones. I loved that Marie's writing was smooth, and intelligent. Everything was strategically written. Whether it be love, war, or personal freedom, the price of winning always comes at a cost, and no one knows that better than Krestel and Arin. 

Kestrel and Arin have an awesome chemistry! Their romance is dangerous, and their relationship complicated. Yet what they feel for each other comes naturally and freely. Like the rest of the the story, there are two sides to everything, and their relationship is no different. The passion and love they have for each other seems like it could defy all the reasons why their relationship is wrong. These two literally have to fight for each other. It's part of what makes me cheer them one, and also what makes their relationship incredibly heartbreaking. The reality is, what Krestel and Arin have is forbidden and impossible. Like all beautiful love stories, this one is one I hope beats the odds. These two are fighters, and not ones who give up easily when they want something. 

While I got a lot of answers in this book, there are still many things I am eager to find out more about. I can not wait to get my hands on the sequel. I have a feeling that, that book is going to be action packed, and full of even more betrayals, twists, and fueled by romance. This Marie's best book yet! I highly recommend picking this book up! 

Read Marie's Bridge of Snow to get a look into her incredible world of The Winner's Curse.