The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner's Curse
Edited by: Marie Rutkoski
Pages: 355
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.

My Rating:✰✰✰✰✰

 My overall thought for his book:

This book was incredible and I really enjoyed reading this book. Although it is fantasy, there was no magic and was not hard to follow. The writing was beautiful and the plot flowed all together.
The story follows a girl named Kestrel who is the daughter of a general, and one day, she buys a slave at an auction named Arin because of the fact that he sings perhaps. In this world, there are Valorians and Herrani and the Herrnai are slaves because from a lost war. The characters in this book are very different and felt very complex which was great. The relationships and development was present. The book was interesting from the start all the way through to the end. It was not slow at all.

I do recommend this book! I am very happy that I picked it up!

 Now, onto the spoiler part of this review:

This book had quite a few political aspects which I did not find boring surprisingly. Learning about the past war and the potential causes of another one were great. The world building was great and it seemed like a real functioning world. Reading about the game Bite and Sting and how it was constantly brought up in comparison for strategic planning was great.

I loved the characters! I really thought that Kestrel was such a strong and great protagonist. I could relate to her some ways and was really fond of her character. I also did love Arin and how the two interacted with each other and how their friendship development. I loved how at first we don't know much about him but his character gets revealed more. I also loved how smart the characters are and how the two played each other quite well. I loved the constant denial between them as far as how they truly felt for each other. It was as if they couldn't believe they falling for the other kind! The small things that happened between them were the best. Like when they play Bite and Sting together, when she plays her piano for him, when he braids her hair...

There was also the theme of power and pride. I found it very interesting how by the end of the book, the roles of Arin and Kestrel switched where she was practically his slave. The climax was definitely where the Herranni succeeded in poisoning and the Valorians and getting control. I wasn't sure how to feel since I was on both sides. Past that climax I had no idea what was going to happen and what was going to happen once Kestrel was held by the Heranni.

The saddest part of this book was when Arin let her go. It made me feel so sad, sad enough to cry (but I didn't because I never do) and I understood yet didn't understand.

In some ways I guess that this is a forbidden love but it didn't feel like that. The slow relationship made it more emotional and I can't wait for these two to be together. (married maybe? by the end of the trilogy? PLEASE)

I HATE endings that are like this because Kestrel is marrying the heir of the emperor. NO. She took such a big sacrifice for the sake of Arin and his people. The two were saving each other without directly knowing it. But now the Herrani have their freedom.

One of my favorite things is when the book has the explanation for the title. It was here in this book and it made me so happy!

I cannot wait for the sequel to come and hopefully, things will go well.