The Winner's Curse (Winner's Trilogy, #1)

by Marie Rutkoski

As a general's daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. Kestrel has other ideas.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in Arin, a young slave up for auction. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him - and for a sensational price that sets the society gossips talking. 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 him is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

The first novel in a stunning new trilogy, The Winner's Curse is a story of romance, rumours and rebellion, where dirty secrets and careless alliances can be deadly - and everything is at stake.

• ISBN10: 0374384681
• ISBN13: 9780374384685
• Publish Date: 4 March 2014
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)
• Format: eBook
• Language: English

Reviews

[ellieroth]

Publicado originalmente: El Extraño Gato del Cuento

Si saben un poquito de historia centro y sudamericana, nosotros fuimos "civilizados" por extranjeros. ¿Por qué mencionó esto? Porque mientras leía se me hizo difícil entregarle mi fidelidad completa a solo un personaje en la historia. Si hubiera sido una historia simple, sin duda mi lealtad y adoración hubiera ido con Kestrel, estratega, amante de la música, la manera en cómo se maneja alrededor de todos, es un personaje que al menos yo no me encontré antes, quizá un poco Scarlet, aunque son personajes muy diferentes, me gustan muchos los detalles que la escritora incluye en ella, como lo de las manos. Y luego tenemos a Arin, wow. No solo porque sea el chico de la historia, es un personaje tan rico, tan completo, no puedo describirles exactamente cómo es que este personaje es tan especial, más allá de la parte romántica. Y hablando del romance, es algo completamente de segundo plano, lo que lo hace mil veces mejor porque sufres con la tensión de si realmente habrá algo o no con estos dos.

Esa vuelta del final no la entendí muy bien, nada más



He is so: "“My soul is yours," "The god of lies loves you"
Me:



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Wow. Phenomenal. Far different and better than I originally thought.
Full review coming soon.

[Kelly]

Phenomenal.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2014/05/the-winners-curse-by-marie-rutkoski.html

The Winner's Curse is incredible. I loved it. Loved. It. It's not often a book comes around where every single aspect, the storyline, world building, characters and writing are immaculate, but Marie Rutkoski is pretty darn close. Never have I devoured a book where the storyline flowed so effortlessly, telling the tale of a society which was destroyed through invasion, the citizens bought and sold into slavery and where women are either deemed wives or soldiers. Kestrel is neither. Her father is a general and sees the potential in his daughter's quick wit and intellect, making for a perfect strategist for his brutal army. But Kestrel is content to immerse herself in music, a trait shared with her late mother. Her love of music being the deciding factor in purchasing Arin from the slave auction. I adored Kestrel. She isn't the typical heroine, but has a quiet resolve against what her fellow Valorian's believe and societies rules of how a young woman of her stature should behave. Her intellect surpasses that of her male counterparts, often landing her in trouble.

Arin, formally known as Smith, is reserved, a schemer and detests what his society has become. He holds his cards close to his chest and never imagined being sold to the General's daughter would leave him wanting nothing more than to touch her. He's strong willed and incredibly resilient, but Arin isn't who he seems and is torn between what he believes and the girl who has instilled hope in his life again.

The romance? Perfect. There was no instant love, but a mature relationship slowly building from what seemed to have begun as a strong distaste. The two incredibly diverse characters bond over a shared truth stemming from a simple card game and their forbidden relationship grows. I loved the quiet moments between the two, when the world around them began to crumble. Neither cared what society thought, those around them seemingly believing that Kestrel had taken a lover. But when war explodes across the territory, it's Kestrel who finds herself torn.

The Winner's Curse is absolutely bloody brilliant. This not only lives up to the hype, but far surpasses it. I was blown away and can't even begin to imagine how I'll cope before book two is released. I need it. NOW.

[KitsuneBae]

Awesome, awesome book. But I still prefer The Lumatere Chronicles or Red Rising over this book if you're planning to initiate yourself with HF. I want a plot that is thickly woven or to see military tactics at its best. :D

[bookishzelda]

My review is going to be short simply because The Winner’s Curse is raved about everywhere and therefore I just want to touch on the main points that drew me in. Normally a book with so much hype would turn me away or wouldn’t live up to it for me. I don’t seem to follow the norm on my book obsessions. This book however was very different. It did start off slow for me and I wasn’t instantly enthralled but as I got into it, I became that way. Marie Rutkoski blew me away with her fantastic writing on this breathtaking and heartbreaking story. She carried me into another world and held me hostage. I loved every second of it.

Kestrel and Arin have such an intense relationship! It’s amazing the chemistry that they have without ever touching. They don’t even interact that much at first. They just kind of watch one another. Their romance gives you chills and affects your heart. It’s really emotion evoking and there are only a few fictional couples that I feel this way about. It’s also a relationship that changes both of them, speaking to human nature. How there are two sides of love and a betrayal of love can harden someone and change them into someone else. You can forgive someone you love for what they have done but you can not forget. It’s one of those things that scars your heart because you do love them. Such a complicated emotion and that this book showed so many facets of it is why I loved it. Going both directions because Kestrel bought Arin and Arin betrayed Kestrel. Back and forth betrayal because they also had to think of people beyond themselves. All the feels.

I liked the political intrigue more than I thought I would. I noticed one of Arin’s strategies was quite similar to how the Americans won the Revolutionary war. Of course there are similarities to the Civil War as well and even at times I saw some David and Goliath moments. Especially with the fact that Kestrel is a warrior in the sense of strategy, rather than brute strength. It made me feel like the book was well researched and plotted out.

I loved this book but it also traumatized my soul. I need the sequel sooner rather than later. I’m sure this a book that I will periodically think about and say, when is the next one coming. Is it time yet?

So if you are someone who is afraid of books with too much hype then I say ignore that. It was excellent and definite deserves the accolades.

Audiobook
The Audio book is narrated by Justine Eyre and at first I was put off a bit by the accents but the more I listened the more I really enjoyed Justine’s narration. She did a fantastic job of capturing all the characters and I think that when I read the future books I will hear her voice for Kestrel in my head. Even Arin’s is pretty decent.

[Ashley]

Nose Graze — Book Reviews & blogging tips

As much as I enjoyed The Winner's Curse, it didn't completely blow my mind. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a very good book, but I didn't think it was ZOMG SO FREAKING UNBELIEVABLY AMAZING!!! I think I just expected a bit more from it, after all the hype and raving. It was still really good, it just didn't totally wow me.

One of the most interesting parts of this book was the conflict. I could really see and feel how confusing it was. How do you fall in love with someone who's supposed to be your enemy? How can you love a person but hate what they're doing? I could really feel Kestrel's struggle. I loved Arin, but when he started the rebellion, I was conflicted. I still loved him as a person, but how could Kestrel love him when he's killing her people? Plotting to kill her father? Caused her best friend to become deathly ill? Killed many of her friends? It was definitely a weird love/hate thing. I loved him, but felt like if I loved him I was on his side (the Herrani). But was I with the Herrani? Or the Valorians? Crap, I don't know!! LOL!

This same point is also was made the romance delicious! Kestrel and Arin were totally star-crossed lovers. Forbidden. Never going to be accepted. Mmm, delicious. They had a slow burning romance built on this conflict.

Overall, I found myself becoming really attached to the world that Marie Rutkoski created. I loved the struggle between the two groups: Herrani and Valorians. Both of them had interesting cultures, and I almost wasn't sure who to root for. Obviously I felt bad for the Herrani at first, but once they rebelled and started killing Varlorians, I found myself feeling bad for the Valorians instead!

I think the one part of the book that disappointed me was that it felt slow at times. This was mostly true at the beginning of the story. There was a while when I wasn't sure where the book was going and there wasn't much action or plot development. It definitely picked up at the end OHMYGOD I CAN'T BELIEVE ARIN ACTUALLY KILLED CHEAT!! Did not expect that., but there was still that lull in the beginning/middle.

The Winner's Curse was definitely an interesting read and I'm psyched for the series! I'm just a tad disappointed that I didn't adore it as much as other people seem to. As much as I enjoyed the book, I don't imagine that it will stay ingrained in my mind for a super long time. Unlike what some people said, I don't feel like The Winner's Curse has ruined me for all other books.

[lizarodz]

Find the original review here:

[jnikkir]

This review can also be found at my blog, There were books involved...

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I don't even know where to start with this review. The Winner's Curse is amazing. I was blown away by the nuanced characters and their complex moral dilemmas; by the vivid writing and the incredibly detailed worldbuilding; and especially by the relationship between Kestrel and Arin, the slowest of all slow-burn romances. The Winner's Curse was everything I wanted it to be, and nothing like I expected.

Kestrel, Arin, and Kestrel/Arin

Kestrel, the main character, is not your typically-kickass female MC -- her strengths lie in her intelligence and mind for military strategy. I loved that about her. She's also not afraid to pursue her passion -- music -- even when it's not deemed "acceptable" by society in general. When Kestrel happens to be present at a slave auction, she sees Arin (defiant, handsome, and purportedly a good singer), and she buys him -- not out of a desire to own a slave, but because she sees in him a kindred spirit.

There's a lot more going on with Arin than meets the eye, though. Arin is somewhat of a mystery -- undeniably intriguing, but vaguely suspicious until you realize what's going on with him. As I learned more and more about him, and his past, and his current motives, my heart completely melted for him. He's probably my favorite character in the book, despite there being so few sections that are from his POV. (Please please please let there be more in Book 2!!!)

Initially, Kestrel and Arin don't interact much; but as they begin spending more time together, their feelings become... complicated, to say the least. Their scenes together are fraught with tension and feelings that neither can act upon, and they are the definition of a slow-burn romance, with an immediate spark, but a deliciously slow resolution. Kestrel and Arin are incredibly nuanced and complex characters, both of whom know and appreciate the impossibility of their situation.

And, while I spent the majority of the book wanting to reach into the pages and push their faces together, I love love loved the time that was taken to realistically develop their characters, to a point where they finally acknowledge their feelings for each other. I'll complain nonstop about how long it took Kestrel and Arin to actually do something about their feelings for each other, but not because it was unnecessarily drawn-out. At the end of the day, my "complaints" are just proof that Rutkoski did her job in making me feel for these characters, to root for them, and feel the tension in their relationship right along with them.

The Plot

One thing that really struck me about The Winner's Curse is the way it deals with the complexity of individuals within a larger (and obvious) moral dichotomy. (Erm, please forgive my weird word-choice there -- not sure how else to describe it...) When it came to the actual "plot" of the book, which is the revolt of the Herrani against their Valorian captors, I was expecting the obvious "Slavery, bad. Fighting for freedom, good" situation. And that's essentially what this is, in the simplest terms. The Herrani have been defeated and enslaved by the Valorians, and there's an undercurrent of revolt simmering just below the surface.

When it came to my expectations, however, I was blindsided. I was expecting the Valorians to be unquestionably bad (well, I mean, except for Kestrel), since they're the nation who conquered the Herrani. But the issue of slaves vs. captors was dealt with in an incredibly complex manner. Many of the people fighting for the Herrani's freedom are willing do things just as awful as -- if not worse than -- the Valorians who enslaved them. And many Valorians (including Kestrel's father, a general in the army) were unexpectedly sympathetic characters themselves. My feelings were so confused. The Winner's Curse does not offer a clear-cut dividing line between the two sides -- though certain actions are undeniably immoral, the people themselves are complex, and there's good and bad on both sides.

The Minor Characters

I have a deep appreciation for authors who can write minor characters who a) still feel well-developed despite little "screen time", and b) who break all my expectations about what purpose I initially think that character will serve.

First, there's Jess, Kestrel's best friend. Jess loves dresses, and shopping, and dances. My expectations? That she would be a trite, throwaway character, there to help illustrate the difference between Kestrel and the other "silly" society ladies. Instead, the friendship between Jess and Kestrel felt absolutely real -- the two enjoy different things, but they both truly care for each other, and Jess is strong and sassy and I loved her to pieces.

Ronan, Jess's brother, is a real flirt -- with Kestrel, at least. He's a sweetheart, and I loved him, and in any other circumstances I might have ended up being torn between Ronan and Arin in this "love triangle". But there is no love triangle. Kestrel's feelings toward him are clear from the start, and while they're good friends, and they would technically make a good match, I get the feeling Kestral would enjoy being Jess's sister-in-law more than Ronan's wife.

And then there's Kestrel's father. He's on the "wrong" side of the slaves vs. captors conflict, as are all the Valorians are who conquered the Herrani and enslaved them. And as a general, I was expecting him to be a detestable character. But I actually ended up being struck by his rigid but truly loyal affection towards his daughter...

These characters, and all the moral issues woven throughout, are just so complicated!

The Worldbuilding

The worldbuilding in this book is almost beyond compare, at least within the YA Fantasy books that I've read so far. There is so much historical depth to The Winner's Curse, it just blew me away. The only other series I can compare it to is Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy, but even that is based in sort of a Russian background (which is one reason I love it). Really, The Winner's Curse is wholly original, and it feels almost like historical fiction, steeped in details that are vivid and effortlessly portrayed.

In conclusion...

I finished this book completely at a loss for words. The Winner's Curse is rich with detail, tension, and true feeling -- and that goes for both the plot, and the characters. Everything about it is just incredible, and I can't even decide what impressed me more -- the incredible worldbuilding, or Kestrel and Arin and their flawlessly-portrayed relationship.

If I have one true complaint, it's that book 2 is so far away. The ending, while perfect (in my opinion), does not see a concrete resolution to Kestrel and Arin's plight, and the final page left me in an awful/delicious mess of feels. Book 2 cannot get here soon enough.

--

There were books involved...

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

Without a doubt, The Winner's Curse is currently the most hyped up book of the year so far. In fact, the hype is the only reason I picked it up, which I know, is a terrible reason. I knew absolutely nothing about it before starting, not even the genre (other than YA). I didn't even read the blurb. I went in totally blind. Sometimes that pays off, but in this case it didn't. I did like The Winner's Curse, but not as much as I could have. But that's my fault, since this was a simply a "it's not you, it's me" situation, because I don't tend to like books about war unless it's between supernatural races.

The Winner's Curse starts off very slow and very boring. Nothing about it was holding my attention until almost halfway in. Because of that, my mind wandered a lot, and it kept wandering to genres. What genre is this book suppose to be?! Upon finishing, I'm just sticking it into Fantasy since it's set in a made up world. But there's no magic or anything out of the ordinary. It kind of felt like Alternate History in a way, but it's clearly not set in any version of our world. Or maybe it is. Either way, it's a hard book to categorize, but I think that works in its favor since it kept me guessing.

Like I said, I don't like war stories and that's very much what The Winner's Curse is. The Valorians have conquered the Heranni, and keep them as slaves in their own homes. Our protagonist, Kestrel, is the daughter of a military commander and is expected to follow in his footsteps. Her only other choice is to get married, but Kestrel savors her independence. Plus she's not that great at combat. Her strength lies in strategy, and she is quite smart and cunning. Anyway, Kestrel buys a new slave on a whim, but he turns out to be part of a larger plot involving other slaves in the area. Of course, things turn into a big mess, and Kestrel has to keep herself alive, while not betraying her people. And she kind of has feelings for Arin, and vice versa. It's a lot of good stuff, but just not for me.

The Winner's Curse is definitely going to work for a lot of readers. I do think it has a lot of appeal to Historical Fiction and High Fantasy fans alike, especially those who like reading about war strategies. There's very little romance, but it's fairly obvious at this point that Kestrel and Arin will eventually wind up together unless the author throws in some shocks. In the end, I liked this, but not enough to want to know what happens next.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.