The Winner's Crime (Winner's Trilogy, #2)

by Marie Rutkoski

[ladygrey]

I don’t quite know what to think of this book. It’s not bad but it’s overwritten.

In the midst of it I kept getting bogged down in both Kestrel and Arin’s thoughts and endless “I’m so conflicted” for various reasons. And thinking back on the plot not that much actually happened. There’s a lot of talking about what’s already happened. And a lot of questioning... of themselves and what has happened but not much of what could happen. And a lot of hemming and hawing about making something happen. And only a little bit of something actually happening.

The court intrigue seemed pretty well laid out so there weren’t many surprises. Like literally 2 things throughout the whole book that I thought, “huh didn’t know that.” I knew that Risha was downplaying her skills but I didn’t know she was specifically sent to assassinate the emperor. Though it was obvious she hadn’t because of Verex. And I didn’t see the poison Herrani plot until Kestrel did. But I knew there was something the emperor was up to in order to undermine the treaty. Because it was the year of money and he was two-faced.

The lies Arin and Kestrel tell each other and themselves are kind of frustrating. Because they keep rehashing the same territory again and again. And because it felt forced - like Rutoski is trying to find a way to keep them apart for the sake of the plot, so there’s some conflict. Which maybe isn’t fair because in the capital Kestrel wouldn’t have been able to acknowledge anything between them. And yet, it still felt forced rather than authentic to the circumstances and story. And because the lies don’t seem to fit with the characters from the first book who were smart and strategic and floundering and confident and capable all at once.
And I get that Kestrel was in over her head so she was going to make mistakes but for a strategic girl she did some dumbass things.
And I also thought Rutkoski did a good job of evoking both character’s turmoil at misunderstanding each other and misinterpreting what the other said. Because who hasn’t been there? It would have been fine if that was woven into all the things happening. But when that’s all that happens, again and again, it’s considerably less than interesting.

The most interesting parts are with Jess and Ronan and those are both such short scenes. It would have been a lot more interesting for them to stay at court and be more a part of the story (and for there to be more of a story).

I feel like it could have been streamlined a lot and been half as long or had twice as much story (or if the third one is the same been a duology).

Also, not to rewrite the story but it would have been a lot more interesting if Kestrel has been partially honest with Arin in the beginning. For her to say, “yes I’m playing a game and no I’m not going to tell you what it is. I’m keeping you off the board because the moment you step onto the board it becomes more dangerous for me.” And for him to still get cut and for her to say straight up “I told you. They will use you as a weapon to punish me.” It would have changed things between them and changed the story but there still would have been plenty of conflict just of a different variety.

Mostly I think it’s just less compelling because so much of the story is written in a style that’s removed and descriptive, even when it’s describing their inner thought and turbulent wants, it feels withdrawn instead of driving into the scene of feeling immersed in it.