Review: The Winner's Curse ( The Winners' Trilogy #1) by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy, #1)Book: The Winner's Curse (1)
Series: The Winner's Trilogy
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Pages: 355
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
Received for review
Rating: ✪✪✪✪✪ 

Blurb:

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


Review:

"A world you will fall in love with, with characters that are equally loveable!"

Before I started The Winners Curse I heard mixed reviews. I heard that people either loved the book or hated it. I was really surprised by this book as I ended up loving it! It is one of my favorite 2014 reads so far :)

I love the world Marie Rutkoshi has created. The world feels magical, like its set in a different world to ours, a fantasy world and it has an old fashion feel to it. The setting felt like it could be set in France or an eastern European  country. I couldn't really figure out where the world was supposed to be which really intrigued me as it felt like a whole different new world to learn about and love!

The concept of the story was interesting and I was swept away in the story of intrigue, deception, love and honour.

One thing I noted about The Winners Curse is the way women where treated was different as in, they had two chooses when they where 18 (which isn't good in itself) but the chooses where either marrying or joining the army. In most books woman only seem to get the marrying option. The woman are treated (well the privileged woman) like royalty being weighed on hand and foot but when they turn 18 there role and treatment changes because they are defenders of the kingdom, if they choose the army route. This really intrigued me!

There were so many twists and turns in the story and I loved learning about the world. I loved the lead protagonists and I wasn't sure if to trust the male lead or not, he had me loving him but unsure of him the whole way through. The ending just made me want the next book ASAP!!!

Note: Now I think of it the love between the two characters felt a bit like Romano and Juliet as in they weren't allowed to really love each other because of their families in this case, there race/ religion!

2 comments

  1. I started this on audio, and need to give it another go. I love how much you enjoyed this Megan.

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  2. Loved it also! I read it back in March and I couldn't put it down. As a matter of fact, it was on a GR friend's wishlist, so I traded for a book of hers. I literally just left the post office to ship it off. Glad you loved it!

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