Author: Marie Rutkoski
Published: April 10, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
ISBN: 978-1408858202
Genre: Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Kestrel lives the lavish lifestyle of a Valorian General's only daughter, and such riches come at a cost for Valoria's captives and for her. As the Herrani face death or slavery, Kestrel's destiny is shaped by her father. He gives her two choices: join his army or get married. Desperate to realise her own future and knowing that it will invite scandal, she pays a small fortune for a handsome Herrani blacksmith at a slave auction. Arin not only plays Kestrel's power games, he understands what she needs and soon she is torn between loyalty to her people and her feelings for him. But Arin is not all he seems and Kestrel will learn 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.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Okay, this has been a pretty controversial book from what I've seen of the reviews around the internet.
The writing and pacing and characters and plot are generally well liked.
The treatment of slavery is not.
I'm going on the record here to say: The only reason this book got 3 stars is because I am holding out hope that Kestrel can pull her head out of her arse in the next two books.
I can appreciate that most of the book is told from Kestrel's POV and that hers is the mindset that she is the daughter of the Empire's greatest general who was brought up around slavery and that while she doesn't readily agree with it, she realises that she would only cause more trouble for her and the slaves if she were to do something. I can also appreciate the villainising of the Slaves at the end because, again, we're seeing things from Kestrel's POV.
Just because I can appreciate and understand what has been done in the book does not mean I agree with it.
I don't.
I started this book thinking: Yes. We have our heroine. She's going to fall in love with a slave, find out about the uprising and help them to overcome their oppressors. As it should be. I went along quite happily in this book.
That is not what I got. I am not happy with what I got. The last 35% of this book did not make me happy.
The last 35% of this book insulted me.
And, err ...
Can we say Stockholm syndrome?
Also, that ending? No. Nope. All the nope.
I really, really hope The Winner's Crime can redeem this.
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