Review - The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

"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."

Genre: Fantasy, YA, Dystopian
Topics: war, romance, slavery
Publication date: March 4th 2014
Pages: 384 (paperback), 355 (hardcover)
Format: Ebook
Source: Bought
Links: Goodreads Website

This is a book that I bought a little while ago because it was on sale for my kindle. I heard about it a little bit from the "booktube" bloggers I follow and figured it would be worth a shot.

Right from the first chapter, I was hooked. This book takes place in the Harran peninsula that was overtaken by the Valorian General Trajan who then enslaved the Harrani people. Ten years later, we have the chance to meet our main protagonist, Kestrel. Yes, she is the General's daughter, but she is so much more than that. Her character building was so in-depth and not one bit stereotypical.

As the General's daughter, they could have molded her one of two ways - strong and powerful, or weak and the "damsel in distress". BUT you're not thinking of the other possibilities. She is quick-witted and intelligent, but not too fantastic in battle. She has her own political opinions, but doesn't have all that teen angst that you see in YA where the girl is so different than anyone else so she sneaks out at night, messes around, and defies her parents. Kestrel is one of my favorite main characters that I've ever read about. She is badass in her own way and it's hard not to love her!

Kestrel and her friend Jess accidentally end up at a slave market where she happens to see a Herrani slave who can sing, which intrigues the music lover in her. She buys him, and finds out his real name is Arin. Arin is another character to love. Yes, he lies to her in the beginning, but it's amazing to see a story in which the main characters slowly fall in love. It was paced in a way that made it feel absolutely genuine. So if you hate insta-love, this is a good book to pick up, just for that purpose!

This book was just so amazing. There were times I wanted to keep reading, but had to work or go to sleep for work and I probably would have finished in one day if that weren't the case (damn you, work!).

I feel like this book made me fall in love with the characters so much that I didn't get to know the world as much as I would have liked. I have heard, however, that The Winner's Crime involves more world-building, so I only docked off half a star for that.