Review: The Winner's Curse (#1) By Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner's Curse (#1)
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar Straus and Giroux
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
More: Goodreads

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

   
 
                                                

                  

Things I liked about The Winner’s Curse (#1):

1. Kestrel. She is a bright, adventurous, and she stands up for what she believes in. At first I thought she was a brat that just didn’t listen to rules, but then I realized that she doesn’t obey because she is against it or that she believes that she can make her own decisions. Later on in the story was when I started to like her and see her true characteristics.
2. The plot. It was confusing to me in the beginning because I was still learning names (I literally thought that Kestrel was a place). To be honest I was bored in the beginning, I had so many questions that needed to be answered. Then towards chapter 3 I started to understand the story and who was who. I liked how the plot was interesting that it made you wanting to read more, things were unexpected, people betrayed, and some fell in love when they weren’t supposed to.
3. The Bite and Sting game. The game was confusing at first but it actually was an interesting game. I liked how the author was so creative that she could make a game. This could actually be dangerous because your opponent could bid something extremely high, such as Death.
4. Jess. I liked her because she was such a nice, bright, and happy person and helped Kestrel be happy all the time. She was a really good friend who was creative and made Kestrel smile everyday.
5. The cover. I really liked the cover for the Winner’s curse because the girl looked so pretty and her dress was beautiful too. I thought that the picture described Kestrel really well and that she was mad about her decision because the cover showed Kestrel but she didn’t look very happy.

Things I didn’t like about The Winner’s Curse (#1):

1. Cheat. I hated him from the beginning. When I first started reading I saw that he was already those clever and tricky people who will just outsmart you and make you regret your decision.
2. Arin. I didn’t like how he thought of himself had so many opinions on things. He was always doing his own thing and he didn’t care about what he did. I didn’t like how he was a slave but didn’t act as one.
3. The emperor. I didn’t like him because he wasn’t an open minded person and all he does is just thinks at what he thinks is right. He is just not those people who consider people’s ideas.

*Spoiler* When I think about what Arin did to Kestrel I wanted to just to scream at him because how could he do that to her?!? But then again I was expecting him to betray her because what he planned already to do so I still don’t like him. Then Cheat was so annoying like a psychopath who wants to kill anything when he can’t get what he wants. The emperor was annoying because he made Kestrel a deal which she did not want to do but decided to do because she wanted to protect someone.

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