Book Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux/Macmillan

Publication Date: March 4, 2015

Genre: Romance/Dystopian

Pages: 355 pages

Summary: When a young aristocratic girl, Kestrel, makes a bold purchase of a slave, Arin, it sets a course of events that leads to the upending of her world. 

Review: 

I’ve seen this book classified as a few genres: fantasy, dystopian, romance, and historical young adult literature. Interestingly enough there are no magical elements in this story but given the cover and the vibe of Rutkoski’s writing, it does give that impression. There is a dystopian aspect to Kestrel and Arin’s world. The Herrani are oppressed, live in poverty, designated as slaves, and are very mistreated by the ruling Valorians. There is no doubt about listing The Winner’s Curse as a romantic YA novel as Kestrel and Arin’s relationship is the backbone of the plot. The best description for The Winner’s Curse would be a forbidden romance set in a richly imagined world with rebellions, aristocracy, and war. 

The Winner’s Curse is an enjoyable read. It has a great pair of main characters in Kestrel and Arin. Kestrel is the daughter of the Valorian Army General. She is strong willed, fiercely independent, and determined to carve out her own path in life. Much of her journey in this book is her struggle to make a choice between getting married or joining the army. Neither of which is something she wants. Through a series of circumstances Kestrel does make a surprising choice at the end. Arin is a Herrani slave. He is mysterious, defiant, but has a good heart. The forbidden romance between Kestrel and Arin is a slow build with chemistry and tons of angst. They do have a couple of sweet moments but given the reality of their lives it is short lived. This couple will have significant obstacles to over come to be together. 

The main plot of The Winner’s Curse centers around a rebellion by the Herrani slaves to overthrow the Valorian Empire. I found the pacing of the story to be a bit slow and this made it difficult to remain engaged in the story. Majority of the action and plot development happens towards the end of the book. This is part of a trilogy so there is a mini cliffhanger of sorts at the end. 

Overall, The Winner’s Curse is worth reading because of the characters. The relationship between Kestrel and Arin is the strongest aspect of the novel and what has me invested in this series. I look forward to discovering how their story plays out.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Reviewer: @perusingya (Amna)