Review - The Winner's Curse

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

* ARC read via the publisher for review.

3 gnomes and a gnome hat out of 5 gnomes

This book has an interesting take at a war loving culture and the repercussions of this culture and underestimating people. It looks at both sides of slavery and what that society would look like and entail.  It also takes an intense look at loyalty and what one will do for country or love.

There is quite an in depth world and society built up here. It’s not easy to emphasize with Kestrel at first. She just seems like an uptight socialite until you as the reader figure out that’s just how the society is set up. Kestrel really annoyed me at first and then she began to grow on me as a character.

Arin was great I just wish there had been even more from his point of view. It would have been nice to see more of his thoughts about the world. I think I just want to know more about Arin’s people in general (maybe there’ll be more in the next book.)

There’s no insta-love here but the whole I love him/her bit does happen a bit fast for my liking. There are of course plenty of problems if they should ever openly be together. I do really worry that the next book might go into a giant love triangle of will they/won’t they/can they even think about it.

The solution at the end was awesome and a great twist. Plus that last line was just perfect. It’ll be very interesting to see where the author goes from here.