My collection of books by marierutkoski <3 I love these books so so much. Just missing the print ARC of The Winner’s Crime :) Which I want so badly. Sigh. One day, I hope. <3 Anyway. Go read these books :D macteenbooks<3
I finished the Winner’s Trilogy. It is really good. I loved all the ideas that Rutkoski explores in the story. I give the trilogy an average of 4.8 stars.
- The Winner’s Curse: I gave this one 5 stars. It was the first book in the series and it really blew me away. I loved the story and the themes it explored. I was really impressed by this one.
- The Winner’s Crime: I gave this one 4.5 stars because it was a little slow for me. There was also not enough positive Arin and Kestrel moments.
-The Winner’s Kiss: I gave this one 5 stars. It was a great wrap up to the trilogy. Everything is nicely done.
I definitely recommend this trilogy to everyone and anyone. It really is a great one.
overview this month has been pretty crazy! it started off super chill with spring break, then really ramped up and now it’s already ap testing. i’ve been pretty busy lately, and i’ve also been feeling kinda meh since i’ve had a few problems with some of my friends. books yay for spring break! i got a pretty decent amount of reading done and finally finished rereading harry potter. i also reread…
Kestral is a high society Valorian and the daughter of a high ranking general with a not so secret adoration for the piano. Her love of music paints her as a bit eccentric in the eyes of Valorian society, a military people, and that love is what inspires her to purchase Arin. Arin is a Heranni slave now living in Kestral’s household as a blacksmith and sometimes chaperon to Kestral. The Winner’s Curse revolves around the evolution of their relationship amongst high society balls, duels, military strategy, and war.
Overall I liked this book, however I’m not sure exactly sure if I would recommend it to your average teen. The Winner’s Curse is very character driven and it’s a bit slow going in the beginning. We learn who Kestral and Arin are as individuals and their growing relationship, while little mysteries are presented and resolved. There are action scenes, however they mostly appear in the later half of the book and don’t really put you on the edge of your seat. This book is quiet, but it’s strength is in its abilities to make the reader think. Kestral is a strategist and the reader must be as well in order to decipher the strategies and motivations of the characters as the story progresses. It’s a nice exercise of the mind.
One of my favorite things about this book is that Rutkoski didn’t force her characters to fall in love and ignore the very real complications such a relationship would imply. Kestral doesn’t hate the Heranni and doesn’t mistreat her slaves, however she also doesn’t rail against slavery. She’s a woman who has been raised in privilege, who has always had slaves, and hasn’t given much thought to it’s overall impact. She see’s individual slaves as people based upon the relationship they have with her (Arin and her nanny). There are many stories where the protagonist automatically gives up everything they’re raised with for love, they do a complete 180, but this isn’t Kestral. Her evolution is slowly done and believable. The same care was also taken with Arin’s character. He resents his position as a slave, and rightfully so, and he doesn’t just fall all over himself for a pretty face. He puts blame and anger on Kestral and recognizes her failings. Their relationship is complex and addresses all the problems such a union can bring. The other thing I liked was that Kestral, flawed as she is, isn’t a stereotypical heroine. She’s clever, very clever, but she’s also naive in many ways and can act foolishly. Kestral’s overconfidence and brilliance are both her greatest strength and weakness. Her faith in her own intelligence is what blinds her to the truth of situations as often as they prove her right. It’s makes things interesting and I love that the story makes you conflicted over who to root for.
I highly recommend The Winner’s Curse for a book club book. The character’s flaws and the presentation of both sides of a conflict make it ripe for discussion.
[id: a digital drawing of nirrim from marie rutkoski’s, the midnight lie. nirrim is a young woman with warm brown skin, green eyes, and black hair cut close to her chin. she wears a vivid blue shirt with ruffled red accents. in her hands is cupped a human heart, from which rivulets of blood drip down her bare arms. a double-headed snake is twined around her neck.]
