Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

This has been my fifth time reading this precious book. I was a little worried this time, as it has been four years since I last read it. I had no reason to be worried. Because I still loved this book with every part of my heart. It is such a gorgeous story. Beyond heartbreaking and awful. But so beautiful and well written. Sigh.

There is simply so much I love about this book. And I am thrilled to finally be reading these books again. They meant so much to me years ago. And they still do. This first book is still every bit as perfect to me as it was before. Which makes me beyond thrilled, as I really wanted to love it just as much. It is fully gorgeous too.

I think I will not share as much about this book this time. Simply because I want to get started on re-reading book two as soon as I can, haha. And also because I'm certain I have already written many times before about how badly I love this story. But it can't hurt to write it again. So I will. The writing is of course perfection. Which I am so happy about. The setting was stunning too. It felt like a book set in the past, which is my favorite. The way things were in this city was so interesting but so horrible too. Kestrel and her people had won the war ten years ago over this city. The people who lived there before either killed or taken as slaves. Which was horrible to read about. Even though it was awful to read, I always wanted to know more about the history of it all.

This book tells the story about Kestrel and Arin. She is the general's daughter. He is a slave she ends up bidding way too much for at an auction. We learn so much about both of them. And I loved them both to pieces. Kestrel was so strong and brave yet so broken at times too. I loved how she fought for what she wanted. I loved her friendship with Jess and Ronan. I loved her relationship with her dad. I loved her love for music. Simply put, I loved this girl the very most. Which might be why this book hurt me so badly too.

And I also loved Arin the most. Though his lies at times hurt my heart even more. Ha. But I understood him so well, his want for freedom, being willing to do anything to get it again. He does not like Kestrel at first. But she starts to grow on him. And I so loved how they started getting close, despite how they kept hurting each other too. Oh. I also very much loved getting to know Arin. He had been a slave for ten long years, his family killed all those years ago. He was broken. But so strong and loving too. I adored him so.

There is so much that I liked about this book. I could never write it all down. And not sharing much about the plot either. This story was about Arin and Kestrel. About how they fall for each other despite how very different their lives are. How things change around them. I adored them so. The story was pretty epic too. I liked reading about all of it. I liked learning about the history of both people. I enjoyed learning about the war, though I wish it had never been. I liked the dresses and dances. I fully loved every part of this book.

Of course, what I love most about this book is the romance. Arin and Kestrel are so different. He a slave, she the one he paid for him. Until the slaves take over the city again. Until they take back their freedom. Then Arin is the one in charge and Kestrel is the one captive. This whole book was such a mess for their relationship. There was no way they could actually be together. Yet they want it, slowly. And it is so very painfully good to read about. Sigh. I shipped them so. I loved them so. And it hurt so very much. So rude.

If you still have not read The Winner's Curse you are missing out on the most beautiful and heartbreaking story. This book still means so much to me. It will never fail to break my heart. It will never fail to heal it as well. The romance hurt so badly but I ship them so much, because they are so perfect together. Sigh. It is a book everyone must read. Multiple times, like I have. It is a story that will never grow old. I'm so beyond excited to re-read the rest of the trilogy. And then read The Midnight Lie too. I can't wait. It will be perfect.

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