The winner's curse is phenomenon in auctions where the bidder overpays, never able to recoup their losses for the item. In this book, a girl named Kestrel is cursed when she pays a huge sum for a defiant slave based on their combined love of music. In doing this, a girl respected for her knowledge of secrets and strategy falls prey to powers of the human heart. In Kestrel's world, women must join the military or get married by age 20; no other option is allowed. Certainly, the general's daughter cannot fall in love with a slave, but she cannot stop herself, even when the slave fights destroy everything she holds dear. I loved Kestrel's contradictory nature. She relished her knowledge and skill at creating unbeatable war strategies, but she refused to kill. She hated slavery but owned slaves. Kestrel knew everything about secrets and strategy, but she was naive about falling in love. Equally, I appreciated the slave Arin's struggle as he came to love the girl whose father enslaved his people. I was transfixed as I sped through the tale trying to find out not only if Arin's people could be freed but if both Kestrel and Arin would fight for their heart's desire. When I finished The Winner's Curse, I was so angry at the ending. I read and reread the ending searching for more. Certainly an author so adept at making me fall in love with her protagonists would not be so cruel as to end the story as it was. Thankfully, Goodreads told me this book is the first in a trilogy, and I breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time in a long time, I am so happy to learn that this book is the first book in a trilogy. Lately, I am exhausted by the unending supply of series books; sometimes it feels like there is no originality. However, this book is no winner's curse; readers who take a risk on this original tale will come out ahead. I highly recommend it.
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
The winner's curse is phenomenon in auctions where the bidder overpays, never able to recoup their losses for the item. In this book, a girl named Kestrel is cursed when she pays a huge sum for a defiant slave based on their combined love of music. In doing this, a girl respected for her knowledge of secrets and strategy falls prey to powers of the human heart. In Kestrel's world, women must join the military or get married by age 20; no other option is allowed. Certainly, the general's daughter cannot fall in love with a slave, but she cannot stop herself, even when the slave fights destroy everything she holds dear. I loved Kestrel's contradictory nature. She relished her knowledge and skill at creating unbeatable war strategies, but she refused to kill. She hated slavery but owned slaves. Kestrel knew everything about secrets and strategy, but she was naive about falling in love. Equally, I appreciated the slave Arin's struggle as he came to love the girl whose father enslaved his people. I was transfixed as I sped through the tale trying to find out not only if Arin's people could be freed but if both Kestrel and Arin would fight for their heart's desire. When I finished The Winner's Curse, I was so angry at the ending. I read and reread the ending searching for more. Certainly an author so adept at making me fall in love with her protagonists would not be so cruel as to end the story as it was. Thankfully, Goodreads told me this book is the first in a trilogy, and I breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time in a long time, I am so happy to learn that this book is the first book in a trilogy. Lately, I am exhausted by the unending supply of series books; sometimes it feels like there is no originality. However, this book is no winner's curse; readers who take a risk on this original tale will come out ahead. I highly recommend it.
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AuthorMs. Smith has been the librarian at Washington HS in Sioux Falls, SD, since 2005. She enjoys reading, watching K-Dramas, Harry Potter and hanging out with her family. Archives
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