Editorial Content for The Winner's Crime

Have you ever read a novel that took your breath away? That is what THE WINNER’S CRIME by Marie Rutkoski and its predecessor, THE WINNER’S CURSE, does to readers. Rutkoski’s writing is so stunning that every sentence is a gift, allowing fans to hang onto them and pause as they take in the deeper meaning of each word. The story is so carefully crafted and impressive that I was honestly amazed and left wondering, “Where have these books been all my life?”

For those unfamiliar with the series, The Winner’s Trilogy is the story of Kestrel --- the daughter to the Valorian General, living in the conquered peninsula of Herran. Kestrel has a gift for music, a talent of the slaves, and it’s this gift that tempts her to purchase a slave at auction.

 --- and Arin, a Herrani Slave. Arin, is a Herrani boy, turned slave when the Valorians stole the land and a son of a rebellion..  Little does Kestrel know that Arin has been carefully placed for her to buy, so that the rebellion can begin to grow in the General’s house and throughout Herran. What follows is a moralistic inquiry into what a life is worth and what one is willing to do to measure up to that worth. The follow-up novel is just as ethically elaborate, with twists and turns greeting reviewers with every new page. After the events of Book One, Kestrel’s penchant for making impulsive decisions continues and often to her detriment. She makes a deal with the Valorian King to free the slaves and make Herran a territory of Valoria and not a conquered state in exchange for her freedom. She must agree to marry the Prince and live under the watchful eye of the King, away from Herran and from Arin, the boy who inspired all these impulsive decisions. But being under the eye of the King does not stop her. She continues to weigh against reason and play each choice like she would an elaborate game of strategy. In addition as her role as future Princess, she agrees to become a spy for the Herrani under the condition that Arin never find out.

The story is so carefully crafted and impressive that I was honestly amazed and left wondering, “Where have these books been all my life?”

What I love about THE WINNER’S CRIME, just as I loved it in THE WINNER’S CURSE, is the sense of urgency about the whole thing, We understand that the weight of the world is on Arin’s shoulders. We understand how much Kestrel’s life is unraveling. Even if it is a fantasy land that we can’t begin to understand, we readers are along for the ride and just as tense as the characters themselves. Marie Rutkoski is that good.

Kestrel is a fantastic character and narrator to follow. I was never exactly sure what she would do and this was so great to witness because it was obvious she wasn’t sure what she would do either. I loved seeing Arin in his new role as Governor of the free land. He too seemed unsure of his decisions. In two books, we are able to get so much of their history, shared and separate, that it is as if I’ve read a whole biography on the two of them before reading their stories. Kestrel is flawed and yet strong. She has room to grow but is steady in her convictions, even if they lead her to almost ruin. Arin is the same. His quick temper and desire to outgrow his childhood demons, allow him to be as reckless in his decisions as Kestrel. However, as much as the two are fighting for the same side, neither of them knows the depth of their feelings. If only Kestrel told Arin she was the spy! If only Kestrel had told Arin about her uneasy alliance with the King over Herran and that every decision she made, rash or otherwise, was for him. But there would have been no series if it were that simple, right?

I have no complaints except that I wish these two broken characters could spend more time together. I would read 80,000 plus words of them just playing a game of Bite and Sting, the ingenious strategy game Rutkoski invented for the books. I love learning more about these characters and their worlds and I love seeming them fall apart, if only so I can see them come together again.

I feel like with every review I’ve turned into a broken record, urging people to read every book with more and more conviction. But if you haven’t started this series, you’re missing out. It is, without a doubt, among the best fantasy and fiction out there. I have never felt as sucked in and blown away by a story as this. It’s so beautifully told too. Marie Rutkoski deserves all the awards. Trust me, once you read CURSE and CRIME you’ll be wondering why you didn’t get your hands on them sooner.