Saturday Pages: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski!!!

Next in line and last for this week's Saturday Pages is one of those books that simply leave you with a massive book hangover and that you just want to re-read again right after you're done, even if they're broken your heart! I have to say thank to my fellow bloggers Octavia from Read Sleep Repeat, Kristen from My Friends Are Fiction, Sam from Realm of Fiction and Alyssa from The Eater of Books for their reviews and comments, reassuring me that this book was awesome and to not fear the hype!


The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Winner's Curse was another one of those hype books that turned right for me, as These Broken Stars was. I had read so many fantastic reviews for this one from fellow book lovers and bloggers that I trust that I knew I was going to like it, but there's always that little voice in the back of your head going "what if I you expect so much of this book that it can't live to those kind of expectations".

Well, thankfully it did! I loved this book to pieces, even if it was a big rollercoaster of emotions and it broke my heart more than once! I loved the writing, the characters, the world and loved & hated the romance. I will try to keep my review as spoiler free as possible, but be warned that from now on I might or might not comment on things some of you rather not know about the book.

If I had to define the genre for The Winner's Curse I'd say is fantasy with historical fiction touches. As a history buff and lover of all things Ancient Greece and Rome, I felt that there were so many bits and pieces that reminded me of them, and those made me love the story and world building even more! Conquest, Empire, assimilation of conquered lands customs & gods, military progress, slaves... everything seemed familiar, but it is weaved in a way that creates its own world. i was very much fascinated with the world building, full of details but that never stumped the plot narrative.

As for the plot, it progresses in a way that gives us loads of world building and character growth and progression, without never really losing sight of the main plot point. At first you might not suspect what's going on, but early on you can see hints and begin to wonder how there was no more suspicion when events started piling up, but it can be atributed to the winner's mentality, thinking that you've broken the conquered thoroughly.

Krestel is a fantastic character, and has become one of my favourite heroines. She lives a life of privilegue but still is a nonconformist. She keeps trying to be true to herself and tries very hard to find a way to be herself without disappointing her only family, her father. But when your father is a Valorian general and national hero, there are very many expectations on you, and those don't sit well with Krestel. She doesn't want a military career, she loves her music and she wants to be able to choose her own destiny. She's got a sharp mind, very strategic and she also has a big sense of loyalty for family and friends. Seeing her being challenged by Arin on some of her convictions and abilities and grow stronger for it was great.

Arin, oh dear. Arin is a complex character. A slave that has never forgotten who he was before the war and that has not sat and accepted his fate, not without fighting. He has a mission but he doesn't expect getting some of his preconceptions shaken up, and he really doesn't foresee respecting and caring for a Valorian. His choices become even tougher then, but he was a fantastic character through and through.

The romance, ah the romance! For a self-declared not-a-big-fan-of-romance this one totally captured my heart! I will not say much about it except that it's fantastic, subtle, intense and very much heartbreaking!

This was one fantastic book, has become one of my absolute favourites of the year and I'm dying to get my hands on the sequel! Very much deserved 5 stars!!



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