The Winner's Curse

Starred review from January 6, 2014
Fans of Rutkoski’s Kronos Chronicles will devour this spellbinding first book in a trilogy about a pair of star-crossed lovers in a society marred by class warfare. When 17-year-old Kestrel, daughter of an esteemed Valorian general, pays too steep a price for a Herrani slave at auction, the audacious maneuver reveals more than just a lapse in judgment. What Kestrel doesn’t know is that Arin is really a spy for Herrani rebels plotting to overthrow the Valorian empire. On equally deceptive footing, Arin manipulates Kestrel’s trust to mine her for military secrets while Kestrel uses Arin to deflect attention from unwanted suitors. As their relationship unwittingly evolves from master and servant into one of guarded mutual respect (and blush-worthy sexual tension), the two are torn between loyalty to their peoples and traditions and a love that can never be realized. Like any epic page-turner worth its salt, Rutkoski’s richly imagined world is full of dynamic repartee, gruesome battle scenes, and shifting alliances. A high-stakes cliffhanger will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next book. Ages 12–up. Agent: Charlotte Sheedy, Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency.

January 1, 2014
Rich characterization, exquisite worldbuilding and rock-solid storytelling make this a fantasy of unusual intelligence and depth. Brilliant and wealthy Lady Kestrel seems destined for either an illustrious military career or a magnificent marriage, but all she cares about is her music--a passion her Valorian culture disdains, almost as much as they despise the Herrani they have enslaved. After Kestrel pays an outrageous sum for the slave Arin, society has even more to gossip about, particularly when Kestrel betrays her growing attachment to him. But Arin harbors his own deadly secrets, and the price might cost Kestrel everything she holds dear. Precise details and elegant prose make this world fresh and vivid. The intricate and suspenseful plot, filled with politics, intrigue and even graphic violence, features neither heroes nor villains; every character displays a complex mixture of talents, flaws and motives. Kestrel is an especially compelling protagonist, both determined and hesitant, honest and manipulative, ferociously observant and painfully naive. Her bond with Arin develops slowly and naturally from congruent personalities. As much as it informs their choices, neither can (nor wishes to) elevate an impossible romance over loyalty to friends, family or nation. This integrity keeps them apart right through the heartbreaking (yet necessary) conclusion--but also kindles a tiny spark of hope for the next volume in the trilogy. Breathtaking, tragic and true. (Fantasy. 12-18)

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February 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-As a member of the ruling Valorian class and the daughter of General Trajan, 17-year-old Kestrel must either marry or enlist in the army before she turns 20. She does not want to do either. A talented musician and gambler, the headstrong teen would rather play the piano or a game of Bite and Sting than fight. When she impulsively purchases a 19-year-old Herrani slave called Smith at an auction, she makes a decision that pierces her hermetic, privileged world. The more their paths cross, the more their relationship evolves and changes into something undefined and new. Unbeknownst to Kestrel, however, the mysterious and talented Smith, whose real name is Arin, is part of an uprising that is plotting to free the Herrani by destroying their enslavers. Winner's Curse is a riveting novel about social stratification, mistrust, and honor-but even more, it's a book that challenges readers to think about morality and the way deep emotion and a lust for revenge can make the separation between right and wrong as hazy as shifting clouds. Where should Kestrel's loyalty lie: with her people or the exploited Herrani? Do years of mistreatment justify annihilating an entire people? In this well-paced novel, there is violence, action-packed battle scenes, and descriptions of gruesome deaths. There is also hope that love will be the real winner and faith that it can be greater than the curse of war.-Chelsey Philpot, School Library Journal

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2014
Grades 8-11 As 17-year-old Kestrel comes to know Arin, the Herrani slave she purchased on a whim, she puts both herself and him at risk. Arin, 19, also finds himself falling for this daughter of the Valorian general who conquered his homeland. A Herrani uprising briefly reverses their roles of owner and slave until the Valorian empire prevails, and a last-minute compromise by Kestrel may save Arin's lifebut it will make it impossible for them to be together. A refreshing change from supernatural and problem novels, this fantasy is pure romance (not sex) elevated above genre stereotypes by a talented author who understands pacing and satisfaction. Full-bodied characters explore issues of loyalty, class, and values (for example, arts versus military strengths), without sacrificing any of the relationship-related tension that is a hallmark of this kind of story. A tasty twist of an ending virtually locks readers in for subsequent entries in the series. Fans may want to revisit this one while they wait for future books; maybe get more than one copy?(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

May 26, 2014
The first book in a planned trilogy sets an age-old story of star-crossed lovers in a richly imagined new world marred by class warfare. Seventeen-year-old Kestrel doesn’t want to marry, nor does she want to join the military, but as a general’s daughter, she has few other choices. But when she purchases Arin, a slave, on an inexplicable whim, she begins to find her cause in him. Unfortunately, Arin has plans of his own. Eyre narrates this tale with a melodic and smooth voice that can be hypnotizing. As the point of view switches back and forth between the two protagonists, she captures Kestrel’s emotions and tangled thoughts. She also does well by Arin, communicating clear restraint and turmoil in him. Erye’s attention to detail helps flesh out intricacies of this unfamiliar society through tone and deliberation. Ages 12–up. An FSG hardcover.

July 1, 2014
Kestrel is inexplicably moved to pay an exorbitant price for Arin, a handsome, musically gifted Herrani slave. The tables are turned when the Herrani take over the city. Kestrel uses her skills as a gambler and military strategist to negotiate a peaceful resolution. The tale reads as a confection, with forbidden love, fancy gowns, and warrior stoicism to delight teenage readers.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

March 1, 2014
Kestrel, daughter of an imperial general, is inexplicably moved to pay an exorbitant price for Arin, a handsome, musically gifted slave who is up for auction. Arin is Herrani, a people conquered and enslaved by the Valorian emperor; Kestrel soon realizes that he's cultured as well as brawny and beautiful -- and also a plotter of a Herrani uprising. The tables are turned when the Herrani take over the city, and Kestrel herself becomes Arin's prisoner and slave. She uses her skills as a gambler and military strategist to free herself and negotiate a peaceful resolution to the Herrani-Valorian conflict. Rutkoski's invented world and political situation are loosely inspired by Greco-Roman antiquity. The story's mechanics pivot on military strategies and a romantic relationship that is predictable and somewhat improbable. The tale reads as a confection, with forbidden love, fancy gowns, putative musical giftedness (vague in its expression), and warrior stoicism to delight teenage readers. Characterization and prose style are serviceable rather than profound, but the plot takes some satisfying twists and turns. deirdre f. baker

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)