The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski Series: The Winner's Trilogy #1
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux (2015)
Hardcover (402 pages)
Rating:
Also by this author: The Winner's Curse, The Winner's Kiss
Also in this series: The Winner's Curse, The Winner's Kiss
Reading Challenges: Read 2015
Synopsis
Book two of the dazzling Winner’s Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.
The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.
As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.
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My Review
This book was an okay read until it got closer to the end. The end made it absolutely amazing. I need the next book immediately. It was amazing!
Kestrel is engaged to the emperor’s son and living in the imperial palace of Valoria. She is trying to come to terms with what happened in Herran. This includes her feelings about Arin.
Kestrel is being groomed by the emperor to become the next empress of Valoria. This requires her to prove she is a true Valorian and completely loyal to the emperor in everything. This is not an easy task.
For Arin’s part, he is now the governor of Herran which, for all intents and purposes, means nothing. The Herrani are still basically slaves and there is really nothing Arin can do. Arin is also unsure of Kestrel’s feelings for him. He never understood why she facilitated the treaty between Herran and Valoria. He also never understood why Kestrel is marrying the emperor’s son.
The Herrani minister of agriculture, Tensen, is attempting to acquire information on what the emperor intends to do with the Herrani. It is he who asks Kestrel for information. Kestrel needs to decide to either stay loyal to the emperor or to help the Herrani and put everything at risk.
The ending of the book is utterly amazing. I don’t want to give any spoilers, so go read the book! It is great.
Which Reading Challenges?
- You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
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