Review : The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2)

Author: Marie Rutkoski

Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

Release date: March 3rd 2015

Goodreads summary: 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.

REVIEW

I'm kind of sad, because I didn't like this as much as the first one. I might be biased because I read it on a train and it was pretty uncomfortable so troubled my reading, but I don't think it was the only reason.

I really enjoyed the world in this one. We don't see much of Herran, because the plot was mainly set in Valoria's capital and in the east at some point. I really liked to see this world expanding a little, because I now have a better idea of it. I particularly liked the east setting and can't wait for Darna to play a bigger part in the next book (I hope).

This book was slow paced compared to the first book and I didn't really like it. Being in the palace and playing politics for a part of the book was good, but I truly wanted more action (it's rare that I say that). Now, don't get me wrong, I liked the plot and seeing everyone spying on everyone, but it felt more like a transition to the next book. Ugh, second book syndrome, I saw your spectrum.

I really liked Kestrel's character development, how she struggled with herself to try to do the right thing. I really liked that she seemed to be made to be empress, but the way she cared for people was her weakness. I enjoyed how she grew accustomated to Verex, in the end he was more like a friend.

I'm really intrigued about Risha now that we know a little of her backstory, I think we'll see her more (how, I don't know) and she'll be an important character.

At the end, I was so frustrated with Arin, because he never listens. He always says what he want without thinking about the consequences, then misunderstands what others say, then regrets. PLEASE JUST THINK FOR TWO SECONDS, WE ALL KNOW YOU'RE CLEVER. Hopefully, I'll only have to stand him in the Winner's Kiss and then it's over, I'm glad.

The romance wasn't a big part in the book, of which I'm glad, because Arin and Kestrel had trust issues with each other. Still, I really like them together, I can definitely feels something.

The ending redeemed this book, because I got a little bored at some point. It felt like everything was exploding. It ended on such a cliff-hanger that I want the third book now.

The plot was a little too slow for me and I was feeling that the story wasn't moving on, but the pace picked at the end and it was fantastic. I'm excited for the next one, because this one seemed to be a transition to something epic.

Rating: 3.5/5

What did you think about this book? Are you excited for the sequel? If you haven't started this series, are you interested in it?