The Winner's Crime
After Kestrel brought the Valorian army down on the Herrani uprising, and thus on Arin, a highly secretive deal was struck. Kestrel was to marry the prince and become the future empress in exchange for Herran’s freedom. Arin could govern his people and pay taxes to the emperor, but Herran would belong to the Herrani. For this, Kestrel gave up her very slim chance of ever being with Arin to live a loveless marriage which ultimately would save his life. It's the biggest sacrifice she can make and the most important thing is that he never hears about it. Knowing him he would rather bring war to his own people then live peacefully knowing that it was one of Kestrel’s games that gave him Herran – and took her away.
Kestrel now lives in the royal palace in the capital. The wedding is closing in on her and every night is a party or an elegant dinner filled to the brim with high society ladies and gentlemen – including the representatives from Herran. Kestrel dreads seeing Arin again, but she’s also longing for it. Her days in the palace has been cold and lonely, not least because the prince seems to be as invested in the coming marriage as she is, which is not at all. Having Arin around will be both a dangerous temptation and a relief. The months before the wedding is going to be filled with games, strategies and a lot of tension.
I adore Marie Rutkoski’s novel, from the story itself to the writing. It’s beautiful and easy to read even though the novel can be a little stiff at times. It’s not really an action-packed book, not in the sense of sword fighting and heaps of blood. This game is played in the smallest movements, in a word here and there, in a gesture and sacrifices that has to be made. Maybe some people feels that this is a boring book where nothing happens, but the thing is, a lot happens. You just have to see it. Kestrel can’t fight her battle in a duel but does so with deception to protect not just the people she loves, but as many people as she can. I don’t think there’s anything boring with this novel, but you will need a little patient and to know going in that it’s not a fast-paced action story.
Kestrel has spent her whole childhood playing Bite and Sting and now finds herself on a life-sized board. On one side is Valoria, the emperor and her father. On the other Herran, Arin and the right thing to do. She’s already in over her head but knows that there are big secrets to uncover in the palace and turned into a spy Kestrel searches for the answers. She does her best to act poised but knows that the tiniest mistake will cost her more than just her life.
This is what I think is so great about Kestrel. She sees everything as a game to which she needs a strategy and she makes the best moves possible in any circumstance. She grew up with her father, the general of Valoria’s great army, and with the strong Valorian integrity to fight until you die. The entire country is built on its army, at twenty you have the choice of joining the fight or marry to produce more children, and the emperor wants as much land as he can get. For Kestrel to be surrounded by that and yet see how wrong the fighting is, to see how wrong Herrani slaves are treated, is unbelievable. She’s not brainwashed like many others but can see and think for herself and wants a world where everyone is treated equally. She fights for what she believe is right, even if it’s not what her father taught her when she was a child.
Kestrel is a great, complex character but Arin is another. He fights for his people, finally, after ten years, out of enslavement, but he can’t stop thinking about Kestrel. About her engagement and those moments they spent together just a few weeks before she showed up with an engagement mark on her brow. Was it all another of her games, or did he just imagine it? How much will it cost him to dwell on that when his people needs him? Arin is not unafraid but acts fearlessly. He does what he needs to do to save the Herrani from starving and then from being murdered by the Valorians. He still can’t figure Kestrel out and changes his mind on her time and time again, but sets it aside to focus on what needs his attention. He goes above and beyond (quite literally) to ensure the safety of his people. He is a strong leader and a great character.
Other characters that I like is the general, Kestrel’s father. He is merciless on the battlefield but shows love for Kestrel, if not always straightforward. The prince grew on me too but didn’t get enough page-time for me to properly feel that I knew him. The emperor is coldhearted and I don’t have a problem with that but I still didn’t really like him. He makes horrible decisions yet acts very sweetly which was a great character trait but made me uncomfortable when he was around. Kestrel’s friend, Jess, got less page-time in this novel which saddened me a bit since they were so close, but there’s a perfectly good explanation for that. I just hope they work it all out in the last installment.
All in all this was a great novel. The character development was good, I felt like they all moved forward nicely and both Kestrel and Arin grew a lot during the story. The writing is great and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. I really liked the map that was provided in the first pages; I went back to look at it many times while I read. This felt like a typical “second book”, where you’re transported from the beginning in the first installment to the thrilling end in the last. At times it felt like a transportation between book one and three, but it was important and like I mentioned before, this is a story you need to appreciate in the details. It ended right on the edge with a really great cliffhanger that makes me anxious to get my hands on the final installment, out next year. It can’t come soon enough. I’m very curious (and a bit afraid) of what will come next.