The Winner's Crime

 

The Winner’s Crime

French edition : Lumen

English edition : Young Readers

Number of pages : 535

Genre : Epic fantasy

Publication year : 2015 (2017 for France)

Author : Marie Rutkoski

Summary

    Kestrel has now discovered that Arin betrayed her. Despite this hard discovery, she decided to become the fiancé of the Emperor’s son in order to protect Arin’s people. However, because of this decision she has to be really careful and mislead the entire court, even Arin. Will she succeed in this mission ? It’s your turn to discover it !

Criticism

    Firstly, let’s talk about the story which improved a lot since the first volume. Indeed, we are in a new place with new characters. It helps us to see the big evolution of the main characters. In fact, Kestrel matured a lot, as Arin. This evolution breathes new life because the strategies (who were already really smart) are now extremely discerning. We’re always astonished by Kestrel and Arin new inventions. The story is gripping, something can always appear suddenly and change all what was planned in our mind for the rest of the story. Besides, all the new characters settle doubts in our minds, because we don’t know if we can trust them, they reveal their true colors through the advance of the story. That’s also a reason why we are always surprised by the development of the events. However, the big or may I say the enormous downside of the story is that at a moment of the book someone ( I won’t tell you who because otherwise it will spoil you) decided to kill thousands of horses. This was just horrible for me to read this !!!!! (I’m evidently joking , ahaha. I love horses, that’s why I must tell you about this).

    Concerning the characters, the new ones bring a lot of doubts in our minds. Indeed, we are really attentive to them because we don’t know if we can trust them. Moreover, we know that we are in a place where all the characters are hypocrite at least one time : the court. With our point of view we have the impression to be like one of the courtier, that’s why we are really wary towards them. Besides, the son of the Emperor, who is a new character adds a lot of tension to the story. On one hand because he seems to be sincerely nice to Kestrel so we don’t know how to judge him. On the other hand because he is promised to Kestrel but there is still Arin in our mind. On the other other hand (it’s impossible to have three hands, I know, but this character adds a LOT of tension), he doesn’t have an easy place because he is the son of the Emperor so we don’t know if he is loyal to his father and acts as a spy for him, if he is authentic with us, or even if he is authentic but kept under the surveillance of his father. The Emperor, him, is a character that we hate and love at the same time because he is horrible and acts in a tyrannical way but without him the story wouldn’t be thrilling. By the way, it’s his cruelty that makes Kestrel and Arin mature a lot. Thanks to it, they face real problems and realize that big issues are existing in the world and are more important than their own problems.

Final conclusion

Continue your reading because the third volume will surpass your attempts !!

So are you going to read it ?

Other information

To write her novel the author read a book of Hérodote in order to have a better representation of the world she wanted in her book.

The song

Ocean Eyes, Billie Eilish. I think it represents well the situation of Kestrel in front of Arin during this volume.

My note : 10/10

Characters : 2/2           My taste : 2/2

Story : 4/4                  Originality : 2/2