Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

Genre: Young Adult
Series: The Winner's Trilogy #2
Pages: 416
Copyright: 2015
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux Books
Buy: Amazon

Summary: from Good Reads
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.

Feelings: 
I really enjoyed the first in the series, The Winner's Curse, and I wondered if The Winner's Crime would be as good. The Winner's Crime has espionage, betrayal, and hidden love. It was well written, and I enjoyed the political parts of the book. Yes, I like politics, but prefer the fictional kind.

One thing this book was missing for me was romance. Kestrel denies her feelings because she is scared of what will happen if she doesn't. Arin is still head strong and a little frustrating in the way he jumps to conclusions and doesn't listen. However, I really enjoyed both the narration from Kestrel and Arin's point of view. My favorite new character in this book was Mine, the puppy Prince Verex gives Kestrel. I'm I allowed to pick a puppy as a character? Maybe not. I did find Prince Verex an intriguing character, even though I didn't want to like him at first.

Did I mention how horribly unlikeable the emperor is? He is great to dislike. I enjoy disliking him. He is also a well developed character, which makes disliking him even better.

I'll defiantly be picking up the last book in the series.