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wisteriamoon's review against another edition
4.0
This was pretty good! The writing was lyrical and the characters were compelling, but I don't think I felt very emotionally attached to the characters for some reason. I liked them, but I felt like the connection was missing. Still, I'd like to continue this series. If you liked An Ember in the Ashes, you may like this book.
bookeaterrrr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Was okay
tofubxnnies's review against another edition
4.0
This was actually so amazing!! I had heard (read, actually) a lot of mixed reviews, and I was pretty scared to actually try and read it but im so glad i ended up doing it! Kestrel and Arin are such complex layered characters and such good strategists and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!! At this point I've already adopted them as my children. Pacing was really good, not slow although the first..4? Chapters had a lot more worldbuilding and introductions but no horrible info dumping at all! The writing itself was wonderful and totally easy to digest, even in audiobook, which is something I always struggle with. I just absolutely loved it. Definitely picking up the next book soon!
->4☆
->4☆
ceena's review against another edition
4.0
Such a great book. There is romance and fighting, scheming and parties-- I couldn't get enough.
One thing I did enjoy was that Kestrel is a strong female lead, even though she is not a good fighter. Being a kickass fighter is not the only thing to make someone strong and Kestrel's talent, is strategy. Which is awesome. It means she intelligent. Although, there are times she is naive of certain things about Arin...
I loved the characterization of everyone but, some sequences of events seems abrupt or just thrown out there. Namely
Seriously loved this book but, I thought there was a little something missing which keeps it from the 5. I thought the story flow was a bit off. slow, good, then a sprint. I also wanted more information all the time but, that's just me trying to get pulled in more. And something else can't I can't name.. only a feel.
Highly recommend it.
I plan on reading the rest of the series ASAP!!
One thing I did enjoy was that Kestrel is a strong female lead, even though she is not a good fighter. Being a kickass fighter is not the only thing to make someone strong and Kestrel's talent, is strategy. Which is awesome. It means she intelligent. Although, there are times she is naive of certain things about Arin...
I loved the characterization of everyone but, some sequences of events seems abrupt or just thrown out there. Namely
Spoiler
Cheat liking her out of the blue so he was killed, then the Emperor's decision to make her his son's wife... seemed a little weak but, I get it.Seriously loved this book but, I thought there was a little something missing which keeps it from the 5. I thought the story flow was a bit off. slow, good, then a sprint. I also wanted more information all the time but, that's just me trying to get pulled in more. And something else can't I can't name.. only a feel.
Highly recommend it.
I plan on reading the rest of the series ASAP!!
itsnour's review against another edition
4.0
i can't stress enough about how beautiful this book was.
toffiladyreader's review against another edition
5.0
Okey, I decided to first post all my reaction through images and gifs because I don't think I can describe it in words.
Bueno, decidí poner primero mis reacciones a través de imágenes y gifs porque no creo ser capaz de describirlas en palabras.
When I saw the book at the Filba/Cuando vi el libro en la Filba:
Everytime I passed in front of my library and I wasn't able to pick it up/Cuando pasaba enfrente de mi biblioteca y no lo podía leer:
When I grabbed it just to read a few chapters and ended up reading 100 pages in a day/Cuando lo agarré sólo para leer unos pocos capítulos y terminé leyendo 100 hojas en un día:
When I got to 200 pages/ Cuando pasé de las 200 hojas:
When the whole situation inverted/Cuando se invirtió toda la situación:
When I read all the scenes where Kestrel and Arin were together/Cuando leí todas las escenas en las que Kestrel y Arin estaban juntos:
When I had 40 pages left/Cuando me faltaban 40 hojas para terminar:
When it was over/Cuando terminó:
Are my feelings clear now? Now here comes my review:
We encounter Kestrel, the daughter of a famous Valorian general and the conqueror of the peninsula of Herran, where she is living now. The book present us with a society full of slaves and rules about how men and women must act to provide safety to the empire, and of course there had to be fashion, rumours and duels.
In this context, Kestrel finds herself in a slave market and she is cautivated by the boy standing there: Arin. She ended up buying him for an excesive amount of money and, because of that action, both their lifes changed entirely.
He has a secret, a deep one that could destroy Kestrel's society, but the more time they started to spend together (that stupid rule that women could not walk alone if they were not with company made me remember about that same rule in the Muslim society) she realized he was someone else. Someone important and handsome. Their relationship developed slowly and that's what I liked about this book: that even when the situation changed (see gif above) they still had the same connection that made them get even closer.
Now, there is something about this book that I enjoyed so much: the background story, the develompent of the characters, that Kestrel is smart, funny and curious at the same time and that her friends are what they were excepted from the society. But there was something that made me twist my mouth: Arin's POV about his secret. At first I wasn't convinced it was good for the story but then it eventually made sense to have his POV (something I was expecting when there was much of Kestrel's POV).
The scenes between them were so nice and not forced at all. I loved that Marie Rutkowski was able to unite such diferent characters, a Valorian and a Herranian, and create such and atmosfere around them that made me smile all the time.
And then in the last 40 pages everything went down.
I truly hope the situation improves in the next book, which I don't know when I will be able to buy it because of the stupid country I live in, because if it doesn't I swear I will throw the book against a wall. I didn't do it with this one because of the cover, that porn-beautiful cover.
I would like to end with a final thought: the fault is all of the cover. It's impossible not to look at it and fall in love inmediatly. When I was at the Filba I ran as soon as I found to grab my copy. I almost made it my personal pillow because I couldn't stop staring at it. #sorrynotsorry
Se entendieron mis sentimientos? Ahora aquí viene mi reseña.
Nos encontramos con Kestrel, la hija de un famoso general valoriano y el vencedor de la conquista a la península de Herrán, donde ella vive ahora. El libro presenta una sociedad llena de esclavos y reglas sobre cómo los hombres y las mujeres deben actuar para proporcionar seguridad al imperio, y por supuesto que tenía que haber moda, rumores y duelos en esa sociedad.
En este contexto, Kestrel se encuentra en un mercado de esclavos y ella se ve cautivada por el chico de pie allí: Arin. Ella lo compró por una cantidad excesiva de dinero y, debido a esa acción, sus vidas cambiaron por completo.
Él tiene un secreto, uno profundo que podría destruir la sociedad de Kestrel, pero cuanto más tiempo empezaron a pasar juntos (la regla estúpida de que la mujer no podía caminar por sí sola si no estaba acompañada me hizo recordar a esa misma norma en la sociedad musulmana) se dio cuenta de que era otra persona. Alguien importante y hermoso. Su relación se desarrolló lentamente y eso es lo que me gustó de este libro: que aun cuando la situación ha cambiado (véase más arriba el gif) todavía tenían la misma conexión que les hizo acercarse aún más.
Ahora, hay algo en este libro que me gustó mucho: la historia de fondo, el crecimiento de los personajes, que Kestrel es inteligente, divertida y curiosa al mismo tiempo y que sus amigos son lo que se espera de la sociedad. Pero había algo que me hizo torcer la boca: el punto de vista de Arin sobre su secreto. Al principio no estaba convencida de que fuera bueno para la historia, pero entonces finalmente tuvo sentido de tener su POV (algo que estaba esperando cuando había demasiado del POV de Kestrel).
Las escenas entre ellos eran tan agradables y no forzadas en absoluto. Me encantó que Marie Rutkowski fuera capaz de unir estos personajes diferentes, una valoriana y un herraní, y crear tal atmósfera alrededor de ellos que me hiciera sonreír todo el tiempo.
Y luego, en los últimos 40 páginas todo se fue a la mierda.
Realmente espero que la situación mejore en el próximo libro, que no sé cuando podré comprarlo debido al estúpida país en el que vivo, porque si no juro que voy a tirar el libro contra una pared. Yo no lo hice con éste debido a la cubierta, pornografía pura y hermosa de cubiertas.
Me gustaría terminar con una reflexión final: la culpa es toda de la cubierta. Es imposible no mirarla y enamorarse de inmediato. Cuando estaba en la Filba corrí tan pronto como la vi para agarrar mi copia. Casi la hice mi almohada personal porque no podía dejar de mirarla. #sorrynotsorry
Bueno, decidí poner primero mis reacciones a través de imágenes y gifs porque no creo ser capaz de describirlas en palabras.
When I saw the book at the Filba/Cuando vi el libro en la Filba:
Everytime I passed in front of my library and I wasn't able to pick it up/Cuando pasaba enfrente de mi biblioteca y no lo podía leer:
When I grabbed it just to read a few chapters and ended up reading 100 pages in a day/Cuando lo agarré sólo para leer unos pocos capítulos y terminé leyendo 100 hojas en un día:
When I got to 200 pages/ Cuando pasé de las 200 hojas:
When the whole situation inverted/Cuando se invirtió toda la situación:
When I read all the scenes where Kestrel and Arin were together/Cuando leí todas las escenas en las que Kestrel y Arin estaban juntos:
When I had 40 pages left/Cuando me faltaban 40 hojas para terminar:
When it was over/Cuando terminó:
Are my feelings clear now? Now here comes my review:
We encounter Kestrel, the daughter of a famous Valorian general and the conqueror of the peninsula of Herran, where she is living now. The book present us with a society full of slaves and rules about how men and women must act to provide safety to the empire, and of course there had to be fashion, rumours and duels.
In this context, Kestrel finds herself in a slave market and she is cautivated by the boy standing there: Arin. She ended up buying him for an excesive amount of money and, because of that action, both their lifes changed entirely.
He has a secret, a deep one that could destroy Kestrel's society, but the more time they started to spend together (that stupid rule that women could not walk alone if they were not with company made me remember about that same rule in the Muslim society) she realized he was someone else. Someone important and handsome. Their relationship developed slowly and that's what I liked about this book: that even when the situation changed (see gif above) they still had the same connection that made them get even closer.
Now, there is something about this book that I enjoyed so much: the background story, the develompent of the characters, that Kestrel is smart, funny and curious at the same time and that her friends are what they were excepted from the society. But there was something that made me twist my mouth: Arin's POV about his secret. At first I wasn't convinced it was good for the story but then it eventually made sense to have his POV (something I was expecting when there was much of Kestrel's POV).
The scenes between them were so nice and not forced at all. I loved that Marie Rutkowski was able to unite such diferent characters, a Valorian and a Herranian, and create such and atmosfere around them that made me smile all the time.
And then in the last 40 pages everything went down.
Spoiler
Why on Earth did he let her escape like that? Why didn't he try to convince her? And why, on all the gods of Herran, did she had to make that stupid choise and not cry when Arin said the last sentence of the book?? I had to read the last page like five times just to make sure I was not reading it wrong!!!I truly hope the situation improves in the next book, which I don't know when I will be able to buy it because of the stupid country I live in, because if it doesn't I swear I will throw the book against a wall. I didn't do it with this one because of the cover, that porn-beautiful cover.
I would like to end with a final thought: the fault is all of the cover. It's impossible not to look at it and fall in love inmediatly. When I was at the Filba I ran as soon as I found to grab my copy. I almost made it my personal pillow because I couldn't stop staring at it. #sorrynotsorry
Se entendieron mis sentimientos? Ahora aquí viene mi reseña.
Nos encontramos con Kestrel, la hija de un famoso general valoriano y el vencedor de la conquista a la península de Herrán, donde ella vive ahora. El libro presenta una sociedad llena de esclavos y reglas sobre cómo los hombres y las mujeres deben actuar para proporcionar seguridad al imperio, y por supuesto que tenía que haber moda, rumores y duelos en esa sociedad.
En este contexto, Kestrel se encuentra en un mercado de esclavos y ella se ve cautivada por el chico de pie allí: Arin. Ella lo compró por una cantidad excesiva de dinero y, debido a esa acción, sus vidas cambiaron por completo.
Él tiene un secreto, uno profundo que podría destruir la sociedad de Kestrel, pero cuanto más tiempo empezaron a pasar juntos (la regla estúpida de que la mujer no podía caminar por sí sola si no estaba acompañada me hizo recordar a esa misma norma en la sociedad musulmana) se dio cuenta de que era otra persona. Alguien importante y hermoso. Su relación se desarrolló lentamente y eso es lo que me gustó de este libro: que aun cuando la situación ha cambiado (véase más arriba el gif) todavía tenían la misma conexión que les hizo acercarse aún más.
Ahora, hay algo en este libro que me gustó mucho: la historia de fondo, el crecimiento de los personajes, que Kestrel es inteligente, divertida y curiosa al mismo tiempo y que sus amigos son lo que se espera de la sociedad. Pero había algo que me hizo torcer la boca: el punto de vista de Arin sobre su secreto. Al principio no estaba convencida de que fuera bueno para la historia, pero entonces finalmente tuvo sentido de tener su POV (algo que estaba esperando cuando había demasiado del POV de Kestrel).
Las escenas entre ellos eran tan agradables y no forzadas en absoluto. Me encantó que Marie Rutkowski fuera capaz de unir estos personajes diferentes, una valoriana y un herraní, y crear tal atmósfera alrededor de ellos que me hiciera sonreír todo el tiempo.
Y luego, en los últimos 40 páginas todo se fue a la mierda.
Spoiler
¿Por qué demonios él la dejó escapar de esa manera? ¿Por qué no trató de convencerla? ¿¿Y por qué, por todos los dioses de Herrán, hizo esa elección estúpida y no lloró cuando Arin dijo la última frase del libro?? ¡¡¡Tuve que leer la última página como cinco veces para asegurarme de que no estaba leyendo mal!!!Realmente espero que la situación mejore en el próximo libro, que no sé cuando podré comprarlo debido al estúpida país en el que vivo, porque si no juro que voy a tirar el libro contra una pared. Yo no lo hice con éste debido a la cubierta, pornografía pura y hermosa de cubiertas.
Me gustaría terminar con una reflexión final: la culpa es toda de la cubierta. Es imposible no mirarla y enamorarse de inmediato. Cuando estaba en la Filba corrí tan pronto como la vi para agarrar mi copia. Casi la hice mi almohada personal porque no podía dejar de mirarla. #sorrynotsorry
booksforourminds's review against another edition
5.0
Este libro sin duda pasa a ser uno de mis libros favoritos de todos los tiempos. Reseña aquí: http://books-for-our-minds.blogspot.com.es/2015/12/resena-la-maldicion-del-ganador.html
bookperson123's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
simmyt's review against another edition
4.0
uzun zamandır bu kadar zekice ve özenli bir şekilde yazılmış kitap okumamıştım 2.si hemen çevrilmeli yoksa dayanamayıp ingilizcesine başlıycam ki o zaman şimdikini okurken aldığım gibi zevk alacağımı zannetmiyorum ahhh duyun sesimi çevirmenlerrr