Reviews

Kazananın Öpücüğü by Marie Rutkoski

nourakins's review against another edition

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5.0

THIS BOOK. It's rare that the final book of a series is my favorite, but that's definitely the case this time around. I loved every second, and Rutkoski's descriptions were so intense and exquisite I would often stop and read a passage over again. READ THIS SERIES IF YOU HAVEN'T YET!

cafe_con_cass's review against another edition

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5.0

"You don't need to be gifted with a blade. You are your own best weapon."

This book was absolutely perfect. It killed me, but not because of the author's uncanny ability to kill characters or because it killed me of its stupidity. It killed me with it's sheer fantastic ways.

Usually, all books have a short coming. If this book had one, I couldn't find it. [b:The Winner's Curse|16069030|The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy, #1)|Marie Rutkoski|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1377023523s/16069030.jpg|21861552] was good, and the sequel, [b:The Winner's Crime|20443207|The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy, #2)|Marie Rutkoski|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1411741455s/20443207.jpg|31174003], was even better. But this book surpassed both of them.

Let's start with one of easier to discuss elements of this book: the plot. Usually this is the struggling aspect for me when it comes to fantasy. I'm not invested in the plot, or I've seen it a million times (such as young, ambitious youth strive to save their world from an evil government). This book's plot was inconceivable. The depiction of war was so realistic that I shivered during the gorier scenes. The melodious prose made the scenery and action even better.

An extreme strong point of this book is it's world building. Marie Rutkoski has created a fantastical world, with intricate governments and interesting countries all differing in religions, ethnicities, and mannerisms. I've read so many YA fantasy or dystopic worlds I can't count, and this one is most certainly one of the most memorable.

The best element of this novel, however, is the characters. Both Arin and Kestrel went through an almost metamorphosis during this novel, and not only did it make their relationship stronger, but it enhanced them dramatically as individuals as well. They also seemed to mature along with the novels; while this book is YA, only the first two really read like it. This one reads closer to adult fiction due to the characters growing up and the author not robbing them of it. While I adore Kestrel and Arin, I cannot lie: Roshar is one of the most enjoyable characters I've read in a long time. I loved his sarcastic quips and occasional (and usually masked in even more sarcasm) deep and loving statements. I also loved getting to see Verex again. For the son of a psychopath, he has this enchanting ability to be a precious cinnamon roll. :)

Another refreshing aspect of this book was the focus on the friendship between Roshar and Arin. Most YA series have the hilarious best friend, but few make them as complex as Roshar, or really set up how important their friendship is to the lead character. Marie Rutkoski didn't forget about that and managed to set up a friendship comparable to that of Will and Jem from The Infernal Devices or Harry, Ron, and Hermione from Harry Potter.

This is honestly a perfect finale. I have no complaints or feelings of dissatisfaction. Anyone who loves fantasy, YA, romance, or a well built world with even better characters, should pick up this series. You will be amazed. :)

lowya's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

wintersorbit's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

lexicobb's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

doctorclara's review against another edition

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5.0

Che finale bellissimo!
vedere arin e kestrel insieme e felici dopo tutto quello che hanno passato è una gioia grandissima. Mi mancheranno da morire.

ahtoosa's review against another edition

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4.0

Good ending to the series! This was light and easy to read. I really enjoyed this trilogy.

a_neverending_tbr's review against another edition

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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

5.0

“You don’t need to be gifted with a blade. You are your own best weapon.” 

Fantastic conclusion!  I still love Kestral’s mind and how she thinks through what are really puzzles. The quote above was from Risha to Kestral and I think it sums up this series nicely. Weakest in physical strength but strong in strategy. While so much went wrong, all her efforts were not in vain. Roshar is one of my new favorite side characters. His brazen comments and snark frequently made me laugh. Arin’s patience, restraint and love were so romantic and then so satisfying when, finally, all is resolved.

Romantic Content: Fade to Black

feministfaereads87's review against another edition

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5.0

this book was so clever and witty and sexy and passionate and romantic yet heart breaking but beautiful and fast paced and amazing and driven.
the characters were flawed, but so so so lovable and admirable and I loved them so much.
the plot and the dialogue were fabulous and I laughed out loud multiple times because of Roshar. I could never guess where he plot was going or what game Kestrel had in mind, but I enjoyed it. I never wanted the story to end, although I loved the ending with Arin and Kestrel finally singing and playing piano together. Such a beautiful scene and image to leave the reader with.
Roshar' character development began towards the end of the winner's crime. he and Arin were already friends, but seeing the teasing nature and compassion between them that developed during this book made me so happy. it make me laugh, and I reared up when he had to leave. considering that he is gay, when I first read that I thought maybe he fell in love with Arin (how could you not?) but after that point it became obvious they were friends. Not only did we see that friendship, but the one that developed between Kestrel and Roshar, while not as funny or brotp-y, it was just as fun and exciting to read.
Arin's character I felt kept the roots of his character from the early books, but he did change. He fully accepted that he was blessed by the god of death, and embraced it. which I loved. His compassion and willingness to trust could be a weakness, but like Kestroe and Roshar said, then it wouldn't be him. Seeing how he wanted to protect Kestrel and keep her in safety, worried me at times, BUT he did let her go. he let her because he knew he'd loose her if he didn't let her go. and Kestrel made a great point that she worried about him constantly and he could worry about her too. Arin still possessed a sort of confidence, but his vulnerable side was much more exposed, especially when it came to Kestrel. I loved that. I loved how he opened himself up to her, especially when she didn't exactly remember everything.
Kestrel's character changed the most, but her arc was beautiful. I loved seeing her grow to trust Sardine and Arin and Roshar. I loved that she grew close to Sardine first because I love female friendships and their friendship was beautiful and Sarsine's reaction when Kestrel finally came back home was priceless. I have good images of them talking about everything that happened. As I said earlier I loved the friendship between Roshar and Kestrel and how she always beat him at games. The most challenging thing to read was the relationship development of Arin and Kestrel. No matter how painful it was to read and experience, it felt real. It developed correctly and was rushed. I loved the scene where she saw Arin almost die and she brought him to safety and the scene when he woke up. BEAUTIFUL. It was so nice to read about them after that, and I loved it. They care SO MUCH for each other, and I love it so so so much that Arin made a wedding ring for her and that she wants to make HIM ONE. :''')
the last scene was such a good scene to end on. would I have loved to had more of it? hell yes. but I'm glad of the image it left in my mind, and i loved that we got as much of a ribbon to tie the box as we did. HOWEVER i still want a novella of their wedding, wedding night, and Roshar's commentary on both. XD

darkchiibsb's review against another edition

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4.0

Empieza super lento y fueron 200 hojas de tortura hasta que comenzaron las estrategias de guerra xD