The plot of The Winner’s Curse is fairly simple: Kestrel, the daughter of a Valorian general, purchases a Herrani slave at the slave market. It’s an impulse on her part, but completely calculated on the slave’s, whose name is Arin. He has plans of his own, and unknown to Kestrel and the general, he has a very good reason for causing himself to be placed in that position.

When the Valorians conquered the Herrani, they took the Herrani as slaves. Now the Valorians live in the Herrani homes, and a whole generation of Herrani are growing up barely remembering what it was like to be free. Meanwhile, the Valorian empire continues to wage war on its neighbors, determined to further grow its holdings.

A book like this could very easily be ludicrous, offensive, or both. A situation like this is not pure fantasy; in her author’s note, Rutkoski explains how such things were and are common. Her American readers should know this already. But Rutkoski is a phenomenal writer. She’s careful to allow Kestrel to be sympathetic without condoning her actions. She doesn’t relish in the misery of the conquered or make them out to be uniformly victimized. It’s a tricky tightrope to walk, but Rutkoski does it well.

Despite its lack of magic or strange creatures, this is a fantasy novel, and its world-building is part of what makes it soar. Rutkoski excels at creating new places and showing them to us in a way that feels natural. We learn a little bit about the history of the Valorians and Herrani from their history books, but most of what we learn comes from their lived experiences in this world. This is the very definition of showing instead of telling. We learn about the slave market because Kestrel is there, seeing and smelling and experiencing it. We learn about Valorian parties because Kestrel goes to them, and we see them through her eyes. We learn about the slave quarters because Arin lives and works there. Rutkoski’s world is detailed and complex and fascinating. It recalls a memory of ancient Rome or Greece, but it’s also wholly new. (I appreciated the mix of oppression and liberation that women face in the Valorian empire, as well. They are trained fighters and many of them join the army, but they also are not allowed to venture anywhere alone. This is just one example of how original and well-crafted the world is.)

Another aspect that sets this book head and shoulders above its peers is the romance. Teen novels are no strangers to romance, but I can’t say there are many that are quite this intense. Intensity comes not only from the depth of feeling espoused between the leads, but also from just how well the two click on the page. I have to give major kudos to Rutkoski’s writing. She knows just when to let Kestrel and Arin touch – and when to pull them apart. She allows their feelings to develop organically, from many conversations and observations. Through their observations of each other, we learn how they see themselves, how they see each other, and how they really are. (These can often be three very different things.) It’s a brilliant way to explore character and it makes the romance that much deeper.

At times, it hurts just to read the book. Because Kestrel and Arin are fated to be at odds with each other, it’s a given that no matter what happens, one or both of them will end up in pain (emotional, physical, or both). Rutkoski makes us care deeply about both characters – so deeply that their pain becomes ours, and it’s difficult to see any end where both will be happy.

The book isn’t action-heavy. Most of it focuses on politics and society, but it does have two pretty major plot shifts (I wouldn’t call them twists). The second one provides an ending of sorts, giving us a full story in this first volume, and some measure of satisfaction. It once again changes the dynamic between Kestrel and Arin; I’m eager to see where Rutkoski takes the relationship in further installments, not to mention how she develops the relationship between the Valorian empire and the people it has subjugated.

Review copy provided by the publisher. The Winner’s Curse is available today.