That Crime Called Miscommunication

Were all her lies to Arin worth it, if she couldn’t see the truth? Kestrel had thought she’d known what was best for Arin. Perhaps her greatest lies were the ones she’d told to herself.

This is the most achingly frustrating novel I have read in my entire bookish life! I’m literally bursting with angst right now. Gah, I know it’s stupid to say this, but I wish Kestrel and Arin had smartphones! That way, no one could have intercepted that carelessly written letter and the collateral damage would have been much less! Ugh. This is the first time I’m excessively using exclamation points in my review. Why oh why did Kestrel have to be such a talented liar? And why did Arin have to be so gullible? I need a copy of The Winner’s Kiss ASAP. Like right now!

I basically had a love-hate relationship with this book. I was once again enthralled by Marie Rutkoski’s elegant writing style, particularly by her otherworldly use of metaphors. Also, I loved the expansion of the world/setting. I do hope I get to see more of the mysterious Eastern Empire in the next book. However, it was the characters that inevitably drew out my hatred. I really didn’t know whom I should blame for what had happened. Kestrel was logically at fault. But so was Arin. Gah, and let’s not forget that darn “minister of agriculture.” GRRRRRRR! Everything perfectly came together to make such a beautiful yet painful ending.

Ultimately, The Winner’s Crime is a gut-wrenching novel about the inevitable consequences of lying. The misunderstandings between Kestrel and Arin will stay in my brain for a very long time. Kudos to the author for giving me an abundance of feels, as unhealthy as they are.