Margins
The Winner's Curse book cover
The Winner's Curse
Chapters 1-5
2013
First Published
4.26
Average Rating
42
Number of Pages

Download the first five chapters of THE WINNER'S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski! Winning what you want may cost you everything you love... As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Avg Rating
4.26
Number of Ratings
319
5 STARS
53%
4 STARS
29%
3 STARS
12%
2 STARS
3%
1 STARS
3%
goodreads

Author

Marie Rutkoski
Marie Rutkoski
Author · 18 books

Marie Rutkoski is the New York Times bestselling author of several books for children and young adults, including THE HOLLOW HEART (September 14, 2021). Her debut for adults, REAL EASY (January 18, 2022), is a psychological thriller. Born in Illinois, Marie holds degrees from the University of Iowa and Harvard University. She is currently a professor at Brooklyn College and lives in Brooklyn with her family. http://us.macmillan.com/author/marier... (photo credit: Beowulf Sheehan)

548 Market St PMB 65688, San Francisco California 94104-5401 USA
© 2025 Paratext Inc. All rights reserved