3/5
I liked Esha but Kunal was way too boring and unoriginal of a character. He's another typical soldier for the bad guys, but not actually a bad guy because somehow he's been so naive his entire life that he's never truly seen the bad actions of his tyrant. Also, to add to the cliche, he has hidden powers.
The strong points of this novel are Esha's strength and the Viper persona. I've always liked when a tyrannical kingdom has whispers of a rebellious legend. I also appreciated the fun banter between Esha and Kunal. It was unrealistic, but I always appreciate an enemies-to-lovers storyline and this one wasn't poorly done. The South Asian representation was also a good touch. I make a point to not like a novel based purely off representation (see Children of Blood and Bone-- representation won't save a shitty book), but The Tiger at Midnight had all of the bones of a decent YA fantasy and the magical touches of South Asian world, which is rarely written about in YA fantasies.
The Tiger at Midnight will appeal more strongly to those who are looking for a relationship-driven novel rather than a political read. I view it as a milder version of Throne of Glass, The Cruel Prince, or An Enchantment of Ravens.
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