The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala was one of my most anticipated books of the season. It looked like exactly the kind of book that I’d give five stars to. Amazon says it’s “perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Renée Ahdieh.” Check. Ms. Teerdhala said that Legend was one of its comp titles. Double check. Perhaps this book was a little overhyped in my mind, because while it was good, it ended up only being a four-star book in my mind.
The land has a magical illness. The lands of Jansa and Dharka have historically been ruled by two different people with magical bloodlines, who periodically have to perform some sort of ritual to keep the land fertile and lush. The balance of power has been upset in recent years, and famine is starting to spread over the land. Esha, also known as the Viper, is part of a rebel group that is attempting to restore that balance. Kunal, the nephew of the general, has been trained as a child to uphold the government in power.
When the general is killed, Kunal has to find the Viper. He ends up finding something that could be even more deadly: the truth.
What I Liked
There were a lot of things I liked about this book. The setting was great. It had this whole medieval Indian vibe that was unique and interesting. The book had political intrigue. You’re not quite sure who is good and who is bad, and I was surprised at the end. The cat and mouse game that Esha and Kunal played, where Kunal would catch Esha and then she’d escape, was fun.
What Was Just… Okay
There are some books that just drag you in at the start with their beautiful writing. This may be why The Tiger at Midnight did not quite get the five stars I thought it would get: it lacked the magical quality I was hoping it would have. While it had so many other things going for it, it was lacking right here.
The only other thing that I could have been better was the realism in Esha and Kunal’s relationship. Kunal chases her over the countryside, catches her, and then she escapes. She leaves him a note, and they seem to have an attraction to each other. It’s cute, but not realistic? Especially as this scenario happens more than once. Then, after it’s obvious they are both attracted to each other, they get to one point in the book where they could spend more time with each other but don’t?
Conclusion
I definitely plan on reading the other books in The Tiger at Midnight trilogy when they come out. This is Swati Teerdhala’s debut, and I’ve seen other authors blossom when their sophomore and beyond books come out. The story itself is good, and I do want to find out what happens next. Probably the biggest thing that this book suffered from was how amazing the books this one was compared to were, and how difficult it would have been to live up to them.
I was on pins and needles for this book but there are so many mixed reviews, mostly on the critical side. I asked the YA librarian I work with to order a copy for our collection, so I hope to read if it is added.
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Hopefully they’ll add it. I’ve had pretty good luck with my library adding stuff when I ask them.