Written by contributor Arina N
Inspired by Indian history and Hindu mythology, The Tiger at Midnight is a gripping adventure about two people who defy their destiny.
Esha is a legendary assassin of Dharka and the renowned Viper that nobody knows is a woman, and Kunal is a Fort soldier of Jansa. Years ago, the two kingdoms were united in peace, but the royal coup orchestrated by General Hotha and King Vaardan changed everything and plunged the land in drought and fear. The sacred bond holding the land together is fading, and tensions between the two kingdoms are rising.
Esha swore to live only to avenge the night everything was taken from her, and Kunal to lay down his own life for the Fort. They should have hated and killed each other, but fate makes fools of them both. What should have ended in blood develops into a high-stakes story of two people building a bond that reveals hidden pathways within themselves.
This is very much a character-driven story, yet never lets up on painting evocative journeys through lush forests, colourful, bustling markets, and ragged mountains holding secrets. Through Esha and Kunal’s cat-and-mouse chase, we are transported time and time again to beautifully written landscapes and enthralling, dazzling places and peoples drawn from the expansive history of India.
There are a lot of delightful sneak peeks taken directly from Indian culture that are sure to resonate with ownvoices readers and captivate those who are not, and the legends inscribed into the book add a wonderful touch of myth and wonder to our characters’ journey. Everything about it is vivid and curious, challenging you to take one step further into its pages and partake on a journey that is emotionally resonant and invigorating.
The cat-and-mouse chase between our two main characters never lets up as they constantly give each other the slip and take us through this three-dimensional world, where danger and distrust threaten to strike from every corner and every discovery takes its toll.
Equally balanced between heart-aching, candid moments, and interactions to make you laugh out loud, it’ll drive you to question your own ideals and raise a discussion on fighting to overcome toxic upbringing, particularly archaic and harmful notions of hypermasculinity; allowing yourself to open your heart to others and trust those who reach out; and allow for an examination on our convictions, our faith, and our motivations, and the impact of personal change.
Each of our characters is extremely ambitious and driven, and as they begin working towards opposite purposes, it was touching to witness them slowly converging, parallel lines growing steadily and impossibly closer.
It was amazing to see how the author managed to flesh out incredibly touching characters that build a tight-strung tension with every meeting. Every time Esha and Kunal talk with one another and explore how their interactions have affected their own perspective, we get to peel off more of their characterisation and unravel who they are as people. It was natural for me to empathise with Esha and Kunal, as they are both deeply scarred characters that are just starting to open themselves up to the world around them and have to make many difficult decisions while doing so, at the same time dealing with hurt and betrayal that feels very raw or happens unexpectedly.
Their interactions take up most of the book and every reader can be very grateful for this, because there’s a lot of witty banter going on between them, and it was so much fun to see Esha trick and elude Kunal’s effort to catch up to her (no matter how determined that boy is, he just can’t seem to get one up on the Viper…).
The kindest warning I can give you before you decide to pick up a copy of this book is it’ll most likely raise the bar for any upcoming YA fantasy books you might be inclined to read (but, as this is a trilogy, there’ll be much more to Kunal and Esha’s story to satisfy those needs). For fans of romance that starts off rough and gradually softens around the edges, this one of those reads you simply cannot miss out on.
Crafting a journey that is both passionate and playful, The Tiger at Midnight is the enemies-to-lovers story that everyone should be reading— a tale that pays a beautiful, thought-provoking homage to its influences, and a highly original addition to the YA genre.
The Tiger At Midnight is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
A broken bond. A dying land. A cat-and-mouse game that can only end in bloodshed.
Esha is a legend, but no one knows. It’s only in the shadows that she moonlights as the Viper, the rebels’ highly skilled assassin. She’s devoted her life to avenging what she lost in the royal coup, and now she’s been tasked with her most important mission to date: taking down the ruthless General Hotha.
Kunal has been a soldier since childhood, training morning and night to uphold the power of King Vardaan. His uncle, the general, has ensured that Kunal never strays from the path—even as a part of Kunal longs to join the outside world, which has been growing only more volatile.
Then Esha’s and Kunal’s paths cross—and an unimaginable chain of events unfolds. Both the Viper and the soldier think they’re calling the shots, but they’re not the only players moving the pieces. As the bonds that hold their land in order break down and the sins of the past meet the promise of a new future, both rebel and soldier must make unforgivable choices.
Drawing inspiration from ancient Indian history and Hindu mythology, the first book in Swati Teerdhala’s debut fantasy trilogy captivates with electric romance, stunning action, and the fierce bonds that hold people together—and drive them apart.
