The Tiger’s Watch,
Julia Ember, 180 pages
Tashi, though meek and mild-mannered, is bonded with a rare
golden tiger – odd, since animals usually choose Inhabitors who match their personalities.
However, with the Myeiki army invading, having a tiger could come in handy.
Tashi and their friend (and longtime crush) flee to a hidden monastery and
shelter there, but a battalion of the Myeiki army is close behind, led by the
brutal, yet conflicted (and staggeringly handsome) Captain Xian. Tashi must go
against their nature to spy on Xian and learn why he’s really at the monastery,
while fighting their growing attraction for him.
Honestly, I’m not sure how I felt about this book. I thought
Tashi was a very compelling main character, even when making bad decisions, and
the nonbinary representation was very good. But the love triangle was
unnecessary at best and disturbing at worst – Xian is objectively horrible, and
his internal conflicts don’t redeem him (the best that can be said is that he’s
not as awful as he could be). Also, The
Tiger’s Watch is very short, and the worldbuilding and plot feel rushed as
a result. I can’t justifiably call it badly writing – Ember’s writing style
comes off smooth and polished in the small scale – but overall it feels like it
needs more development and expansion.
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