Let's write a pro and contra list of this book:

+ nice love story
+ good portrayal of friendship
+ not your regular harem story
+ interesting and new concept
+ Great side characters

- horrible main chara, whole story should have been written from the point of a different character. The MC is all talk and doing nothing. She never thinks about the people who could get involved for her actions, like her servant whose life depends on her.
- some very critical scenes, that basically destroyed the whole world building
- it stays in the confines of a YA book, which explains some of the scenes. But seriously, sometimes it gets just outright ridiculous "There have been public executions before???" No shit, sherlock, there are still goddamn public executions as of today. Also the whole concubine situation has been morally jugded. A very complicated topic simplified for the moral conviction of an YA book.
- The caste system was completely messed up. Not sure, if it's a good idea to take cultural elements from other countries just to distort them in your book.
- Also, "malaysia-influence" my ass. Malaysia is an islamic state. I don't see any middle east influence. I only saw south east asia, especially chinese influences.
- All the animal people became just people in my head. Don't think that played out well.
- The last fifty pages were torture