A review by allingoodtime
Barbarian's Taming by Ruby Dixon

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

After the way Hassan acted in Barbarian’s Touch, I was curious how things would work out in this book. Not to mention Maddie was depicted as a very difficult person. I love how their outcast status brought them together; Hassan being literally exiled and Maddie having made a bad first impression.

Having both a younger and an older sister myself, I can somewhat understand Maddie’s attitude when she first came to the tribe. She was shocked about where she was, introduced to actual aliens, and her sister was abducted. Of course, she was unreasonable and had a volatile temper when she felt nothing was being done to help her. It doesn’t seem the tribe has forgotten her attitude now that it’s all worked out so they keep her at arm’s length. Hassan was left with no family when illness swept through the tribe before the humans arrived. Being exiled leaves him even lonelier and makes him feel like an outsider.

I love the friendship Hassan and Maddie forge before they resonate. There’s no mistaking that they fall in love rather than have their resonating decide for them. It’s a wonderful pairing.

The one thing that bothered me and could be upsetting to some readers is the body image issues Maddie has. It’s very clear that Hassan and the others think nothing of Maddie’s weight or body but she sure does. I understand what the author was trying to do, but it was a bit much at times. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings