Helpful Score: 3
There has never been a book like FORBIDDEN in YA literature, and I can guarantee that there will never be one like it again. For Tabitha Suzuma has written an unconventional love story so powerful it will suck you under, suffocate you, and force you to rethink all that you thought about love and relationships.
Perhaps the most accomplished thing about FORBIDDEN is just how utterly deftly Tabitha Suzuma develops Lochan and Mayas world and relationship. Here we have characters with a wide range of ages and maturity, and each one of them is fully fleshed out, so that we can both love and hate them at the same time. The mother is horrifying un-maternal, but not just in a way that conveniently lets the romance fall into place: her treatment of her children clearly has a great impact on Lochan and Mayas closeness. Each of their siblings have their own personalities and issues, and you cant help but be invested in all of their well-beings.
Everything feels just a little bit over the topand yet, at the same time, nothing does. Lochan tends to always act like hes on the verge of breaking down, which can get a little repetitive, and he and Maya can often act pretty dramatic for an already shocking story premise. Still, despite individual characters dramatic tendencies, and even the drama associated with the premise and conclusion, FORBIDDEN unfolds in a way that seems inevitable in the best and most natural way. You cant help yourself when you root for Lochan and Mayaand you shouldnt even feel bad for doing so, because if theres any YA couple that has had to go through hell and sky-high obstacles, its this one.
FORBIDDEN is an enthralling read for those who like their contemporary YA deliberate, and can cherish the unconventional romance. It was an incredible read for me, and I hope it is so for you too.
Perhaps the most accomplished thing about FORBIDDEN is just how utterly deftly Tabitha Suzuma develops Lochan and Mayas world and relationship. Here we have characters with a wide range of ages and maturity, and each one of them is fully fleshed out, so that we can both love and hate them at the same time. The mother is horrifying un-maternal, but not just in a way that conveniently lets the romance fall into place: her treatment of her children clearly has a great impact on Lochan and Mayas closeness. Each of their siblings have their own personalities and issues, and you cant help but be invested in all of their well-beings.
Everything feels just a little bit over the topand yet, at the same time, nothing does. Lochan tends to always act like hes on the verge of breaking down, which can get a little repetitive, and he and Maya can often act pretty dramatic for an already shocking story premise. Still, despite individual characters dramatic tendencies, and even the drama associated with the premise and conclusion, FORBIDDEN unfolds in a way that seems inevitable in the best and most natural way. You cant help yourself when you root for Lochan and Mayaand you shouldnt even feel bad for doing so, because if theres any YA couple that has had to go through hell and sky-high obstacles, its this one.
FORBIDDEN is an enthralling read for those who like their contemporary YA deliberate, and can cherish the unconventional romance. It was an incredible read for me, and I hope it is so for you too.
Helpful Score: 2
Reviewed by McKenzie Tritt for TeensReadToo.com
Lochan and Maya are brother and sister. Their three younger siblings depend on them ever since their dad left them and their mother no longer cares for them. With the pressure of this enormous responsibility, Maya and Lochan turn to each other. They find solace and comfort, but they find so much more than that. They find love. Not just sibling love, but real emotional, physical love. How can they love each other when the rest of the world sees their actions as disgusting and vile?
FORBIDDEN deals with an incredibly controversial subject, and readers should be warned. Lochan and Maya are brother and sister, but they love each other in the way that any normal couple would. The first half of the book doesn't even touch the subject; it sets the scene with depictions of a family falling apart and a set of siblings doing all they can to hold it together. The second half delves into their incestuous relationship and the torrent of emotions and consequences that come along with it.
Though this type of relationship is looked down upon by society, I couldn't help but hope that Maya and Lochan would work out. Their love was deeper than any other I've encountered and it was truly real because of everything they had suffered through together. It was hard to accept the fact that they were related, but also easy at the same time. Their relationship, as you can imagine, pushed boundaries to their breaking points. The emotional side balanced with the physical side. The thoughts of each character were drawn out and talked about comprehensively. They were real people with honest emotions.
This is one of those books that will rip apart your heart and make you question everything you've ever believed in. By the novel's end I was in tears. The story was shocking and difficult at times, but it was worth it. FORBIDDEN is a stunning read that shouldn't be missed. I highly recommend it.
**Please note: FORBIDDEN includes a disclaimer that the story isn't suitable for younger readers.
Lochan and Maya are brother and sister. Their three younger siblings depend on them ever since their dad left them and their mother no longer cares for them. With the pressure of this enormous responsibility, Maya and Lochan turn to each other. They find solace and comfort, but they find so much more than that. They find love. Not just sibling love, but real emotional, physical love. How can they love each other when the rest of the world sees their actions as disgusting and vile?
FORBIDDEN deals with an incredibly controversial subject, and readers should be warned. Lochan and Maya are brother and sister, but they love each other in the way that any normal couple would. The first half of the book doesn't even touch the subject; it sets the scene with depictions of a family falling apart and a set of siblings doing all they can to hold it together. The second half delves into their incestuous relationship and the torrent of emotions and consequences that come along with it.
Though this type of relationship is looked down upon by society, I couldn't help but hope that Maya and Lochan would work out. Their love was deeper than any other I've encountered and it was truly real because of everything they had suffered through together. It was hard to accept the fact that they were related, but also easy at the same time. Their relationship, as you can imagine, pushed boundaries to their breaking points. The emotional side balanced with the physical side. The thoughts of each character were drawn out and talked about comprehensively. They were real people with honest emotions.
This is one of those books that will rip apart your heart and make you question everything you've ever believed in. By the novel's end I was in tears. The story was shocking and difficult at times, but it was worth it. FORBIDDEN is a stunning read that shouldn't be missed. I highly recommend it.
**Please note: FORBIDDEN includes a disclaimer that the story isn't suitable for younger readers.
Helpful Score: 2
A lot of people seem to rave about this book, but personally I didn't like it. I had no problem with the subject matter. I was actually intrigued. I hadn't seen many books out there that dealt with something as taboo as incest, and I wanted to see how it was portrayed.
What I did have a problem with was the way the story was executed. It seemed to do nothing but drag on for over 400 pages. I read through the first 150, and then skimmed through the rest, and I still understood what happened through the rest of the book. All the major events could have happened in half the size of the book. A lot of repeated explanations of "forbidden" feelings, broken up by a few family quarrels.
Don't be put off by the subject matter. If you're going to read this book, please do so with an open mind. It just trudged through like a soap opera.
What I did have a problem with was the way the story was executed. It seemed to do nothing but drag on for over 400 pages. I read through the first 150, and then skimmed through the rest, and I still understood what happened through the rest of the book. All the major events could have happened in half the size of the book. A lot of repeated explanations of "forbidden" feelings, broken up by a few family quarrels.
Don't be put off by the subject matter. If you're going to read this book, please do so with an open mind. It just trudged through like a soap opera.
Helpful Score: 1
Forbidden will be one of those books I will always remember. Not only because it is a beautifully written, riveting journey; but also because it brought back memories about my own childhood. I think any reader will be able to take a piece of this book, big or small, and relate it to their own experiences in life. I'm not talking about relating to the incestuous relationship between brother and sister. There is so much more to this book then the incest. By the time you reach the final page, you realize the book is about the never-ending search for love and acceptance and trying to find your own voice when you think you are alone in the world. It is about the frailty of the family unit, and it challenges your thoughts on what really makes a family.
The book is absolutely consuming, heart breaking, and an absolute must read.
The book is absolutely consuming, heart breaking, and an absolute must read.
Helpful Score: 1
WOW
I've waited a couple of days since finishing this book to write a review. I wasn't sure I was going to write one, but two days later I'm still thinking about it.
This author has taken a very taboo subject and turned it into a beautiful, although tragic, love story. As with many others I'm sure, it was very hard at first for me to look beyond the brother / sister factor. When I was able to though, I fell in love also. Lochan and Maya were genuinely innocent characters. They didn't want to feel the way they did; they fought it every step of the way. But in the end there was no way around the feelings they had for one another.
I also really came to care about Willa, Tiffin, and Kit. I just adored them, and the family unit that Lochan and Maya put together for them. Those three kids were, in every way that mattered, Lochan and Mayas children.
As sensitive as the subject matter may be, it made me open my eyes to ALL kinds of love. I had lots of hopes for Maya and Lochan. I mean, they were more in love than most couples I know in real life, and they were hurting no one. So yeah...I had hopes and dreams for their future.
Well...the book ended and I was left heartbroken. But...I FELT more while reading this book than most anything else I have ever read.
This book is Amazing. This author is Brilliant.
I've waited a couple of days since finishing this book to write a review. I wasn't sure I was going to write one, but two days later I'm still thinking about it.
This author has taken a very taboo subject and turned it into a beautiful, although tragic, love story. As with many others I'm sure, it was very hard at first for me to look beyond the brother / sister factor. When I was able to though, I fell in love also. Lochan and Maya were genuinely innocent characters. They didn't want to feel the way they did; they fought it every step of the way. But in the end there was no way around the feelings they had for one another.
I also really came to care about Willa, Tiffin, and Kit. I just adored them, and the family unit that Lochan and Maya put together for them. Those three kids were, in every way that mattered, Lochan and Mayas children.
As sensitive as the subject matter may be, it made me open my eyes to ALL kinds of love. I had lots of hopes for Maya and Lochan. I mean, they were more in love than most couples I know in real life, and they were hurting no one. So yeah...I had hopes and dreams for their future.
Well...the book ended and I was left heartbroken. But...I FELT more while reading this book than most anything else I have ever read.
This book is Amazing. This author is Brilliant.
