Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma


Published: June 28th, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: YA 15+
Format: eGalley
Source: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab
Amazon ❘ Goodreads ❘ Website


Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives—and the way they understand each other so completely—has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.

**This Review is based on an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy). The final text/cover may be different.**

There's only one word which comes into my mind right after reading this: WOW. Honestly, I don't think there's anything else to describe it. It was seriously the most emotionally-scarring book I've ever read. Like, I NEVER cry when it comes to books and movies. And when I finished reading this book, I was so close to letting it flood. I had to quickly move my mind onto something else–but I still can't stop thinking about it. 

This is a very difficult topic to portray, 'cause honestly who in the right mind would want to write a book about siblings falling in love? But you gotta admit, this stuff DOES exist in our world today, and has for centuries. Hopefully, this book will be an eye-opener to the topic of incest and bring some interesting opinions on it. It's quite a heavy book I'm telling you, so prepare yourself if you DO cry for movies and books, because in some other reviews of this book people say that they had to go through quite a lot of tissue after reading this.

I love how the novel switches between two perspectives: Lochan and Maya. I felt so sorry for them at the beginning, having to live with an alcoholic mom and take care of three younger siblings: cute Willa, soccer-maniac Tiffin and angry teenager, Kit. They need to cook and clean, and ontop of that go to school, and Lochan has to apply for uni...all because the mom spends too much time drinking, smoking and going on dates with her boyfriend Dave. I feel so bad for their situation, and seriously knew that this book was going to be a "heavy" one right from the beginning.

I love Lochan– you can't help but feel sorry for him. He has a problem around people, he's too shy. I feel that he takes on the whole burden of looking after everyone and their problems etc. and has to do everything. Maya is the opposite: she's more talkative, more open, yet she's always there for her siblings. I found Lochan's perspective a bit more interesting as he goes through much more emotion than Maya does, and it's interesting to see how things turn out.

The conclusion to this story was SO shocking, like what the blurb says. I think I lost it then. I felt the instant urge to cry, it was so sad! Only if things had been different, if something hadn't happened or the timing was different...I dunno. It's kinda like Romeo & Juliet with the whole fate and timing thing. Ughhh, I still feel terrible about it! :(

This book has been beautifully written though. Everything: emotions, characters, setting, EVERYTHING has been described so well, it creates a strong picture in my mind (some parts a little too much though :S) but it does make it hard for the imagery still stays with the horrifying ending.

Forbidden is exactly what the title states. Forbidden love, forbidden wishes...a forbidden life. It's pretty serious and a HUGE emotional roller coaster, so a warning to those who might start the tears easily. It gives a different perspective on life, and definitely has evoked that little emotion monster who's been hiding in me to come out for a while. Evocatively written, which leads to a dramatic and tear-jerking conclusion, you won't be able to forget this one. Captivating and devastating, Tabitha Suzuma has written a life changing novel which will effect everyone in one way or another.

If you like this, try...

• The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (Amazon ❘ Goodreads)
• Dreamland by Sarah Dessen (Review ❘ Amazon ❘ Goodreads)
• Ordinary Beauty by Laura Wiess (Review ❘ Amazon ❘ Goodreads)

Other Covers:

[left: English, right: German]