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tinky47's review against another edition
5.0
This was a sad and difficult read. Very emotional and disturbing. The author captures a family living through severe parental neglect, which turns the older siblings into roles of "parents." The girl and the boy come together to keep the family from social service's radar, but develop an unhealthy attraction. This felt similar to Flowers in the Attic, but with characters that people today can relate to. It makes me wonder about what happens across the world when parents fail to provide structure and safety for their children.
elizahdz's review against another edition
4.0
No tengo palabras para describir todo lo que me hizo sentir, es una historia que habla sobre las dificultades familiares del protagonista, un papá que se marcha (y nunca vuelve), una mamá con problemas de alcohol y que no atiende a sus hijos, te habla de como es la vida para las dos personas a cargo de sus hermanos, algo que recalco mucho y que me gusto es la manera en que la autora te describe al protagonista el como te muestra como se siente, realmente senti lo que el sentia, creo que son pocos los autores que te hacen sentir eso, en general me a gustado
ak_ereads's review against another edition
5.0
This read was absolutely amazing !!!!!!! Yes very VERY Taboo one of my most taboo reads but it was beautiful not icky at all actually makes you question things tbh. Very sad tho heartbreaking expect to cry 100%
brookieworm's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
shirumoon's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
narcissia's review against another edition
4.0
Forbidden deals with the taboo subject of incest, and challenges normality and the boundaries of love. I was not sure going into this book if I would be able to finish it because the subject grosses me out. I'd read a multitude of glowing reviews about it though, and part of me just really wanted to see what all of the fuss was about.
The POV switches between the characters of Maya and Lochan, who are sympathetic enough. Maya is a fairly normal girl. She is pretty and friendly and attempts to remain cheerful and to keep things running smoothly. Lochan is handsome and smart, but struggles with social phobias and anxiety disorder at school. The only place he is comfortable is at home with his family. Their father has left them and their mother is a drunk and is rarely around, opting instead to cling to the guy she is seeing and leave her kids to fend for themselves. So Maya and Lochan end up being the parental figures to the three younger siblings, Kit, Tiffin, and Willa. They do their best to run the household and keep up with schoolwork, doing everything they can to prevent child services from being alerted to their situation since that would most likely split up the family.
I don't know if I can buy completely into the relationship development of Lochan and Maya. Yeah, they've been like best friends all their lives, and they help raise their siblings as if they're the parents, and they are each other's support system, and nobody else understands what they go through except for each other. But as someone who has brothers, none of this could in any way ever push me toward incest, so I have a difficult time finding their relationship believable or the catalysts for it convincing enough. It just never feels justifiable to me at any point in the story. But, to be fair, I don't think there is anything that could have made it feel natural to me, so I wasn't really going into it expecting the brother/sister boundary to be erased for me. It seems like a lot of people really bought into this relationship and cheered it on, and I wonder if those people have siblings.
While I could never get behind their relationship, I do appreciate the way in which they struggle with coming to terms with their feelings for each other. The ugliness of it all isn't shied away from, and I can respect that. They aren't really comfortable with their love, either. They wonder if they're sick, if their upbringing has caused them severe psychological issues that have prompted these feelings. They torture themselves over it. And they're not naive about the consequences of anyone finding out about them. They know that acting on their love is a criminal offense, and that they could be arrested and the family torn apart. And this tortures them as well. They attempt to date normally, to stay away from each other.
This book does not have a happy ending. The synopsis says as much. It's tragic, and it really puts the story in perspective for me. While I was never comfortable with their relationship, I do feel that the consequences which they suffer are not something that they deserve, that perhaps they are disproportionate to the crime. This feeling that they don't deserve the ending that they get is what, in the end, made me finally question if their love is really so terrible. Because of that, I'd consider this book a success.
I'd recommend Forbidden to anyone looking for a book with a controversial subject, or who is interested in taboo and/or tough topics. The subject matter is handled probably as well as something like incest can be handled. There are some scenes in the book which are sexually (very) graphic, for those who wish to avoid such things.
The POV switches between the characters of Maya and Lochan, who are sympathetic enough. Maya is a fairly normal girl. She is pretty and friendly and attempts to remain cheerful and to keep things running smoothly. Lochan is handsome and smart, but struggles with social phobias and anxiety disorder at school. The only place he is comfortable is at home with his family. Their father has left them and their mother is a drunk and is rarely around, opting instead to cling to the guy she is seeing and leave her kids to fend for themselves. So Maya and Lochan end up being the parental figures to the three younger siblings, Kit, Tiffin, and Willa. They do their best to run the household and keep up with schoolwork, doing everything they can to prevent child services from being alerted to their situation since that would most likely split up the family.
I don't know if I can buy completely into the relationship development of Lochan and Maya. Yeah, they've been like best friends all their lives, and they help raise their siblings as if they're the parents, and they are each other's support system, and nobody else understands what they go through except for each other. But as someone who has brothers, none of this could in any way ever push me toward incest, so I have a difficult time finding their relationship believable or the catalysts for it convincing enough. It just never feels justifiable to me at any point in the story. But, to be fair, I don't think there is anything that could have made it feel natural to me, so I wasn't really going into it expecting the brother/sister boundary to be erased for me. It seems like a lot of people really bought into this relationship and cheered it on, and I wonder if those people have siblings.
While I could never get behind their relationship, I do appreciate the way in which they struggle with coming to terms with their feelings for each other. The ugliness of it all isn't shied away from, and I can respect that. They aren't really comfortable with their love, either. They wonder if they're sick, if their upbringing has caused them severe psychological issues that have prompted these feelings. They torture themselves over it. And they're not naive about the consequences of anyone finding out about them. They know that acting on their love is a criminal offense, and that they could be arrested and the family torn apart. And this tortures them as well. They attempt to date normally, to stay away from each other.
This book does not have a happy ending. The synopsis says as much. It's tragic, and it really puts the story in perspective for me. While I was never comfortable with their relationship, I do feel that the consequences which they suffer are not something that they deserve, that perhaps they are disproportionate to the crime. This feeling that they don't deserve the ending that they get is what, in the end, made me finally question if their love is really so terrible. Because of that, I'd consider this book a success.
I'd recommend Forbidden to anyone looking for a book with a controversial subject, or who is interested in taboo and/or tough topics. The subject matter is handled probably as well as something like incest can be handled. There are some scenes in the book which are sexually (very) graphic, for those who wish to avoid such things.
sweetdark's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
spaceemacee's review against another edition
5.0
I don't even have words for this book. You just have to read it. Some people will hate it, some will love it but it will no doubt make you think for weeks afterwards about it.
ariaunarae's review against another edition
5.0
I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I honestly have no words, all I can say is that I was sobbing for the last quarter of the book. I couldn't stop the tears from pooling out.
This book is so real.
I can honestly say that this book has opened my eyes to how others live, and the words written within the pages of this book will remain with me as I go on. A book has never affected me as this one has, and I know for a fact that this will be my #1 book of 2015. No doubt.
If you are looking for something that is real, this book is for you.
It is really intense, though. At points, I didn't think I would be able to continue because of the intensity. The feeling of reading This book was so overwhelming. But even though I felt at times that this book was to crazy to continue, I couldn't put it down.
I felt like I had to know what happened. This book was absolutely, utterly impossible to put down.
And the ending?
I was not emotionally prepared for it.
Not. At. All.
Read this book. And if you need a reason, here it is.
The story that is printed on these pages is one of a kind. It was written so beautifully, so perfectly. I felt like I WAS the character. You feel every emotion they feel, like a knife to a heart.
This book woke me up.
This book is so real.
I can honestly say that this book has opened my eyes to how others live, and the words written within the pages of this book will remain with me as I go on. A book has never affected me as this one has, and I know for a fact that this will be my #1 book of 2015. No doubt.
If you are looking for something that is real, this book is for you.
It is really intense, though. At points, I didn't think I would be able to continue because of the intensity. The feeling of reading This book was so overwhelming. But even though I felt at times that this book was to crazy to continue, I couldn't put it down.
I felt like I had to know what happened. This book was absolutely, utterly impossible to put down.
And the ending?
I was not emotionally prepared for it.
Not. At. All.
Read this book. And if you need a reason, here it is.
The story that is printed on these pages is one of a kind. It was written so beautifully, so perfectly. I felt like I WAS the character. You feel every emotion they feel, like a knife to a heart.
This book woke me up.
sandiet's review against another edition
4.0
Tabitha Suzuma tackled a very difficult subject and she did it very well.
An incestuous relationship between brother and sister is at the core of this story and while it is uncomfortable to read and your brain is screaming "this isn't right" you can't help but be drawn into the story. There is so much more to it than just the incest. Would Lochan & Maya still have been drawn to each other if their home life had been different? Could they have been normal teens?
I can't give it 5 stars simply because I felt so uneasy reading it but it certainly is a thought provoking book. It would be a great read for book club because it would generate lots of discussion but it might be too uncomfortable for some folks.
An incestuous relationship between brother and sister is at the core of this story and while it is uncomfortable to read and your brain is screaming "this isn't right" you can't help but be drawn into the story. There is so much more to it than just the incest. Would Lochan & Maya still have been drawn to each other if their home life had been different? Could they have been normal teens?
I can't give it 5 stars simply because I felt so uneasy reading it but it certainly is a thought provoking book. It would be a great read for book club because it would generate lots of discussion but it might be too uncomfortable for some folks.