Review: Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:
She is pretty and talented - sweet sixteen and never been kissed. He is seventeen; gorgeous and on the brink of a bright future. And now they have fallen in love. But ...They are brother and sister.

Wow- just wow! This really is as harrowing as it sounds but also just so perfectly written it's completely un-putdownable! Maya and Lochan's efforts to raise their younger siblings paints such a perfect picture of a stressful, busy family life, of the hardship and monotony of the everyday battles, but also a positive picture of a family who love each other through everything and just strive to be together. Both Maya and Lochan's attitude toward their family is so touching. They really do care, and strive to get the younger children to eat healthily and to get their homework done- to try to do better than just manage.


Lochan is painfully shy at school, and both he and Maya have the shared experience of working hard, and having to cope beyond what should be expected of them for their age, trying to raise their younger brothers and sister and maintain a facade of normalcy so that Social Services don't find out. They have always worked together, always shared everything and supported each other, always been best friends, and always been the only one the other can confide in- the only one who understands. By telling the story in Maya and Lochan's own voices, you can really get inside their heads, and get an understanding of their thoughts, feelings and fears. The tension builds up and up throughout the book.


This is horrifying and brilliant, and brilliant for being so shocking. In the hands of a bad author, this could've turned out so badly wrong, but it actually turned out moving, shocking, powerful and beautiful. I loved Maya and Lochan and their story. This is one book that is definitely going to stay with me for a long time. No review can do this book justice- just read it!




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