Book Review: Forbidden

I’m starting to think that Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma, might be a little infamous in the book blogging world… And rightfully so.

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.

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 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.

The Good

• Beautiful writing – Suzuma can write emotional angst like nobody’s business.
• This story doesn’t romanticize incest, but instead is a warning about the dangers of broken and dysfunctional families with absentee parents. Children have to grow up far too fast and are burdened with responsibilities that can affect their emotional, mental, and social growth. I thought that was extremely clever.
• All of the characters were fleshed out with their own personalities and backgrounds.

The Bad

• I didn’t appreciate that the result of the climax was due to just one person. I felt that wasn’t really fair to their development as a character.
• Pacing – some parts were a slow, especially for the first 150 pages of the book.
• The fact the both of the MCs were just insanely gorgeous people. Come on, it shouldn’t be about their physical looks! I think it would’ve made more sense if they had both been average and fell in love because of their connection, rather than always mentioning how beautiful the other one was.

Yes, this book is a tough read. It deals with a multitude of pretty deep issues that are not always easy to discuss or talk about. I completely understand why a lot of people refuse to pick this up. However, for me personally, I was more disgusted and upset by how the children were treated by their parents and having to live. If you’re willing to dive deep into the problems with our society, then you should read Forbidden.

Final Verdict: 4/5 Stars