Forbidden By: Tabitha Suzuma Review

Hey Guys,

So Finals are coming up which are a good and bad thing. Good because that means with the semester over, I will be posting more regularly than I am now and Bad because it is Finals!

Well I am here finally with my review for forbidden.

As I always do, I want to state that my review may contain spoilers. If you have yet to read this book and do not want to get spoiled, I suggest that you do not read this and just come back when you have!

They always say that the environment affects the child. In the case of Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma, the environment has greatly affected the characters. The main characters, Lochan and Maya are not ordinary carefree teenagers. In result of their mother's recklessness and near abandonment, the pair must be the parental figures for their younger siblings without anyone catching on. With the pressure of caring for their siblings and trying to avoid attention from the state, the two begin on a journey where the loving comfort they are craving and desperately want comes from through a Forbidden relationship (Hence the name right?). In the beginning of the story, We get a harsh look to reality for Lochan, a senior in high school, who has a social anxiety so severe that he cannot talk to anyone outside his family circle. Then there is Maya, a girl who cannot seems to fit in to what her friends think is important, but that does make sense since everyday they have to worry about whether or not they will have food.

I will have to say this was a difficult book for me to get through. It wasn't because I did not like it or found it boring. It was because it was of the difficulties these two had to go through. As I read about Lochan social insecurities I came to the conclusion it is influenced because of his fear that his siblings will be taken away as well as, he never had the ability to just be himself. Lochan always had to worry how the bills will be paid and if there was food. He never had a time where he could go out with his friends, which he does not have and just fool around without a care in the world.

Then there is his sister Maya. Maya had a beautiful mind to enter into. There was a feeling of Maya not really knowing where she fits in just like her brother. Although, Unlike her brother, Maya can easily adapt to her surroundings. Maya does have a friend, although her friend seems to not truly know the true Maya, because she does not let anyone close to her. Also Maya does have some typical teenager experiences, she worries that she has never been kisses among other things. I love the contrast between the two characters, For me it represented how these two are still teenager, although they are the responsible adults. They are still young and they still have times where they might make the wrong decisions, but that does not make them bad people it just expected because they should not be the leaders of their little family. Although seeing how they are with their younger siblings, made me love them even more.

I have to say there were two people I completely disliked, but at the end I resolved my feelings for one of the characters. These two were Their mother and his brother, Kit. Their mother seemed more like a child herself than a parent. Her ability to not care about yourself and not provide for them as well is just so astonishing. I felt she had no redeeming qualities in her. I understand that when she caught them it was a shock, but to aknowledge and call your daughter you baby I guess that just bothered me so much. Why is it now she is your baby, when your son has to beg and lie to get money for groceries and bills. Why is now that you care when you haven't before and allowed your children to go without, while you get drunk and go on vacation. I have no sympathy for this women and my opinion will not change on this.

The redeemed character in this story was their brother kit. I was very frustrated with Kit throughout this book, I considered him to be selfish and ungrateful for everything his brother and sister did for him. I also was upset when Kit called his mother at the end of the book which led to devastating events. When I finished the book I was still very angry with Kit but as I sat and reflected I came upon a realization. Kit is 13 years old and he is acting his age. This is a child, who mother has pretty much abandoned him and his siblings and he is pushed into a role e really does not know how to fill or should have to feel that he needs to fill. He is at the age where teens are just worry about themselves and they just want to be carefree. How can we as a reader be upset at Kit for acting his age. Yes I will agree that Kit could have been more understanding with his Lochan and Maya, but where would he have learned that from? His drunk of a mother who disappears or his father that abandoned them for a new family. Kits sense of security was damaged long time ago and he does not know how to cope. How can us as a reader really fault him on this.

Lastly The ending, oh how the ending devastated me as I read the scene of Lochan in his jail cell I knew that he was going to commit suicide. Lochan was so selfless and his love for Maya was so deep that he would do anything to keep her safe and he did. Maya's chapter after Lochan's suicide was when I finally broken down. I could not stop the tears. My heart was shattered. How did Tabitha make us root for the forbidden? I do not know but she did. I wanted the happily ever after, but is there one? Incest, everyone has heard this word and know the negative connotations. Should we fault these two characters these incestuous feelings? Should have they gone to prison for this? In perspective manner, I really cannot give an answer. Yes I understand they are related and that it is illegal, but is it their fault? Would they have fallen in love with each other if they were not in the position they were in? I love that Lochan's character raise this same question. The answer to this is that we do not know. I will revert back to the first statement I made, The environment affects the child.

Overall this was a devastatingly beautiful book. Tabitha is a poet, Lochan's words were so beautifully written, that every line was gut-wrenching. I ended up giving this book 4.5 our 5 starts only because I just wished the ending turned out differently, but if you were to ask me how I honestly could not give an answer.

Alright So The long review is over, as you can tell I really did love this book. It made me cry and I am starting to see a pattern, If I cry I most likely ended up loving this book...well duh! I love books that make me emotional because I am sucked into their worlds that I never want to leave or I never want the story to end because I never want to let go.

Alright guy thanks for reading and I hope to have another post up soon!

~Pants 


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