Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

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.....

Title : Forbidden 
Author : Tabitha Suzuma
Genre : Young Adult
Rate : 5 Stars
First post on Goodreads.

Read from January 25 to 30, 2013

Here...my review....

"Curiosity kills....
What you don't know won't hurt you....
What you don't know won't break your heart....
So why do you start ?Curiosity kills...." - Curiosity Kills by Trap

Yep....
Curiosity could kills you !

I choose this book out of my TBR list because of curiosity.....

First, The cover ! It's already caught my eyes since the first time I saw it....
Its "dark" and minimalist....
Definitely my fave....

Second, the 1st part of the synopsis really really grab my full attention !

Third, I found out many readers have dilemma after reading this book,they feels like being "trap" between "like" and "morality issues"....

So,based of those 3 points above,I decided to put myself into this dilemmatic story between this young lovely couples....

Let's leave aside the issue of morality,and just focused on the story.....
Open your heart to "enjoy" this story....
Don't "hide" behind those morals issue.....
Feels what they feel....
Coz beyond the morality issues,there are really touching story about true love....
Not like other conventional love....
Coz its the Forbidden one....

 And now......
That curiosity really "kills" me !!!!
I'm crying like crazy when things happened exactly as I predict !
I even biting my own lips to hold my cry....
Tabitha succeed make this taboo love story looks so "right" at few part.....
My morality alert keep reminds me that what happen to Lochan and Maya are definitely WRONG !
BUT......my heart keep saying that they deserve to be "happy".....in their own way......
Is it wrong to have this feelings ?
Ask for yourself after you read this book.

For YA genre,the story was way too "dark" and with ending like that ?
Well,I think....
Its really not suitable for young adult anyway....

But I allow me to “warn” you....
This book is really really good, heart wrenching story about two young people which being forced by situation to take adult responsibility for their siblings because the one who should played as "real adult" on their pathetic life choose to act like teenager instead of act like real mother !
If I may choose,"who should be blame out of this situation ?"
My answer - sure - their mother !!
How could a mother act like that ?
"Abandon" her 5 children for her own pleasure....
Forced her two nearly adult child - Lochan 17 y.o and Maya 16 y.o - to took care of the whole family - their 3 other siblings - trying to make " a perfect family" of their own, to keep them as one, live under stressful situation each day between school and the fear of any social workers found out about the situation and forced them to live separately in the future....
Yes, this is YA story with really complicated issues....

So,just read this book,and feels what others feel while reading this book.....
Feels your own dilemma eat your guilty feelings from inside....
How can she wrote such a taboo issues without looks so “taboo” ?
How can she make us – who read this story – feels their love so pure and beautiful despite disgusting ?
Tabitha, you’re “genius”….
Two thumbs up for you,you've succeed put me in this dilemmatic feelings....
How can I not in love this Lochan ?
How can I not in love with Maya ?
Am torn between hate,like and love....
Am crying for both Lochan and Maya......
Just wish....really wish....the situation were different for them....

‘I don’t know,’ he whispers. ‘How can something so wrong feel so right?’ - Lochan

 Yes, Lochan...."how can something so taboo feels so "right" when I read the story about you and Maya ?"

‘We haven’t done anything wrong! How can love like this be called terrible when we’re not hurting anyone?’ - Maya

Yes,Maya....both of you definitely not hurting anyone....
But still.....its wrong....

Two people in love – a love that nobody else could possibly understand. - Maya

Yes,Maya.....no one would understand about Love that you both feels.....

When unconventional pure love have to face reality and morals....
People will not accept what both of you have done....

The human body needs a constant flow of nourishment, air and love to survive. Without Maya I lose all three; apart we will slowly die. - Lochan

‘Seeing you, being with you every day but not being able to do anything – it’s like cancer, it’s like this cancer growing inside my body, inside my mind!’ - Lochan

Yes,Lochan....I know your dilemma....
You have feeling that you shouldn't have....
Its forbidden….

And I love you, so much that it’s killing me, yet all I can do is push you away and hurt you until eventually your love will turn to hate. - Lochan

The ache inside me deepens, and all I can think of is what it felt like to kiss her, how brief that moment was and how desperately I want to live it once more. - Lochan

Don’t leave me, don’t go! You are my love, my life! Without you, I am nothing, I have nothing. If I lose you, I lose everything. - Lochan

Yes,Lochan......I know you've trying so hard - I mean really HARD to protect your families, for that love you choose to sacrifice everything - everything that made you feels ALIVE....
Even its means by hurting yourself....
Oh, I'm crying for you my dear Lochan....

‘You can have me,’ I whisper shakily. ‘I’m here. I’ll always be here.’ - Lochan

Yes, at the end.....
You keep your promise to always be around people which means everything to you....more than your life....

You're really good man...
Really good caring brother....
Really really good one....
Your love and dedication to your brothers and sisters,really make my heart ache even more....

‘You’re not just my brother, you’re my best friend.’ – Maya

"You’ve always been my best friend, my soul mate, and now I’ve fallen in love with you too. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." – Maya

“He is my soul mate, my fresh air, the reason I look forward to getting up every morning.” - Maya

You think no one else understands, I want to tell him, but you’re wrong. I do. You’re not alone. - Maya

And in the end....

A harsh sob breaks the still air. And then I let go.

Willa’s big blue eyes, Willa’s dimpled-cheeked smile. Tiffin’s shaggy blond mane, Tiffin’s cheeky grin. Kit’s yells of excitement, Kit’s glow of pride. Maya’s face, Maya’s kisses, Maya’s love.

Maya, Maya, Maya . . .

Yes, am crying.....
Am crying for both of them....
My dear Lochan and sweet Maya....
For their tragic life and their pure love....
I even have to make a “break” at the moment, and feels afraid to move to next chapter, all because its too hurt to read what happened in the last two chapters……
Its hurt me deep, but…..at the same time, its feels so beautiful….

I leave you with this anon quote from the book....

You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel. - Anon

And for those tears that came from my eyes all night long because reading this "Forbidden Love Story", I gave my full FIVE SPARKLING STARS for :
- Tabitha Suzuma for her amazing skill in writing
- For the heart wrenching story
- And the last.....for Lochan's and Maya's dedication and pure love for their families....

Some people may said that Lochan was disgusting, the devils....BUT for me...."He's tottaly an Angel" NOT because of his forbidden "lust", BUT because of his "pure love" for his beloved siblings!!!

About the Author

 

Tabitha Suzuma was born in London, the eldest of five children. She attended a French school in the UK and grew up bilingual. However, she hated school and would sit at the back of the class and write stories, which she got away with because her teachers thought she was taking notes. Aged fourteen, Tabitha left school against her parents' wishes. She continued her education through distance learning and went on to study French Literature at King's College London.

After graduating, Tabitha trained as a primary school teacher and whilst teaching full-time, wrote her first novel.

Tabitha Suzuma's books have been nominated for a number of awards including the Carnegie Medal, the Waterstone's Book Prize, the Jugendliteraturpreis and the Branford Boase Book Award. She has won the Young Minds Award, the Stockport Book Award, and the Premio Speciale Cariparma for European Literature.

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