Google+ Reading Teen: Forbidden Book Club Day 4

Monday, December 19, 2011

Forbidden Book Club Day 4


This post is for the Forbidden Book Club!  The following contains spoilers for anyone who hasn't read through chapter 15 of Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma.  The comments have started getting interesting, and I can't wait to hear what everyone says in the live chat tonight at 10:00 EST, here on the blog!  Things are definitely getting interesting.  I've added a summary below, with some of my thoughts italicized and bold.

Chapters 11-15

"...otherwise I'll fall apart. I'm going to fall apart. I'm falling apart."

Maya has her date and Lochan is left at home obsessing about it and what they're doing. He finally accepts the fact that he doesn't want anyone touching Maya, and decides he's gone crazy.  When she comes home, he freaks out, she tells him nothing happened and making out commences.  Normally when I'm reading a romance, I can feel the excitement in my chest. I love it. But when Lochan and Maya kiss, it was painful to read. I felt like I was going to cry.  I honestly don't know what to feel, I'm so conflicted.

They finally think of the children and realize they'll be taken away if anyone ever finds out what they've done, and they have to stop.

I find it interesting how she could never think of Kit in that way. That it would be disgusting. But with Lochan it's different because he's never felt like a brother.  "Together we've brought up Kit, Tiffin, and Willa. We've shared a burden inexplicable to the outside world. We've been there for each other--as friends, as partners."

Months pass without real explanation and I wonder how they moved past that night and are living together never talking about it.  They decide to try going out with other people so they can move on and forget about each other, but when they try to execute this plan, they both back out.  Maya jumps/falls/faints down the stairs. Is it just me or is she a little manipulative?  Do you think I'm reading more into this than what was intended?  It seems like she keep manipulating situations so that she can get what she wants.

They once again give into temptation and decide they will be together somehow, and that there's nothing wrong with it, it's only people's closed mindedness that's a problem.  Things get very hot and heavy.  I have to be honest, I go back and forth about how I feel about this, but reading this just creeps me out, and makes me feel gross.  I either can't think of them as brother and sister, or I do, and feel repulsed by the idea.  Is that because I have a brother?  Because I have a son and daughter that are 19 months apart?  Because of society?  Because there's something in our instincts that makes us feel this way (because it's better for our species' survival that we aren't attracted to our siblings)?  I don't know.  Of course I still find the whole thing heart-wrenching and compelling.  Plus I change my mind every other day.   I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Make sure you come back tonight (Monday 12/19) for our live chat!  And you can always search the hashtag #ForbiddenBookClub for people's tweets about the book!

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  1. Erlack. I'm not sure what to say. Had it been a couple that weren't related I'm sure I would've been okay with it, but I'm feeling nauseous just reading what you've written. I couldn't do it, I couldn't read this book. I couldn't keep it out of my head that they're siblings.
    I think the author should just tell everyone "This is a book about a brother and sister who fall in love, except they're not really brother and sister since they act like the parents of their family"

  2. Omg- I mean wow- I just don't know how to feel about this dang on book!! The book is amazing, The writing is strong. I don;t know what it is, but... it PULLS me in. This 'topic' is something else. I am still not sure how I FEEL about this book. It is just very hard for me to understand how they can sit here and say people cannot find out because they are brother/sister and still turn around and be kissing on each other when they KNOW that it is wrong. Granted, they have this life, that makes my heart break. I mean they are in school, raising a FAMILY !!! Yes, they have been pushed to be parents from their low life parents, BUT that does not mean to do these things. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY! This is the most intense topic I have read about in a while. For me, it is ,,, i don't know. weird

  3. finally got the book and will catch up with reading this book.

  4. I'm really loving the book. The writing is beautiful and intense and so is the situation that the characters are in. I love Lochie's struggle to figure out what he is going to do.

    Andye I agree with you that Maya is sort of playing to her strength, she is pushing Lochie to his limits. I'm pretty sure Maya wants Lochie to break down and want her. I think part of what we all have to realize is that Maya has these dreams of what a perfect guy would be like for her, her only problem is she has found her perfect man in her brother. Don't we all wish we could find the man who is perfect for us, that makes us think he fits the prince charming role?! I know I always wanted to find that man, even if it took a while, or even if the fit didn't seem perfect at first.

    I know you are all grossed out by them being brother and sister and maybe I just don't understand that whole concept since I'm an only child. I don't think the relationship is gross at all. I think society forces these rules onto how a couple should act and who can be a couple. This is the same thing that happened when gay people came forward to state that they liked people who are the same sex. Society is telling Lochie and Maya that their love is not accepted in society.

    Plus I think we are forgetting that sometimes families of the past would have cousins or brothers and sisters sleep together in order to have a pure blood line. It has only happened over time that society has frowned upon this concept.

  5. I read this book right when it first came out. This was a very hard book to read. I know what you mean about being grossed out. I cringed quite a few times while reading this book. I honestly thought this book was really good though. I really truly felt bad for them. They do know that what they are doing is wrong, and it's so heart-breaking.

  6. I found a couple of these chapters incredibly hard to read. My heart hurt while reading. I felt just such a deep sense of never going back once you act on something. Sure society brings us up teaching us that this is wrong, but when you are talking about acting in a way that can cause and effect the future, if there is a baby for example that comes from their actions, that baby has such a high risk of deficiencies. I believe that people no matter the relations can be and fall in love. But once you move past the internal love and move into physical love, you can't go back. The whole time I read chapter 15 I wanted to cry just thinking about how this book might end, what is going to become of their decisions. I may see tears if there is talk of a baby coming from their relations, because with such a high rate of deficiencies that affect incest babies what kind of a chance at life will that baby be given in that situation. although they have not technically gone "all the way" yet, I can see it happening now, that line was crossed. At first I wanted to blame everything on Mayra and how manipulative she was, she knew exactly what she was doing pressuring Lochan, but with Lochan's reaction to the date, I knew he was already beyond just internal love at that point. Him getting out of the house was his only answer, but even now I think that's too late for them

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  8. Even in todays society you are allowed to marry a first cousin, but you must legally sign documents that in no way shape or form will that marriage result in a child, ever. The bloodlines are just too close.

  9. I have no clue how I feel about this book. There are times when I really like it and there are times where I am seriously disgusted by it. The making out part definitely disgusted me. I am 14 months apart from my older brother and I cannot even imagine doing anything with him. I guess I just can't relate to how Maya and Lochan feel about each other and how they don't see their relationship as wrong.

    I kind of agree with you about the whole Maya thing. She seems to be controlling everything in their relationship and I just don't know how I feel about her yet. I love Lochan and I feel like she is almost taking advantage of the fact that she really is his only friend. It seems like she almost tries to keep it that way. I also thought the comment about Kit was very interesting. The girl confuses me.

    I shall keep reading and see how things go. I like the writing but the subject matter is just not for me. I will admit that it is an addicting book though.

  10. I have to say that I am really enjoying this book. I have laughed, cried, and yelled at this book. Lochie and Maya are raising their family, I say their because their mother has checked out and does not want anything to do with her children. She is the teenager and she has a life to live.

    There were some parts that made me cry but as a Psychology major I understood what Lochie and Maya were feeling. They had an attachment to each other and each one complimented each other so they have these feelings that go beyond brother and sister because they have had role reversals.

    I give the author credit for writing this book and the publishers who publish such a racy book.

  11. …I don’t even know where to start with these chapters. We knew Lochan was under tremendous pressure, from school, from family, and from what he is figuring out about his feelings for Maya. But I honestly did not expect this overwhelming outburst from the two of them. I know they feel as if they are the parents in this relationship because their parents both slacked off in this situation, but they are not! They are still brother and sister! It kills me to read about their feelings for each other, because I kind of feel for them, but I know it’s wrong, so why can’t they? And then STOP IT???

    This book is still well written enough to compel me to want to keep reading to find out what Lochan and Maya will do. I want to know what will happen to them, and what will become of their family dynamics. Can’t wait for the next few chapters!

  12. I'm just going to say it. I love this book! Not for the incest but for the writing and how the heck the author got this preacher's daughter to invest in the characters! I can't put this book down.

    I feel so sorry for Lochan. That boy is so distraught he really needs to be in hospital with counseling. The stress of his life without the complicated feelings for his sister is enough to make you snap. I think this boy is going to lose it. Obviously the relationship is unhealthy no matter the relation. His reactions are just off the charts. Yet, Maya stills has it together. Granted her coping skills were much stronger from the get go, but's almost like she's taking advantage to me? Not sure why I feel that way, but I kind of just want her out the picture so he can get healthy. lol

    I'm secretly hoping we find out they really aren't related, his mom tricked their dad into marrying her, and Lochan gets counseling. I'm on chapter 18 now.

    Very challenging read I have to say. I read The Kindgom of Childhood and had the same response. The writing and characterization is great that would get sucked into this bizarre-o plot.

  13. Um, wait...I meant to secretly want them to end up not being related somehow. My last comment would still have them with the same mother. I didn't mean that. I need to rethink my strategy. lol

  14. I couldn't use the word "love" to describe how I feel about this book, but reading the acknowledgements, and understanding how incredibly difficult it was for Tabitha to write this novel, I can definitely appreciate how much writing this novel tore her up.
    The scene when Lochie was talking with his teacher was so painful. Here's a person who wants to help, but is shut down and shut out. Her intentions are admirable, but in the end it's just one more adult who is unable to get through the hard shell Lochie's put up around himself. She seemed completely helpless to help him. I would love to know what others think she could have done or should have done, if anything. She cares, she tries, she gives up. Was it enough?I don't think so, but at the moment I'm at a loss as to what else she should have done. Any ideas?
    More thoughts later - it's 1:15 am & I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open.

  15. I just really don't understand. And maybe it is because I grew up with a middle class family that was always there for me, but I was never that close to anyone really. Lochie and Maya are acting like the parents in this book, and I think that is influencing their feelings for each other. They both know it is not ok, but yet they still go back and forth on whether they should be together. They should have tried harder at separate relationships. I think they are too young to know true love. And they are too inexperienced as well. I think both of them could find someone else as their boyfriend or girlfriend, and still have their sibling as that best friend. I just don't understand how their feelings crossed the line.

    I am kind of bored with this book actually. I feel like every time I write on here, I am writing the same thing. And I feel like nothing major has happened and that I could sum it up in a sentence or two. I am going to finish this book though, because it isn't terrible. It just isn't a favorite.

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