So I've given this book three stars.

And here is the reason. Even after reading other people's reviews, I did not connect to this book. Right off the bat talking about the burnt out carcasses of dead flies threw me off. It put me in a dark place. It made it so that I couldn't connect to the story because I feel that the introduction was pushing people away. It wasn't a "hey come listen to my story," it was more, "this is going to bore the living shit out of you deal with it."

And for the first 150 Pages it was extremely boring. I'm all for attention to detail, as long as it's not overdone. And God help me, this book, when it came to details, was way overdone!

Also it felt like they dwelled too much on what other people would think, as opposed to what was actually going on in their relationship. Near the end of the book, yes you actually have to wait that long for the accumulation of the story, I started to connect to the book. I started to connect to their fears, their worries, their happiness, their anger, their fright. I started to connect to it. Even when the Grand conclusion happened. I totally connect it I could see right off the bat who turned them in so to speak, and I knew it was going to happen. I didn't know why it was going to happen but I knew it was going to happen.

So the reason that it got one star from me was because once they finally got to the root of the actual story, it was a good story. Well good as in it is something that happens that nobody talks about.

And then they got a star because well bravery for talking about something that is considered taboo in nowadays, but in the past, kings and queens duchesses and dukes and blah blah blah got married to siblings, family members, and it wasn't frowned upon. It was common practice. So the fact that the author had The bravery to write about it, it is a plus in my books.

And the last star was more the fact that it brings light to the fact that parents have to take responsibility for what they do to their children. These two kids were forced, kicking and screaming, into a husband and wife, father and mother role to three younger siblings. What the fuck did the mother think was going to happen when she pushes these children into such a role that they are living as husband and wife? Eventually feelings are going to happen. They are stuck together, under the same roof, closest in age, of course they're going to develop feelings.

Add in the fact that they were constantly under pressure to keep social services away from their siblings. They had a stress that they shared emotion about. And Trust me, I grew up under the care of the province, trust me when I say, it is not always the safest place. So I connect it to their fear about wanting to keep their siblings together. And they had that common stress. That common goal. They were the only two that understood the pressures that they were under. They were the only two supporting each other. Emotionally.

People can say that the relationship was taboo. They can say that it was all on them, it was their fault, it was the boys fault, with the girls fault, in the end it was nobody's fault. Well except for the mother. they were abandoned. Neglected. They sought love where they could. It developed over time. It's not like they acted on it right when it started happening. It grew.

I just think it's sad that people don't seem to understand that this kind of relationship actually happens more than you would think. It's very common. The only thing that isn't common is talking about it. Because everybody is afraid.

Anyone who's reading my review, no worries I have no physical attraction to any of my siblings. My review isn't about that. I'm just saying that, in the book they talk about going to prison a lot. We got the point. It's illegal. We understand. There was no need to shove it down our throat 50,000 times. Yes I know that was exaggerating but still once you read the book you'll understand.p

Something I don't understand though. And I'm not talking about morality. Legally. Anything like that. Why is it illegal? What exactly does somebody's relationship have to do with anyone else? If they're not harming anyone, whose business is it really? it's not a relationship I would personally get into, but at the same time it's just like people being gay. Their relationship has no bearing on me whatsoever. What they do behind closed doors is their business. Do I agree with the relationship? no, but at the same time how is it my business? How is it your business? How do siblings being involved with each other, affect you? Or tom, dick, or Harry down the street? It doesn't affect anybody. Except for the people involved. And they say it several times throughout the entire book, these two siblings were basically adults. So they were old enough to make their own damn decisions. Now if it would been a 14-year-old girl versus an 18 year old boy then yeah, I would have stepped in. Because honestly at that age, I don't feel that 14 years old is old enough to make an informed decision like that. But 17, sorry she was 16 2 weeks shy of her 17th birthday, but still 16 even is more advanced than a 14 year old. But once they're old enough to make their own damn decisions, their own damn mistakes, or non mistakes for all I know, it's nobody else's business.

Again morally, me personally, I find it wrong but in the end it's not my business, and it's nobody else's.

I do admit that the ending was so sad. Like heartbreaking, vomit inducing, shockingly sad. ( )

Lochan y Maya siempre se han sentido más amigos que hermanos. Ante la incapacidad de cuidarlos de su madre alcohólica y la ausencia de un padre que los abandonó, los dos jóvenes deben hacerse cargo de sus tres hermanos menores y esconder su situación a los servicios sociales, porque ninguno de los dos es mayor de edad.
La responsabilidad que comparten y las dificultades a las que se enfrentan les unen, hasta empujarlos a enamorarse. Ambos saben que su relación está mal y que no debe continuar, pero al mismo tiempo no pueden controlar sus emociones y la atracción que los domina.

I remember really liking his book but haven't read it in a very long time. ( )

Ehh.... I kind of get the feeling the author wanted to write something edgy and subversive and thought-provoking (see all the glowing reviews about how it made readers want to root for an incestuous couple), and maybe even kind of sexy (all the sexual tension between the characters), but the entire book just came off as incredibly melodramatic. Even kind of cringeworthy.

The characters' inner dialogue sounds like something out of a romance novel with their heavy introspection and angst. I mean, it's probably dead on for how two teenagers might actually think if they were in this situation (a brother and a sister falling in love with each other), but their thoughts just went in circles (we belong together, but we can't be together, etc.) that it was really tedious to read. Their professions of love for each other were supposed to come off sweet, but just kinda made me cringe with how sappy they were. There were a lot of sexual undertones in the book and clearly, the author intended it to be kind of sexy and edgy with all this sexual tension (between siblings, no less!) in a teen novel, but again, I was just reminded of cheesy romance novels. (I almost think this book may have worked better if it was an actual romance novel.)

And the whole thing felt really staged, if that makes sense. Like, there was never once a moment where I got really engrossed in the story and stopped seeing the author's manipulations. Everything just felt really constructed and awkward, like the story wasn't happening organically, but that everything was set up carefully and deliberately by the author because she clearly wanted to prove some point. This is most obvious when the siblings Maya and Lochan are talking about the moral and legal consequences of their relationship-- and it's not that I don't think teens would talk about these things, but the way they were talking about it didn't ring true to me at all. Like, after all that melodramatic angsting, they are suddenly having a logical discussion about this??? It felt unnatural, and more like the author pushing an agenda through her characters.

Anyway, I'm clearly in the minority with my one star review but I just did not like this one at all. This book was an absolute chore to finish and honestly made me roll my eyes a few times. ( )

Absorbing, riveting, well written and thought provoking. I loved this book. Not for young readers at all. I would say 16 and up really. This book sucks you in and spits you out exhausted. And I'll be honest, I cried. Even though I knew going in that there was no way this could end happy. The characterization was amazing. I recommend this if you can get past the subject matter. I will say however, it is not presented in any kind of a prurient way if you're worried about it. The whole situation was just incredibly sad. ( )