Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Review : Forbidden by Eve Bunting


*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.


PublisherClarion Books 
Publication dateDecember 1, 2015
Pages224
Source: #BooksForTrade ARC

The Story:

In early-nineteenth century Scotland, sixteen-year-old Josie, an orphan, is sent to live with an aunt and uncle on the rocky, stormy northwest coast. Everything and everyone in her new surroundings, including her relatives, is sinister, threatening, and mysterious. She's told that Eli, the young man she's attracted to, is forbidden to her, but not why. Spirited, curious, and determined, Josie sets out to learn the village's secrets and discovers evil, fueled by heartless greed, as well as a ghostly presence eager for revenge. An author's note gives the historical inspiration for this story.
- via Amazon
RatingFOUR Gold Stars!!!

One-word Review: Alluring

Reading Tune: Come Back For Me by Jaymes Young

My Review

I zoomed right on through Forbidden
. I could not put it down. 

Tag Line:


Some shipwrecks aren't accidents. 

Opening Line:

We had arrived.

Plot:

When I started 
Forbidden I was bent on going into the story blind -- something I have never done before -- only noting the tag line. Some shipwrecks aren't accidents. So, I read. Josie was briskly making her way to Scotland And within the first chapter, I was already analyzing the blurb trying to crack the case of the story. Only a few pages in, I was already stumped by suspense. Reading Josie's uncle and aunt, Caleb and Minne, characters in action put me on the edge of my seat. What did the newly orphaned Josie get into? What were her newly acquired family members hiding? What was the secret harbored by the town by the sea? 

The pacing was spot-on. The story did not lallygag which is always a bonus -- not once did I have to force myself to tackle through. For the most part, the writing was clean, clear and inviting. the suspense, the dark, gothic, historical was well incorporated into the story. However, while Bunting had the historical feel down, she could have worked a little more on making me see the characters are Scottish. That was have brought the imagery of Forbidden more to life while reading.


My uncle was speaking. "Will she be strong enough, Minnie?" he asked. 
"In body, yes. In her head, I do not know," my aunt answered. "We may have to persuade her." - page 23

All in all, Forbidden is for readers seeking a good gothic historical fiction with a pinch of romance. This was the first I have ever heard or read anything by Eve Bunting but if her subsequent Young Adult books are anything like Forbidden then I will be adding them to my TBR stack.

Character Breakdown:


The overall character development was well done. Their actions felt real to me. The characters came to live, especially Josie . . . 

Josie Ferguson - Curiosity kills the cat . . . a saying just about everyone has heard. And the one that kept running through my head while reading Forbidden. Boy was this girl noisy as hell. There were times when I caught myself shaking my head at her unabashed relentless ability to stick her nose where it did not belong . . . then again, this particular trait of hers made her character more vivid and helps push the storyline along.


"Curiosity is only prying by another name," my father had told me more than once. "Someday it will lead you where you should not go." This could be a Pandora's box that was said to hold all the evils of the world. If I opened it, would I let the evils escape? Would I ever get them in again? - page 151

Eli Stuart - Readers are given much when it comes to Eli. He is a mystery . . . a forbidden mystery we cannot seem to stay away from. Or help swooning for. Even thought we essentially know nothing about him.


Mrs. Stuart came across to me and took my hands in hers. "My dear. You have faced too many distressing events. I sympathize." She paused, and I saw her bite her lip. "But I do want to warn you. Do no give your heart to Eli. If you do, it will be broken."
I pulled my hands away, Was she deranged?
"Dear girl," she said softly. "You think me a meddlesome old woman. But I saw how you looked at him. You should know. Eli is forbidden." - page 69

Meet the Author:








EVE BUNTING has written over two hundred books for children, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, The Wall, Fly Away Home, and Train to Somewhere. She lives in Southern California.


***Check out Eve Bunting's website for more information about her and her booksHERE





Happy Reading!


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