Rating: 3.5 stars 
 "Before there was anything, there was Lochan" 
 Non-Spoiler Review and Description 
 Mother's barely ever home, and when she is, she isn't really there. 
 Maya should be allowed to be a teenager. 
 Lochan should be able to go off to college, without having to worry about his siblings. 
 Kit should have a father instead of the liqueur he uses to forget. 
 Their youngest of siblings should have a mother who reads them to sleep. 
 But they have Lochan and Maya. 
 And Maya has Lochan. 
 ** This novel is much more than just Maya and Lochan's relationship (two siblings).** 
 It contains an array of diverse messages throughout, giving it multiple story lines, since their relationship is not the main aspect, rather an effect of it. If you focus on the relationship alone then you may find this book distasteful. I think if you put an effort to consider the authors message, and read between the lines, it will be a much understandable read for you. 
 If you cannot handle issues such as, mental illness, disorders, drug and substance abuse, neglect, and incest, then you may want to reconsider reading this. 
 Writing:7/10 
 Characters:6/10 
 Message:7/10 
 Delivery:8/10 
 Enjoyment:5/10 
 It took me some time to get used to the split POV and all the characters. I enjoyed that Lochan and Maya (the main characters) were teenagers with feelings other than, "I have a crush and will allow this to consume me", as many other books do. The message in all of this seems very clear from the start, but towards the end it gets more complicated. I personally thought the ending was abrupt, which raised questions on what the author was trying to share with the reader. The writing was lovely and poetic at times, but this isn't a light tale, so boredom was inevitable. 
 There wasn't one set theme to the novel making it simpler, if you find the relationship uncomfortable. I don't think the author ever tried to romanticize the relationship between the two siblings, rather only shed light on it and the origins. 
 Tabitha was able to demonstrate the mentality of both characters in each POV, though I have to admit, I learned more about Maya from Lochan. 
 The subject matter is quite controversial and at times could be uncomfortable, since incest isn't something we see or think about in our day-to-day lives. 
 Since this is a none spoiler review I'll explain to you the relationship between Maya and Lochan so you understand it a little better before or even after going into this: 
 They both haven't had anything constant in their life except for each other. 
 Their father deserted them, while their mother is a alcoholic who barely returns home. 
 They have to take care of three kids, as well as balance school and any relationship they may have outside of the house. 
 The only thing they've got is one another, which they assume will never change. No one can relate to their struggles since they must be kept a secret (since they are not legal guardians). They can only confide in each other. 
 I am NOT in anyway justifying the relationship, but neither am I shunning it. It's a complicated matter that I will not judge, especially after reading this novel. This was definitely impacting and question raising. 
 I'd recommend this book to people interested in social justice issues and meaningful/impacting reads. 
 Overall thoughts: