I’ve finally broken down and joined Facebook. The trifecta of social media is complete (Facebook, Twitter, blog).
Also, my goal this week is to finish El Rey by Ginger Myrnick. It’s a historical novel, and I tend not to read those as much nowadays, but the setting hooked me. The Iberian peninsula had a lot going on at the time. I’m looking forward to seeing how it gets used.
Vampire Knight, Volume 4 by Matsuri Hino
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Volume 4 belongs to Shizuka Hio, though, really, it’s only a means of focusing in on Zero and Yuuki (if that makes any sense). The volume starts with a bloodstained Shizuka cradling a younger Zero’s head in her lap, cooing over their newly formed bond. He, of course, is less than thrilled.
I really enjoyed Shizuka as a villain. She’s a bit crazy but she has a depth that endeared her to me, in spite of her evil/crazy nature. It becomes clear very quickly that she’s setting herself against Kaname Kuran, but her purpose remains unclear in this volume. At first, it seems she’s there for Zero, yet as the story progresses, it seems she has a much bigger goal in mind.
In the meantime, Hino continues to build the friendship between Zero and Yuuki. Yuuki’s concern for Zero grows as his bloodlust continues to build. When she’s drawn into Shizuka’s game, we learn not only what she’s willing to sacrifice for Zero, but how far he’s willing to go to protect her. As a result, this volume has some of the sweetest scenes between the two so far.
However, Hino also begins to drop hints that something more is growing between the two. Zero seems willing to actively deny/ignore these moments, and it makes sense given his character. Yuuki, on the other hand, just comes across as dense. Maybe I’m missing something in the English translation that exists in the Japanese because with some of the dialogue in this, you’d think she’d get an idea of how deeply Zero’s feelings go. Nope. Either that, or she’s also in denial, though, I think, with less reason.
By the time the volume ends, Yuuki has gotten herself in over her head, Zero has faced Shizuka, a person that was dead turns out to be very much alive, and Kaname has made his move in the game. The goal of the game, however, is still a mystery.
Amy Keeley 