Friday, June 17, 2011

Review: Lament of the Lamb (Vols 2 & 3) by Kei Toume



Product Summary


As Kazuna continues to be tormented by a violent and irrepressible craving for blood, his long-lost sister Chizuana reveals the secrets of his past. With their destinies intertwined, the siblings grow increasingly alienated from the world...and the only cure for their terrifying disease just might destroy the ones who love them.

Vol. 2

After another attack of bloodlust, Kazuna's rage grows and he confesses to Chizuna the horror of his bloodthirsty dreams, which seem to be linked to his unconscious desires. With no cure for his vampirism in sight, Kazuna ponders ending it all—will he evil be able to rest in peace? Or is sleep really the cousin of death?Vol. 3
First Impressions

Love and destructiveness co-exist inside all of us. They are continually at war with each other. But it is ultimately our desires that determines which side dominates...

When we last left Kazuna he was struggling to come to terms with his vampiric hunger and the complexities of his recently reunited relationship with his sister Chizuna, all the while trying to maintain a normal life attending school and sparing the feelings of fellow student Yaegashi, whose romantic interest in Kazuna puts her at great personal risk.

Volumes two and three of Lament of the Lamb see Kazuna's innermost feelings brought to the surface, as he wrestles with thoughts of suicide and questions the nature of Chizuna's love for him—namely, whether her new-found interest in him is due to their shared family history, his striking similarity to their deceased father or the burgeoning of a love that borders on taboo.

Meanwhile, Chizuna notices Kazuna's increasing dependence on Yaegashi and hatches a plan to demolish their relationship. But Yaegashi--as important as she is to Kazuna--cannot distract him from the realization that a rift has formed between him and his adoptive parents. The drama reaches its painful climax in an emotionally charged scene between Kazuna and his mother, as they finally acknowledge what they've left unspoken for so many years. The intensity of Kazuna's mother, coupled with Kazuna's harsh replies (whether sincere or spoken for his mother's protection) will leave the reader with a feeling of intense discomfort.

Final Thoughts

Even though there's enough drama within the pages to create an entire twisted soap opera, the story still feels natural and progresses logically, abstaining from deus ex machina and cheap literary thrills.

A unique drama/horror worthy of continued reading, Lament of the Lamb began with a seed of darkness. That seed has now been watered with equal parts blood and malice. What flowers in future volumes will undoubtedly bring contempt and despair. 

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