Vampire Knight: Volume 14

by Matsuri Hino, 188 pages

Yuki faces the memories Kaname has shared with her and asks him if they can start over from scratch.  But Sara Shirabuki, another pureblood who's been stirring up troubles and tensions lately within the vampire community as well as between them and the hunters, makes a move that may force his hand and ultimately change Yuki's life forever.

Oh my!  I don't want to spoil anyone, so I'll leave out the details.  Things have taken a dramatic turn that have the potential to change the story and relationship dynamics significantly.  Now we'll just have to watch and see what the characters do with this new situation.  Will they stubbornly keep to their professed paths?  Or will they adjust to deal with the realities before them?  I want to know!

Vampire Knight: Volume 13

by Matsuri Hino, 197 pages

At last some of Kaname's history is revealed to Yuki (and the reader) along with the origin of the hunters. But what's she going to do with this new information?

Thirteen books in and I still find it hard to tell these characters apart. *sigh* I'm happy to finally get some background on Kaname and am a little less weirded-out by his relationship with Yuki. But who is the woman from his past? And what's going to become of dear Zero? At least he seems to be semi-well-adjusted...for the moment.

Vampire Knight: Volume 12

by Matsuri Hino, 185 pages

Yuki tries to get through a tense vampire soirée policed by hunters--including Zero, with whom she hasn't spoken since their dramatic parting at Cross Academy--but her night out is cut abruptly short by an apparent murder / suicide involving a hunter and another pureblood in attendance. Feeling useless, she takes the first opportunity Kaname subtly gives her to try to do something to help make the world of vampires and hunters and everyday humans a little less tragic a place.

The politics and intrigue and philosophizing continue in this volume. Who and what are these characters to one another, really? Is Zero ever going to forgive and accept Yuki or Kaname or even himself? How do I want all of this to end? I don't know! But I do want Yuki to cut her hair and wear sensible shoes soon. She's much more fun when she's unfettered. And I imagine her loved ones (even the ones who profess to hate her) will be happier when it's safe enough to let her take care of herself, too.

Vampire Knight: Volume 11

by Matsuri Hino, 196 pages

Cross Academy serves two student bodies: humans by day, vampires by night. Headmaster Cross, himself a former vampire hunter, dreams of peaceful coexistence between the two, and the latter's agreement to attend, albeit without the former's knowledge of their true nature, is a testament to their faith in his dream. At least, it was. Now there are only day students, as the vampires have largely followed their dorm president and now de facto leader Kaname Kuran after the recent chaos brought about by collusion between corrupt elements from both the Vampire Senate and the Hunter Society. And Cross's own loved ones have been caught in the crossfire. His adopted daughter Yuki has recalled her forgotten past and chosen to leave with her long-time protector Kaname. And Cross's ward, Zero, a victim of a vampire attack as a child, and once friend to Yuki, has vowed to kill her the next time they meet--that is, if he doesn't descend to a level E crazed vampire first. But Cross won't abandon his dream, and he won't abandon hope for the ones he cares about. Can anything heal the wounds of this seemingly eternal conflict?

Oh, the angsty vampire melodrama! It is fun, dark, complicated, and, obviously, melodramatic. I still have a hard time telling some of the side characters apart (and there are a lot of characters to keep straight, especially amongst the younger vampires), but the main trio and the primary adults are easy enough to pick out. The plot is chuck-full of intrigue and internal struggles and the characters are both individuals and archetypes. I want to know what happens next! I hate soap operas, and yet I am happily sucked into this one. Go figure.