Series: Vampire Knight
Author: Matsuri Hino
Published by: VIZ Media LLC; Shojo Beat Manga Ed edition
ISBN: 978-1421508221
Genre: Manga, Paranormal, Romance
Reading Level / Interest Age: Ages 14 and up
Author Profile:
“Matsuri Hino was born on January 24 in Hokkaido. She was a bookshop keeper who one day decided to become a manga artist, and all of nine months later, in 1995, she published her first manga title, Kono Yume ga Sametara (When This Dream Is Over), in Japan's LaLa DX magazine. Despite her swift ascension to professional manga creator, Hino's rich illustrations and enchanting storytelling make her success anything but surprising. A former bookstore shopkeeper, Matsuri Hino burst onto the manga scene with her title Kono Yume ga Sametara (When This Dream Is Over), which was published in LaLa DX magazine. Hino became a manga artist a mere nine months after she decided to become one.” From – http://www.openisbn.com/author/Matsuri_Hino/
Reader's Annotation:
After tragic childhoods left them orphans, Yuki and Zero have been graced with the responsibility of protecting Cross Academy’s secret, that it is home to vampires. Although Yuki believes that coexistence is possible and Zero remains dubious, neither one is prepared for whatever the vampires may be planning.
Plot Summary:
Yuki Cross has no memory of her past, except for one winter night ten years ago when she was rescued from a vampire attack by another vampire. An orphan, Yuki was adopted by the headmaster of Cross Academy and trained to work as a guard to protect the school’s biggest secret. Broken into two groups of students, those who attend Cross Academy are either part of the Day Class or the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their rooms, they must cross paths with the mysterious but gorgeous Night Class. What separates these groups of students is the fact that those in the Night Class are actually vampires. Working with her colleague, Zero Kiryu, it is their responsibility to maintain order and make sure the two groups of students can coexist. While Yuki firmly believes that this is possible, Zero is adamant in his distrust due to his own haunted past that involved vampires. While it seems this arrangement is working well, appearances can be deceiving.
Critical Evaluation:
The first installment in the Vampire Knight series, Matsuri develops the foundation for a gothic storyline that mixes romance, despair, danger, hope and vampires. While the plot is rather derivative - there is the main protagonist who is not sure whether she should love or kill the vampire, the tortured soul whose own experience with vampires have left him seeking vengeance, the mysterious school with a dark secret - what sets this apart and makes it utterly compelling is the incredible artwork that seems to tell its own story. The dark, crowded panels immediately set the mood of the story giving readers not just that feeling of danger but the darkness gives off a feeling that is palpable and really accelerates the intensity of the story. While the narrative and dialogue is rather simple, the artwork adds the necessary complexity that allows the images to flow well and every detail is carefully planned in order to invoke some sort of sensory feeling in the reader, even when there are no words on the page or in the panel. The only complaint about the artwork has more to do with the faces. There are some instances where the faces are so similarly drawn that is it is almost impossible to differentiate between characters. Although the main protagonists Yuki and Zero are distinct some of the secondary characters so closely resemble one another that it can disrupt the story as readers try and remember who is who or locate the subtle differences that set them apart.
Curriculum Ties:
- English Literature / Gothic stories
- Japanese Culture
Challenges / Issues:
- Mild violence
- Vampire mythology
Defense of Challenges / Issues:
- Have a clear understanding of the library’s selection policy as well as copies available in order to identify specific points of the policy to challengers in order to strengthen defense.
- Express the library’s dedication to intellectual freedom and open access as outlined in the ALA Library Bill of Rights. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
- Know the material being challenged in order to show that you understand the content and how the challenged material works in context with the rest of the text.
- Have access to both supportive and critical reviews from reliable sources, such as School Library Journal or VOYA. Provide challenger’s with these reviews through either hard copies or by including reviews in the catalog records of library materials.
- Have the ability to explain the rationale behind the inclusion of materials in the library’s collection by discussing an item’s literary merits, intended audience, and offering a brief summary.
- One of the most important lines of defense is to be an active listener and to stay calm. Pay attention to the patron’s concerns, do not interrupt, and do not take his/her challenge personally. Additionally, even if you do not agree with the challenge, still speak to the patron with understanding and compassion. Make sure to respectfully outline the library’s selection policies as well as the principles outlined in the Library Bill of Rights. If the patron is still adamant about the removal of the text, offer a “Request for Reconsideration” form, outlining the patron’s concerns that can be presented to senior library staff.
Book Talk Ideas:
- Both Yuki and Zero came to academy by the headmaster as orphans. Discuss how Yuki and Zero’s earlier experiences influenced their relationships with the headmaster, the school, and the other students.
- Talk about Yuki’s inability to remember her past. If she could, would her opinions of coexisting with the vampires differ? Why or not?
Why this Book?
This is a great read-alike for teens who are fans of paranormal romance series such as Twilight or The Vampire Diaries. It also presents a great opportunity to expand fans of those types of stories to a different medium and genre that they may enjoy just as much and willingly explore further.