Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
Cain Hargreaves is a cursed man. Given the name of the the Bible's most notorious son who stole his brother's birth right, and destined to roam the world alone, Cain has beaten, poisoned, and abused by his father because he blames Cain for the death of his wife, Augusta. However, Cain, ironically, poisons his own father and assumes the role of Earl. Known for his obsession with poisons, Cain is not what he seems; in fact, he is quite loving and gentle. With the support and love from his half sister, Mary Weather, and his butler, Riff, Cain knows what it is like to be loved, contrary to what his father believes. Recently, strange things have been taking place in London where people have gone missing whom Cain, and his sister, are acquainted. Moreover, it looks like Cain's "dead" father has come back to seek revenge on him.

Critical Evaluation:
As readers dive into Cain's world, they read about the Hargreave curse and the incredible lengths a father would take to destroy his only son. This manga is not a happy one, but with the cast of odious characters, readers will be sucked into this dark Victorian world filled with Jack the Ripper and other monsters of our dreams. There is all kinds of love (twisted and genuine) demonstrated, which will make reader's questions their personal definitions of love. Although this book is dark, and violent, it is actually a Shojo (meant for girls) because of the love between the characters. The relationship between Riff and Cain is a little confusing; Cain refers to Riff as his in every way (almost like a lover). However, Cain is still in love with his cousin (Suzette), who is reincarnated into a doll named Mikaela, who will kill for love. All in all, this is series, reminiscent to Alice in Wonderland meets Frankenstein tale, readers will dive into a world scarier than any nightmare.

Information about the Author:
Unfortunately, since she is mostly popular in Japan, it is rather difficult to find in depth information about Kaori Yuki. According to her website, the only information she gives is that she was born on December 18th, she's a cartoonist, and her blood type is B (the same as mine). According to a fan site, The Best Of, "[Kaori Yuki] became a professional manga artist in 1987, after placing in one of the many contests held by Hana to Yume. She rarely appears at events and tends to withhold personal information, thus little is known about her. She usually publishes in Bessatsu Hana to Yume"(para. 2). Kaori is also known for her artwork in the hit series, Angel Sanctuary.

Reading/Interest Level:
Teen 13 & up

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