Age Rating: Older Teen
Genre: Horror/Drama
Price: $8.99
JUDAS KISS - Cain stumbles on a secret that will change his life forever. It's not only the Hargreaves who harbor skeletons in their closet. To whom can you turn when the only person you every trusted betrays you beyond your worst nightmares?
Betrayal is an act that can either destroy a person or transform them. This volume is dedicated to the build up and reveal of a major character as a betrayer. But the real drama begins afterwords, with Cain's reaction and resolution to the betrayal.
The betrayal revealed in this volume was probably very obvious to a lot of people. But because it is so obvious that it's the last person you think of. Yuki-sensei is a master of creating red herrings to steer the reader off, in this volume she did a supremely good job of it. She had me guessing all the way to the end. But, once it was revealed, there was no doubt, because she is careful to lay the path before hand. In this case, it goes back to the first series, The Cain Saga.
Cain's father, Alexis, expects this betrayal to destroy Cain, and if it had happened earlier, it just might of. But the proof of Cain's growth in strength of character is shown by his resolve to destroy his father and Delilah, even if it means becoming like his father.
The theme of betrayal continues even after the reveal, through the biblical story of Judas' Kiss, Cain, avenges another murder by Delilah, by tricking the mayor's assistant into killing the mayor, a lackey of Delilah. He has learned that anyone can be a Judas, and goes on to prove it. Some of Yuki-sensei's twisted humor comes into play here, and is needed after the previously emotional storyline. To infiltrate a secret club the Mayor has gone to, Cain being forced to dress as a woman and interact with him. He makes a very lovely woman too, as the old, fat Mayor gloms onto him/her. The humor of the situation is not lost on the reader, or his companions.
The balancing of the comedy and drama shows Yuki-sensei's abilities reach beyond her art. The art throughout this volume is beautifully done. The fine lines of her work give depth without becoming a confusing, jumbled mess. Godchild continues to be an intriguing title, especially as we come closer to the end.
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