Sequence

In an old deserted church, Kanata discovers a vast room with a coffin--and inside, the body of a vampire. The vampire rises and kills Kanata, but Kanata's soul is saved, and he and the vampire realize they are forever bound to each other. Rated for teens.

Grade 9 Up–A sequence is defined as a spell that lets two bodies share one heart. This is relevant because the first thing that Kamyu Titi does after Kanata opens his cross-shaped coffin is to rip Kanata's heart out of his chest. The sequence forces the boys to lead lives that are intertwined, because the death of one would result in the demise of the other. This strong beginning evolves into a main story about demons, devils, and vampires (collectively known as walks), as well as a strange subplot about gender confusion. Titi is referred to as a pretty boy, and he is unable to tell the difference between boys and girls. A demon that only abducts girls finds Titi very confusing. Then Titi shows up wearing a dress and there are several boy/boy near-kisses, and this comedy of errors crosses the line from the humorous to the downright odd. Titi's gender remains unresolved at the end of the book, but since he/she also denies being a vampire despite all the evidence to the contrary, perhaps it's not surprising. The primary story of the demon-fighting vampire is often compelling, and the demons themselves are some of the most interesting characters in the book. However, the gender confusion/sexual tension aspect of the story may alienate many readers.–Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library
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