Review: Limit Vol. 5 by Keiko Suenobu
Limit Vol. 5
by Keiko Suenobu
I have reviewed the first four books in the series:
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
This review contains spoilers for previous books in the series.
With two of their group now dead, it’s impossible to ignore the killer in the group, especially now that Konno and Kamiya have a pretty good idea who it is. Konno clings to the hope that there’s a missing piece to the puzzle that will help it all make sense. She offers to confront the suspected murderer alone. Kamiya agrees only because Konno is confident she’s safe, but during their conversation the murderer panic and attacks Konno. Konno struggles to reconcile this violent monster with the person she thought she knew even as she fights for her life…
**MAJOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW**
The slow mystery of the killer’s identity has been building over the past couple of volumes, and it’s finally revealed here. After appearing in Volume 3 as a beacon of hope and reconciliation, it turns out that the boy Hinata is responsible for the death of Usui and, by extension, Ichinose. But true to form, Suenobu makes his actions complex. Hinata had no intention of killing either girl, and their accidental deaths haunt him. He becomes a sympathetic character, caught up in events he can’t control. Scared and unable to confide in the others, Hinata retreats into a fantasy in which he can cover up everything and emerge from the woods the same as before - and this is when he becomes a villain. It’s a balanced and realistic development of a character, and I’m very curious to see whether he’ll ultimately find redemption or sink fully into delirium.
We also have a brief scene back with the parents of the students, who are still trying to find their kids but have run into one obstacle after another. Even if the brief detour did little but reveal a little more about Hinata’s personality, I think it was crucial to be reminded that the outside world is searching and that help is on its way. It makes the darker events out in the forest a little more bearable. It also heightens the tension because we know the kids are this|close to rescue, but their rapidly deteriorating relationships make it doubtful that they’ll be able to hold on that long.
One volume to go before the conclusion of the series!
4 out of 5 stars
To read more about Limit Vol. 5, buy it or add it to your wishlist click here.
Peeking into the archives...today in:
2012: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
2011: Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
2010: Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
2009: Giveaway: Sorrow Wood by Raymond L. Atkins - WINNERS
2008: News and Discussion Question: Rare Books For Sale
by Keiko Suenobu
I have reviewed the first four books in the series:
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
This review contains spoilers for previous books in the series.
With two of their group now dead, it’s impossible to ignore the killer in the group, especially now that Konno and Kamiya have a pretty good idea who it is. Konno clings to the hope that there’s a missing piece to the puzzle that will help it all make sense. She offers to confront the suspected murderer alone. Kamiya agrees only because Konno is confident she’s safe, but during their conversation the murderer panic and attacks Konno. Konno struggles to reconcile this violent monster with the person she thought she knew even as she fights for her life…
**MAJOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW**
The slow mystery of the killer’s identity has been building over the past couple of volumes, and it’s finally revealed here. After appearing in Volume 3 as a beacon of hope and reconciliation, it turns out that the boy Hinata is responsible for the death of Usui and, by extension, Ichinose. But true to form, Suenobu makes his actions complex. Hinata had no intention of killing either girl, and their accidental deaths haunt him. He becomes a sympathetic character, caught up in events he can’t control. Scared and unable to confide in the others, Hinata retreats into a fantasy in which he can cover up everything and emerge from the woods the same as before - and this is when he becomes a villain. It’s a balanced and realistic development of a character, and I’m very curious to see whether he’ll ultimately find redemption or sink fully into delirium.
We also have a brief scene back with the parents of the students, who are still trying to find their kids but have run into one obstacle after another. Even if the brief detour did little but reveal a little more about Hinata’s personality, I think it was crucial to be reminded that the outside world is searching and that help is on its way. It makes the darker events out in the forest a little more bearable. It also heightens the tension because we know the kids are this|close to rescue, but their rapidly deteriorating relationships make it doubtful that they’ll be able to hold on that long.
One volume to go before the conclusion of the series!
4 out of 5 stars
To read more about Limit Vol. 5, buy it or add it to your wishlist click here.
Peeking into the archives...today in:
2012: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
2011: Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
2010: Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
2009: Giveaway: Sorrow Wood by Raymond L. Atkins - WINNERS
2008: News and Discussion Question: Rare Books For Sale