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eldritch_ace's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Torture
Moderate: Sexism, Death, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Body shaming, Medical content, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Sexism, Stalking, Alcohol, Cannibalism, Fatphobia, Terminal illness, and Cancer
hauntedantiqueshop's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I think I liked it for the nostalgia of the movie.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Confinement, Homophobia, and Toxic friendship
lydiavsbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Wow wow wow. I'd already watched the film a little while before reading it but that absolutely did not take away from my experience. The fact that I already knew the plot, the characters and what was happening and yet still managed to love the reading experience this much really says something.
Of course Hannibal Lecture is an iconic character, perfectly crafted and endlessly intriguing. But Clarice Starling: wow. Clarice was just such a wonderful perspective to follow: a complex real character with amazing strength and intelligence while remaining humble and flawed. I loved her gentleness but also her passion and anger. Through her character it explores the frustrations of being a young woman in a heavily male dominated field as well as the unique insight it brings her. Clarice is absolutely a new favourite character of mine, and a character you could easily believe was written by a woman.
The dynamic between Starling and Lecter was brilliantly fascinating. So many 'psychology thrillers' butcher the psychology aspect with surface level pop psychology or just misinformation, but in this book the psychological aspects were just brilliant done and admirably researched.
I was, early on, concerned that the characterisation of Buffalo Bill would come across as transphobic, but this concept was actually really well addressed and explicitly discussed as Bill not belonging to the legitimate trans community. I was pleasantly surprised considering this was written in the late 1980s. That said, I am cis so I can't really speak on the representation and would be interested on hearing the opinion of trans individuals.
Overall just really impressed, I love the characters, the plot, the mood and can't wait to eventually reread it.
Of course Hannibal Lecture is an iconic character, perfectly crafted and endlessly intriguing. But Clarice Starling: wow. Clarice was just such a wonderful perspective to follow: a complex real character with amazing strength and intelligence while remaining humble and flawed. I loved her gentleness but also her passion and anger. Through her character it explores the frustrations of being a young woman in a heavily male dominated field as well as the unique insight it brings her. Clarice is absolutely a new favourite character of mine, and a character you could easily believe was written by a woman.
The dynamic between Starling and Lecter was brilliantly fascinating. So many 'psychology thrillers' butcher the psychology aspect with surface level pop psychology or just misinformation, but in this book the psychological aspects were just brilliant done and admirably researched.
I was, early on, concerned that the characterisation of Buffalo Bill would come across as transphobic, but this concept was actually really well addressed and explicitly discussed as Bill not belonging to the legitimate trans community. I was pleasantly surprised considering this was written in the late 1980s. That said, I am cis so I can't really speak on the representation and would be interested on hearing the opinion of trans individuals.
Overall just really impressed, I love the characters, the plot, the mood and can't wait to eventually reread it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, and Death
Moderate: Cancer, Gore, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence
midniqhtr42's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4/5 (8/10)
Very light spoilers ahead. Couldn’t find a CW for foul language (other than cursing) but there’s a bit of that.
Like the previous installment, I was hooked from page one. This book actually includes cannibalism, as opposed to the first one, and makes Hannibal Lecter a central figure rather than a peripheral one.
While many of the book’s elements have aged well, the attempted discussion of “transsexualism” has not. Harris seems to be aware that trans people, and queer people in general, are not dangerous or “bad”, but the general tone seems to be one of sympathy rather than understanding.
I’m inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he was nothing but well-intentioned and misinformed, but Harris’ understanding of what it is to be trans seems to begin and end with what amounts to transmedicalism (the idea that trans people have a medical problem that can only be alleviated with surgery and HRT).
To a modern eye, his perspective seems underdeveloped compared to the extensive research he must have done for even minor details in his work.
Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, especially the protagonist Clarisse Starling and her interactions with Hannibal Lecter and Jack Crawford.
Starling is a fully realized character, as most of Harris’ are, and her foray into the boys’ club that is law enforcement was uncomfortable and yet engaging to read about. Harris has that ability to imagine the world through another’s eyes, and uses it well. There was a passage at the end of the novel where Starling is analyzing the bedroom of a female murder victim that reminded me a lot of that Margaret Atwood quite about voyeurism.
I’d also love to see Thomas Harris write a serial killer whose trauma doesn’t stem from mommy issues, but considering the real-life precedent for it I can’t say I was surprised to see it included.
Very light spoilers ahead. Couldn’t find a CW for foul language (other than cursing) but there’s a bit of that.
Like the previous installment, I was hooked from page one. This book actually includes cannibalism, as opposed to the first one, and makes Hannibal Lecter a central figure rather than a peripheral one.
While many of the book’s elements have aged well, the attempted discussion of “transsexualism” has not. Harris seems to be aware that trans people, and queer people in general, are not dangerous or “bad”, but the general tone seems to be one of sympathy rather than understanding.
I’m inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he was nothing but well-intentioned and misinformed, but Harris’ understanding of what it is to be trans seems to begin and end with what amounts to transmedicalism (the idea that trans people have a medical problem that can only be alleviated with surgery and HRT).
To a modern eye, his perspective seems underdeveloped compared to the extensive research he must have done for even minor details in his work.
Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, especially the protagonist Clarisse Starling and her interactions with Hannibal Lecter and Jack Crawford.
Starling is a fully realized character, as most of Harris’ are, and her foray into the boys’ club that is law enforcement was uncomfortable and yet engaging to read about. Harris has that ability to imagine the world through another’s eyes, and uses it well. There was a passage at the end of the novel where Starling is analyzing the bedroom of a female murder victim that reminded me a lot of that Margaret Atwood quite about voyeurism.
I’d also love to see Thomas Harris write a serial killer whose trauma doesn’t stem from mommy issues, but considering the real-life precedent for it I can’t say I was surprised to see it included.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death and Transphobia
Minor: Cancer, Misogyny, and Fatphobia
charliebriggs96's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Cannibalism, Confinement, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, and Toxic friendship
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