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madinhoa's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cannibalism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Excrement, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Trafficking, and Violence
midniqhtr42's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Cannibalism and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death and Transphobia
Minor: Cancer, Misogyny, and Fatphobia
kateausten's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Cannibalism
rachel_here's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Cannibalism and Transphobia
major_tom's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
It’s an interesting detective story, with a very strong main character and insightful descriptions of police structure. In this case, I think the fact that I watched the movie spoiled some of experience reading it, because the movie is so good.
But the plot is interesting, Lector is intriguing, and the mystery keeps you on your toes. The flow is nice, though at the end I felt that things were rushed a little bit, dumping so much factual information. But we don’t learn why the crime happens or any motivation behind it, it’s kept quite vague (at least, it seemed to me).
I think it’s definitely worth reading the book if you liked the movie, but if you’re looking for police-dense murder mystery, there are more exciting books out there.
Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, and Body horror
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Cannibalism, and Kidnapping
Minor: Transphobia
charliebriggs96's review
- 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
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Cannibalism, Confinement, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, and Toxic friendship
fosterwalrus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Stalking, and Transphobia
Moderate: Animal death, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, and Homophobia
bugeys's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Transphobia and Kidnapping
Moderate: Fatphobia, Stalking, and Gore
Minor: Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Torture
hotkoolaidpotato's review
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, and Medical content
Minor: Cannibalism
ben_t's review
3.5
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Cannibalism, Gore, and Transphobia