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A review by lydiavsbooks
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
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