Recently I finished
reading Hannibal. After the disappointment that the The Heist, I needed
something good. Something that compelled me to read. Something that made me
uncomfortable(in a good way). Something that made me think. And Hannibal was
perfect in every sense.
It was the 3rd book
of the series, and I haven't read the previous ones. Nor had I watched the TV
series. So the character was totally new to me. Well, not completely. I mean, I
kinda knew that he was a cannibal, but not more than that. I guess this piece
of information is enough to creep out most readers. I guess I was daunted, but
my thirst to read something good prevailed over getting creeped out. It was
good that it did!
Now Hannibal Lecter
is not your normal character. The author, Thomas Harris, takes us into his own
world, which is actually not that different from ours. People are still greedy,
hungry, passionate, and stupid. But this world has an element of darkness in
every person. Maybe it was just me. You can actually feel that no character is
up to any good, which is not the case in 99% of the novels. This stands out, in
my opinion. Anyway, back to Dr. Lecter. He is a psychologist, and also a
criminal. He is a classy man for sure. And also a man of fine tastes. And a
connoisseur of arts. And music. He plays an instrument called harpsichord, and
plays compositions of Bach to near perfection. He is a very intriguing man, and
even after you finish the novel, you won't feel like you understood him. A very
different man, to say the least.
The protagonist,
Clarice Starling, is an ambitious female detective who is getting nowhere in
her career, partly due to bureaucracy. Her love life is non-existent, and she
has some deep rooted psychological issues (giving them away would be spoilers
:P). The opening scene itself puts Clarice into a moral dilemma. That is what I
like the most in a book. The characters should be thrown into situations which
makes them question their own principles. And the book has plenty of this sort
of thing.
The other
antagonist(I can only hope that he was meant to be a villain) is one of the
grossest character I have ever read about. If Hannibal creeps you out, I guess
you won't have any words for this guy. How did the author even get the idea for
such a character? This character is intriguing as well, but rubs off the wrong
way. The things he does, I can only hope to the heavens that such a guy never
was in existence.
The writing style is
also quite unique. Sometimes we feel we are close to the character, and are
privy to their thoughts. Sometimes, it seems as if we are just watching their
actions on a screen, clueless about what they will do next. The narration is quite
beautiful, and scary at the same time. The style of writing adds to the fear
the author wants us to feel. I don’t think many writers use such a style. It
may also be that I have not read books from the horror genre.
Overall, this is a
fantastic book. The suspense, the build up to the events, the vivid
descriptions of the events and the places are excellent. The topic might not be
everyone's cup of tea, but if you decide to go ahead in spite of it, I am sure
you will enjoy it.
Currently, I am
reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I have not seen the movie, and I have
no knowledge about the characters, or even the author himself. It is quite
early to make any judgement on the book, but I would say I am starting to like
it. I am at a place where the novel picks up speed, when certain pieces of the
puzzle fall together to form a clearer, but incomplete picture. Here is to
hoping this one is great as well!
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