Hannibal book review

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!