Shannon
Hillsborough
Hannibal Rising (2006) — 35 weeks ago
Even though I loved The Silence of the Lambs and Red Dragon, I put off reading this “prequel” because of how much I loathed Harris’ last book, Hannibal. I was glad I didn’t hate this, but I didn’t love it either. Hannibal Lecter’s childhood and adolescent experiences, while horrific, aren’t really horrific enough to explain why he became a monster, but neither is there enough evidence given to support the theory that he was born that way. Most of the novel is absorbed in a rather tedious revenge fantasy. I would like to see Harris apply his considerable talents to a new subject next time. It is by having strong counterpoint characters to Hannibal Lecter in Lambs and Dragon that made those novels so strong, I think. Let’s give Hannibal a rest.