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hocuscrocus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Now, about Red Dragon I said I would not necessarily recommend it despite it being a part of my favorite series. The same is true for Silence.
So much of this book does not hold up in modern times. On the least offensive note, a lot of the references have been lost to time. But THEN, hoo boy. As a trans and gay person, I have a lot to say about the Buffalo Bill storyline and how it is presented (mostly negative, but surprisingly not all). Fatphobia is also a major plot point throughout and is presented without a shred of respect for fat people, either. Now. I can extend a certain level of grace for something published 35 years ago, but that doesn't make it palatable either.
I see these books through a 20 year old filter of nostalgia that a new reader would not have.
So, read with caution, I guess.
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Terminal illness, Excrement, and Kidnapping
sofiasco's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, and Stalking
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, and Alcohol
reading_for_pluto's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement and Violence
Minor: Fatphobia, Misogyny, Transphobia, Cannibalism, Stalking, and Death of parent
lr2's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cannibalism
Minor: Medical content
horizonous's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Excrement, and Cannibalism
◦ Death (moderate) = Spouse◦ Death (minor) = Parent
nodogsonthemoon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Transphobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Dysphoria
Minor: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Cannibalism, and Car accident
directorpurry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Homophobia, Misogyny, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, and Murder
akira_outofthegravity's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Clarice is so much more three-dimensional, making for a much more interesting read than I imagined. Furthermore I loved her friendship with Ardelia, and I would love a tv show about this book to really pace it properly, and to include all the small details the movie missed. But I love both, and both have their flaws and strengths.
As a closing note, I also don’t find it particularly transphobic. It’s not ideal language, no, but I think to simply call it “transphobic” is reductive and flat. But that’s just my opinion, and people are more than welcome to disagree.
Graphic: Confinement, Fatphobia, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia and Medical content
madinhoa's review against another edition
- 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, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
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: Kidnapping and Cannibalism
Moderate: Death and Transphobia
Minor: Cancer, Fatphobia, and Misogyny