This is an amazing book! About four years ago I watched the film on TV and loved it - even with so many films inbetween it's still one of my all-time highs. Naturally, with such a high standard, I expected the book to be the lesser of the two, by far, and I was pleasantly surprised when the both turned out to be about equal in style, suspense and intrigue.
Clarice Starling is a lovable, strong yet human character, and Hannibal Lecter the most intriguing grayshaded half-villain I've ever met.

Astonishingly enough I thought the book was a bit more graphic than the film, esp. when it came to "Buffalo Bill"'s doings. I loved how the chapters got shorter as the climax approached because I had really admired camera and cut in the film. In my opinion, the final action sequence was executed better in the film, but the reason I'm cutting one star is another one: the language is fiendishly difficult. I'm rather used to reading books in English, but this time I had to look up a lot of them, and with Lecter talking psychologic terms all the time, half of them were not included in any of my four dictionaries. Yeah, I'm cutting points for my own ineptitude... so what? Ah yes, there's something else: I'm not too satisfied with the ending because, after all, I'm not a fan of tying all ends; I really prefer the film's poignant and slightly more open ending. (Btw, I haven't seen either of the sequels, nor do I plan to watch the prequel.)

Actually I had real trouble deciding whether to let go of this book. On the one hand, I'd love to read it again some day (maybe once I've expanded my vocabulary some more), on the other the story was quite graphic AND I already know the film AND with "Hannibal Rising" in the cinemas this is the perfect time for a themed release. Eventually, the scales tipped into the "for" section, so that's what I'll do.

EDIT: I'm so much in love with this book's blurb that I scanned it in, so I can look at it any time I want. Sorry about the size fit for blind people; it's because of the resolution.

RELEASE NOTES:

Actually this was one hour earlier (6pm) - I simply forgot to change the time. I left it on the stack of cine mags (starring Hannibal Lecter :p )

---

CONGRATULATIONS!

You've found a wandering book! Please leave a short (or not so short ;) ) journal entry, so I know that the book's well and safe in your hands. For example, you could write where you found it, how you like it, or what you are planning to do with it.

Thanks a lot!
erinacea

PS: While I enjoy writing these texts in English, there's no obligation for you to do the same. If you like, you could make an entry in German, or whatever your mothertongue may be. Of course, the same holds true for the length of an entry. Write however much you like.
(Kurze Einträge oder Einträge auf deutsch sind auch erlaubt. ;) )