2011.Book #5.HANNIBAL

I stayed up last night to finish reading Hannibal by Thomas Harris.  If you've seen the movie, again, you've essentially read the book.  Of course, as usual, I find the book better in most ways, but the movie certainly gives an interesting perspective visually that's difficult to get just through reading the book.  It's definitely a gory story, so you have to be prepared for some pretty gruesome images whether you read the book or watch the movie version.

It's a continuation of the story of Hannibal Lecter, aka Hannibal the Cannibal.  One of the things that the book really brings out more than the movie is how "dirty" the FBI does Clarice Starling.  She's treated like crap even worse than we get in the movie, and she's treated bad in the movie.  It's hard to believe that she willingly stays in the FBI, regardless of the fact that she's portrayed as someone who was born to be an FBI agent.

One of the most shocking differences between the book and the movie is the ending.  If you remember the movie ending, Clarice has put handcuffs on Hannibal and the FBI are on their way.  Hannibal cuts his own hand off with a butcher knife to get away.  Then we see him on a plane, eating what is obviously human brain--and sharing it with a little boy.  First of all, in the book, the plane scene comes in the middle of the story when Hannibal first escapes capture in Italy.  Secondly, well, wait a minute, if I share this, it'll tell too much....what if you decide to read the book some day???  I don't want to ruin it for you.....

About the ending of the book, suffice it to say that it DEFINITELY is a much more INTERESTING ending between Lecter and Starling than the movie!!!!  And it is quite a shock, but still makes a lot of sense!!!!!

I will tell you that one change in the ending is that Clarice eats part of Krendler's brain and enjoys it....!

I definitely am enjoying reading the Hannibal series of books.  I'm probably going to wait to read the last one since I have so many other books I'm currently reading at this time.  We'll see how long that lasts....LOL!!!!  I'm very curious to see where Harris takes the story, especially considering how this book, Hannibal, ends!!!!  What happens between Clarice and Lecter from here....????