Book info

• Title The Silence of the Lambs
• Author Thomas Harris
• Year 1988
• Genre Thriller

The serial killer nicknamed 'Buffalo Bill' has been capturing and starving women, then murdering and skinning them. FBI rookie Clarice Starling is assigned to solicit help from imprisoned psychopath Dr Hannibal 'the Cannibal' Lecter, whose insight into the depraved minds of serial killers is second to none. But in exchange for inviting her into the darkest chambers of his mind, Hannibal begins to probe at hers, demanding knowledge of her childhood demons as the price of understanding Buffalo Bill's. Clarice knows how dangerous this man is, and the terrible things he can do with this information. But women are still disappearing, and time is running out...

Thoughts

I’m not sure what compelled me to read this book, other than I found it at my mother-in-law’s house, picked it up and never put it down again. I didn’t think I’d seen the film, but later I described a couple of scenes to Mr C, who confirmed they were from the film.

I did not recall the story though, or how the scenes linked together - I was sure it was all about Lector, but really there’s a whole other crime to be investigated.

Anyway, the book was really good. I read it every opportunity I could, and was keen to find out what happened with the cannibal and how on earth Harris could make him a sympathetic character. I still don’t quite know how he did it, but I certainly didn’t feel sad at the end when he was on the loose.

Weird.

I recommend the book to anyone, whether you have seen the film or not, and I am now going to have to add the movie to my Film Watch list.

Rating: 4 / 5