Kelly Lanier
I read the book last week and saw the movie two hours ago. The book and the movie are two different experiences as one would expect. Don't miss the book. It won't disappoint you if you want your senses overwhelmed--the shock value alone is worth the book's cover price. If you want something "tasty," see the movie. Regardless of your expectations, don't let us wait another 10 years for the next entree.

Jessie
I had seen Silence of the Lambs as a child, and had not read or seen anything else of Dr. Lector. That is until, I was searching for a book to read on my flight home from San Francisco. Hannibal was a fantastic book. The plot was ok, but Hannibal Lector is just about the coolest killer I know of. He is intelligent, and highly sophisticated. He is able to play with a victim's mind and then literally consume them in the most unusual ways. Such a complex character would be impossible to pass up.

Celia N. Zoiopoulou
One of the best novels I have ever read. It's tasteful, in spite of the gory scenes and it shows that a lot of research has been done by the author in order to give the reader a book that is worth reading. I' m very sorry that I had to read the Greek translation, because I am sure that I have missed a lot and I don't mean that as an insult to the translator. I can understand why some people are not able to understand this novel but I have to say they completely missed the point, in my opinion. Sometimes, it's useful to keep an open mind.

Michael
Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that ending! I understand that there was a certain chemistry between Lecter and Starling, but kindred spirits essentially walking hand in hand into the sunset, no way! It wasn't the ending I envisioned and I had a tough time catching that curve ball. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It provided a lot more insight into Lecter's character and Harris is superb at setting a scene and developing characters. I particularly enjoyed the section of the book that placed us in Florence. Lecter is resourceful, intelligent, and cultured. As a result, you are drawn to his personality. Despite the fact that he is a psychopathic cannibal, you find yourself pulling for him. Even though Mason, who has a few problems himself, has every right to seek revenge, you remain on Lecter's side. Starling's "fall from grace" in the FBI was interesting and her insight to the treachery that led to it was keen. Through it all, her sense of right and wrong was clearly visible but, because of the ending, the line dividing the two clearly blurred. I was of the opinion that Starling's morality would never allow her to have a deep, committed relationship with Lecter, no matter how much she may have respected him. I applaud Harris' bravery regarding the ending, I'm just curious to see how the movie version will handle it.

Sebastian
Where should I begin ? I just finished Hannibal about 15 minutes ago , and am at loss of words . I found my self gripped to this book , reading obsessively and becoming more and more intrigued by what would finally happen in the ending . And then.... WHAT ? Clarice becoming a cannibal ??? Her and Hannibal going off together ????? This idiotic romance ruined the book , destroying the clever and interesting connection and relationship between these key characters that was so well established in SILENCE . It was not the twist that annoyed me the most , it was the lack of a clear explanation to this odd, sudden change . The motive of Clarice and Hannibal in this affair was vague at best . The ending really upset me , I knew and related to Clarice in particular , and I feel that her character was definitely cheated by Harris and put into a Hollywood ideal . It was really quite pathetic . I applause Jodi for her decisions concerning the movie , and am quite shocked by Hopkin's decisions , as he has obviously taken a turn for the worst when it comes to movie selections ( I am still maimed by watching his last film with Jessica Lange , which frankly I can't be bothered to remember the name of ) . The book still had many good points , I was on my feet for 4/5 of it . I think this book's high point was definitely the scene in which Lector and Starling help each other in order to escape Mason's realm , I felt that Harris could have easily concluded the novel at this point with another 10 pages , avoiding the romance . In my opinion , Margot ended up really stealing the " strong woman " role from Starling . She was a very interesting factor in the novel . I still recommend reading the book , but please try to stop reading it after the " high point " which I spoke of , and try to pretend that that's it , I regret not doing so.

Reign
I unlike others, considered 'Hannibal' to be a brilliant thriller that kept me in suspense. I think it sad that others should call it unrealistic because they don't wish to acknowledge the political depravity in western worlds. As for the ending, where else or who else could Clarice turn to? She was a wrongly accused fugitive, with only the understanding Lecter to lean on, some one who was clearly never a threat to her. A book should not be deemed "pathetic" because one can't mentally handle the idea of the "bad-guy" getting lucky, or of "Clarice" losing faith in her moral foundations after seven years of being pushed around by Krendler, and then losing her career! (How did you expect her to feel? It happens okay!) To me the book was as realistic as a book can get, and Harris wasn't afraid to break the 'goodie always succeeds' regurgitated ending that most of us are sick of. Well done Harris.

Patty
I think the book was great. I've been reading other reviews and a lot of people don't like the fact that Clarice didn't make it in FBI, but actually she did, she was better than other agents. It was the corrupt FBI agent and Mason Verger who messed everything up for her. She's still a very intelligent person in this second part. That's why Hannibal didn't kill her. I think people were expecting a typical ending.. they catch Hannibal, he gets the death sentence and Clarice gets an award or something.. but I found this ending to be a LOT better.

Tristan Luke
No one seems to be getting it. This book is marvelous. Possibly the best yet, though it needed Silence to build on. Harris took the character he's been developing since Red Dragon and deepened him, humanized him. His most meaningful qualities from the beginning were the human ones, so the character is the better for it. The most meaningful lines in these pieces, the essence of what the author has to teach us, comes from Lechter ("taste is not kind, and being smart spoils a lot of things"). Harris speaks to us, I believe, through Lechter more than any other. You may find that uncomfortable since so uninhibited by our ideas of right and wrong, but it simply is. The reviews posted herein seem to be disturbed at the changes in Starling and the subsequent coupling of she and her mentor Hannibal. People have lived with the world created in Silence for ten years, and, true to form, seem very uncomfortable with change. A review on this website described the "old" Clarice as "awesome!" and chided the new. Perhaps the author of that review would be more secure reading Wonder Woman. The original starling was a naive young woman. How Wonderful to see Harris acknowledge the invasiveness and corruption that is federal law enforcement in this country through her. If one really respects her in Silence then certainly it is clear that her fall from grace with the FBI was inevitable as she is a woman of integrity. Perhaps Harris's fall from your graces was also, and for the same reason. Hannibal has always been Harris's true hero in my opinion. He speaks to us the most through Lechter. The man who truly teaches us how to think and to live. No, I don't advocate killing people and eating them. I don't believe Harris does either. That's fantastic, an indulgence of the revenge fantasies we all entertain. Harris obviously has the sensitivity of an artist which makes him doubly offended at some detestable man who, say, butchers deer indiscriminately. How lovely to imagine sticking him with an arrow, and eating him! Lechter's homicidal eccentricies are an expression of a strong sense of justice in my opinion. The novel Hannibal has made that all the more clear His lack of inhibibition notwithstanding he is truly empathetic . It seems many wanted to continue to see him as some kind of almost supernatural figure. Fearful, and easier to dismiss. They were comfortable with that. It seems many are disillusioned with Lechter now, many claiming he's lost his edge. Wrong. Not so. By endowing him with a kind of mortality Harris has made the character far more thrilling and three dimensional. I thought the whole piece including the romantic climax at the end was an absolutely brilliant and bold gesture from the author. The perfect resolution.
Thank you for your time.

Max Vanvoorst
After Silence of the lambs I was expecting another, edge of my seat, thriller.
Peyton Place was more scary and more realistic then this book will ever be, a total waste of good money, please someone buy my copy from me!

Scott Chang
Hannibal finally came out in paperback and I was overjoyed. I heard mixed reviews about the book and was unwilling to fork out the horrendous hard cover price. After reading it, I realize the seven dollars the paperback cost me was too much. Why was I so utterly disappointed in Harris's long awaited sequel? Oy vai. Where do I begin?
Clarice Starling is awesome in Silence of the Lambs. She's the Beauty from Beauty and the Beast, except unlike the waify fairy tale heroine, she's got backbone and character-- one that has enough "umph" to pit her against the terrifying Hannibal Lecter. But in the sequel, Clarice Starling succumbs to fairy tale heroine status and her "umph" is lost. Harris describes her as too stupid to play FBI politics but smart enough to figure them out. It doesn't work.
The Beast in this new tale is just as bad as the Beauty. In his long anticipated story, Harris reveals the dark shadows that lurk behind Hannibal's mask. As a result we meet a whiny loon wounded and crazy because of the travesties of World War II. Lecter has lost his mystique and the story is deeply hurt because of it.
The final drug induced coupling of these two characters is indeed the demise of the book. Beauty succumbs to the Beast because her grit is gone and she needs to "save" him. The Beast then turns into a prince, suckles on her breast, and later feeds her brain. Finally the pair frolic away happily in Brazil listening to Opera and living large. BLECH. Buy it at a used book store if you must read it. Fifty cents is about all it's worth.

Lori
While Harris has once again taken us on a wild ride thru cannibalism with the debonair Hannibal Lecter, I can't help but feel cheated. I finished the book just five minutes ago, and feel that Harris was not true to the character he created in Clarice Starling. The gutsy, bootstrap-lifting FBI agent introduced in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, in my opinion, would not have been so completely taken in by Lecter, nor would her sense of right and wrong, clearly established in SILENCE, allowed her to ever come to her senses and still remain with Lecter. I found this book an entertaining read, but for the last 100 pages or so, I was dragged along, looking for the situation to be corrected. It never happened. Mr. Harris, whatever happened to Clarice's ideals?

Lucas Sjeklocha
The aptly titled "Hannibal" is a wild yet over imagined ride into the psyche of the infamous Hannibal Lector. As brilliant as Harris' work is Hannibal desperately needs to tie to reality. A psychological thriller none-the-less still needs to tie into reality so the readers have a base. The world shown to us in Hannibal is too outlandish for us to comprehend the facets of. The book is an excellent ride but leaves you with nothing but the shock of a love-affair between Clarice and Hannibal. I hope the movie brings their plight down to earth for the rest of us.

Sonia Dadwal
The sequel to 'The Silence Of the Lambs', eagerly awaited for by thousands was interesting if not gripping. It lead you into the world of Dr Lector and for me ruined 'The Silence of The Lambs' for the shear insane genius of Dr Lector no longer exists as Harris stripped him of his brute evil and tried to explain 'why' he was like this. A disappointment in my opinion and although a good read, it is far from one of Harris's best novels!

Stephanie Moss
To call Hannibal brilliant is a mistake. This novel is clearly an author's flight into his overactive imagination. The chief weakness of Hannibal is that it is too absurd and quite revolting in places. In order to really make a thriller frightening and suspenseful a strong link to reality is needed. This novel so clearly does not do that. It is over the top. Hannibal Lecter manages to be a competent surgeon, psychiatrist, Italian Scholar, the Son of a Count, amazingly strong (even though he is getting on a bit). And what about Clarice? Eating brains with Lecter, then going to bed with him?!!!! Has Thomas Harris lost his marbles???? This reminds me of Vincent Price in Doctor Phibes for God's sake. The book isn't evil. It's just daft. There are good bits which are classic Harris. The shoot out at the start. Lecter escaping with Starling. The death of Pazzi. But the structure of the novel was all wrong. It was downright dull in places and lacked a lot of the nail-! biting quality of Thomas Harris. Thomas Harris is still my favourite author by a long chalk. But Hannibal is definitely his worst book yet

Blake
Very original. Harris seems to have matured as a writer as he masterfully blends his knack for suspense with the wonderful penetration into Lecter's psyche-- much in the fashion as Amadeus or Shakespeare in Love as we see exactly what makes geniuses tick.

Daphne Blake
Most people enter a group or decide to become a member of a group, because they seek improved relationships, or they desire a positive life change. In order to change, we must become aware of our interpersonal styles; how we behave in relation to others. From this comes awareness, and awareness can lead to change. The process of interaction was lacking in the group of 6 individuals. Hence, little feedback was received, and little awareness was uncovered. This type of group therapy is referred to as vertical disclosure, whereby one shares history, rather than sharing what is going on with them in the here and now. To avoid what is going on now (fear, anxiety, intimidation), people often resort to delving into historical accounts. Historical accounts are ineffective, unproductive and antitherapeutic.

Ruby
I have not yet read Girl, Interrupted, but I have seen the movie. I do understand that when a book is made into a movie it can be very different from the original book itself. Although the movie is about Susanna Kaysen, to me the most interesting character is Daisy Randone. I think it is tragic that her life ended at such a young age. I am sure her story would be just as interesting as Susanna's was. I think this is a very heart-warming, tragic, and yet still enthralling movie (and book I am sure) that will capture the hearts of many. Along with Daisy, all of the characters are interesting in their own way. When I say this, I think I am speaking for anyone who has read the book or seen the movie, Their is a very big "Thank You" that should go out to Susanna Kaysen for being generous to tell her heart-warming tale to the world. It really shows you that you can find your self and good friends in the places you least expected. So, Susanna Kaysen, thank you very much for sharing your story.

Elizabeth
Girl, Interrupted is an awesome book, but you can't over look it's counterpart One Flew over the cuckoo's nest. The book definitely tells the story better than the movie, although I would never have been inspired by an assignment. I'm glad I did. It definitely made me question my sanity.

Celina
Girl,Interrupted was an amazing book. I was able to relate to it in many ways. Susanna Kaysen writes in a very detailed but amusing way. I've also become the book Girl,Interrupted in the past year. I've walked around and I have been every character in that book. I have felt like Lisa, Susanna, Polly, Cynthia, Janet, Daisy, and M.G. I've also dealt with depression, an eating disorder, and the fear of terrible reality. I suggest that every young and old person read this book and see the movie because it will touch you forever and bring out deep emotions. I still cry everytime I think of this wonderful, true, late 60's story.

Steph, 16
The book was AWESOME! It made me think, to question my sanity and to question everybody else's as well. Susanna seems to know everything that everybody thinks, and nobody says. And she had the perfect way of putting it into words. I think that she may be a lot more sane than most people living outside of McLean hospital!