Jennie's Book Chat: "Hannibal Rising"

Well, Laurie and I are finished with "Hannibal Rising," now a major motion picture playing at theaters near you.

A little background... It's a prequel to all the Thomas Harris novels featuring Hannibal Lecter... "Silence of the Lambs" being the most famous; "Hannibal" being the most grotesque. (In that book, Hannibal and Clarisse dine on a guy's brains while he's sitting at the table, alive. Yeah. Ick.)

This book takes us back to Hannibal's childhood, in Lithuania or Latvia or someplace, ground zero for Nazis vs. Russians in World War II. It's an interesting sketch of the total lawlessness of war. People with no morals change sides at will, depending on who's winning. It's these people that Hannibal goes after... because they ate his baby sister to survive the winter.

Laurie says: Living when and where we do we forget how really awful war is for the innocent bystander. And how really low people can sink when they are backed up against a wall. I love the whole mind palace thing, they should teach stuff like that in school. So kids can remember all the things they need to.

Speaking of Mischa, Hannibal's baby sister, there's an enduring image in this book and from the last book, "Hannibal" -- He's always talking about the baby's star-shaped hand, reaching out to him. Here, we find out she was reaching as they were carrying her away for cooking... But strangely, I read "Hannibal" when I had a toddler -- 7 years ago, with Emilyn -- and "Hannibal Rising" when I had a toddler -- this time, Allen. And both times, that image of their star-shaped hands really resonates with me. It's part of what a baby is... Reaching out, trying to absorb all they can about the world. And they rely on you to filter everything for them. I can imagine going crackpot if someone hurt my toddler... Would I become a cannibal? That's less certain.

Laurie says: I was kinda disappointed. I
was expecting something a little less slow in the
middle.....a little more organized in his execution of
his plans, of course I know he was just beginning. I
think the most frightening thing in the movie had
nothing to do with Hannibal, it was the thing that
created him....all that f%$#@d up stuff that happened
during the war. That was what gave me the willies.
Man's inhumanity to man, that sort of thing.
So far he hasn't killed anyone I object to.

So, yeah, this was OK... He killed a bunch of Nazi sympathizers that you hated anyway. It wasn't nearly as disturbing as "Hannibal." That book messes with your mind, big time. So, beware.