Book Review
Title: Red Dragon (Hannibal Lecter #1)
Author: Thomas Harris
Genre: Crime/Horror/Psychological
Rating: ****
Review: So I have read Red Dragon before, but I am binge reading the whole series and for those that haven’t read the series, there are 2 ways to read it. The first is publication order so Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal and Hannibal Rising or chronologically based on the series event so this would be Hannibal Rising, Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs and then Hannibal. This is because Hannibal Rising is Hannibal Lecter’s origin story. The opening of Red Dragon introduces us to Will Graham who is the detective who caught Hannibal but was almost killed in the process. Will is a great character because of his unique skill, he is what I’d can a projectionist, this means he can project himself onto the killer and make connections no one else can but it takes a great toll on his mental health. Will has already been gathering clues, but he doesn’t have much to go on, but he knows the only person he can share his unusual perspective with is the same man who tries to kill him; Dr. Hannibal Lecter. I really liked the backstory of Will and Hannibal’s interactions, but I would have loved to witness them first-hand.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, we are introduced to Francis Dolarhyde, immediately we know he is the killer Will is searching for, but this is only the beginning. Dolarhyde is obsessed with William Blake’s print The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed in the Sun, which mirrors his twisted and erotic thoughts. He even goes as far as to name the voice in his head the Red Dragon, Dolarhyde is a very interesting character from the beginning and l can’t wait for Dr. Lecter to make his next appearance. Will has to turn to Lecter for help, but Francis has taken an interest in Lecter leaving the F.B.I. with no choice but to be the pair correspond in order to get a chance at catching the “Tooth Fairy”.
As we approach the second half of the novel, it is interesting to note that the F.B.I. knows next to nothing about the killer they are chasing but we know exactly who he is. As we know another murder is approaching we are cheering on the F.B.I. but we also want to know what drives Francis. The grudge Hannibal has against Will is also interesting because it drives Will to catch the Tooth Fairy as soon as possible. When Francis goes after Freddie Lounds we know he is raising the stakes to taunt the police, but he has a massive amount of pride which may phone to be his downfall later on. With Lounds dead, Graham and Crawford may have lost their connection with the paper making their jobs a lot harder.
As we cross the halfway mark in the novel, everything seems to be getting to Will especially after Molly leaves, however, he is more determined than ever to focus the Dragon’s attention on him. As we follow Francis’ perspective he chooses his next family; the Sherman’s. It is here we also get some background on Francis, we learn he was born with a cleft lip and palate, so his mother abandoned him, and he lived in an orphanage until his grandmother claimed him when he was young. From that moment on he is used as a pawn by his grandmother and is subjected to emotional and psychological abuse. He also develops a taste for killing young, but he sticks to animals. As he grows older his grandmother grows ill and he falls into his mother’s care who has remarried and had 3 more children. His mother eventually sends him to a boarding house when he kills his stepsister’s cat although he was provoked. He goes on to serve twice in the military and discovers he can fulfill his desires in Hong Kong. As a young adult, he takes care of his grandmother after she is released from a mental hospital until her death. There’s no doubt that Francis’ childhood turned him into a monster but a large part of that side of him has always been there.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the head, one interesting thing I overlooked on previous readings is that Francis is actually a year older than Hannibal who is 41 at this moment in time. Things get a little complicated for Francis when he meets Reba McClane; a young blind woman who he feels comfortable around enough to not hide his face but at the same time she makes him uncomfortable because she stirs emotions in him he hasn’t felt before. Reba despite being blind has taken a huge interest in Francis Dolarhyde and he in her. Meanwhile, Will is desperately searching for the connections he needs to put a face to the killer, but Francis has been very careful, but we know is time will be drawing to a close before we know it. Francis begins to develop a sexual and emotional relationship with Reba, and this has devastating consequences. Up until now Francis and the Dragon had been one but this relationship has forced them into being separate beings which terrifies Francis. The Dragon knows about Reba and he wants Reba along with the Sherman’s, but Francis doesn’t want to give her up. He feels he can give the Dragon the Sherman’s and buy time to save Reba, but this novel isn’t going to have a happy ending.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, the way Will finally makes the connection between the killer and the families is a real lightbulb moment. The most interesting part is how Francis is finally stopped and even though we are expecting it, it comes totally out of the blue. While more people recognize Silence of the Lambs, I do feel Red Dragon is underestimated and more people should appreciate this work of art. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is because there wasn’t more Hannibal Lecter in it.
Buy it here:
Paperback/Hardcover: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Kindle Edition: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
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