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Review - Red Dragon
Apr. 15th, 2010 11:15 pmRed Dragon (Thomas Harris)
It's very interesting to read this now, when I'm nearly at the end of my crime fiction course, because I've got some idea of what the trends in crime fiction are, and what's new or interesting or different about various texts. For example, the inclusion of serial killers and particularly the focus on them -- the invitation to identify with them, at least in Dolarhyde's case. I'm probably going to write my essay on the changing representation of the criminal over the course of the 20th century. The other thing is the blurred line between the criminals and the detective figure: he identifies with them, despite their monstrousness.
I'm glad I finally started reading these books. Hannibal Lecter is quite pervasive, culturally: even without reading the books I knew about him. He's the main attraction of the book, I think, at least now in retrospect, because he's so incomprehensible and fascinating and so much is alluded to without explanation -- like his capture, and what exactly he did.
There were some other particularly interesting parts, if only personally -- like the blind woman, Reba -- but mostly I was reading it for Hannibal. I'm glad this one wasn't too grotesque: there were some bits I didn't like, but it wasn't like The Mermaids Singing.
It's very interesting to read this now, when I'm nearly at the end of my crime fiction course, because I've got some idea of what the trends in crime fiction are, and what's new or interesting or different about various texts. For example, the inclusion of serial killers and particularly the focus on them -- the invitation to identify with them, at least in Dolarhyde's case. I'm probably going to write my essay on the changing representation of the criminal over the course of the 20th century. The other thing is the blurred line between the criminals and the detective figure: he identifies with them, despite their monstrousness.
I'm glad I finally started reading these books. Hannibal Lecter is quite pervasive, culturally: even without reading the books I knew about him. He's the main attraction of the book, I think, at least now in retrospect, because he's so incomprehensible and fascinating and so much is alluded to without explanation -- like his capture, and what exactly he did.
There were some other particularly interesting parts, if only personally -- like the blind woman, Reba -- but mostly I was reading it for Hannibal. I'm glad this one wasn't too grotesque: there were some bits I didn't like, but it wasn't like The Mermaids Singing.
