Hannibal Rising

Book Name : Hannibal Rising
Author : Thomas Harris

What is it about : Set in the time of World War II in Europe, the story charted the childhood and upbringing of Hannibal Lecter (you know, that scary guy played by Anthony Hopkins) and how he was traumatised by the cannibalism of his captors. Our young Hannibal turned out to be an outstanding medical student with a talent for detailed drawing of human organs and had the ability to find novel ways of killing off his enemies. The book also described how a mysterious Japanese woman, his Aunt, made an impact on his early life.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The problem was that I didn't see "Hannibal Rising", just a troubled kid knocking bad guys out in cruel and ingenious ways. It was difficult for me to extrapolate and imagine this young dude would become THE Hannibal (think Anthony Hopkins wearing that menacing overall, waiting for and greeting Jodie Forster's visit to his prison cell in The Silence Of The Lambs). This book's make-up of the boy Hannibal felt hollow, with just a tiny glimpse of that chilling Monster inside and the actions and dialogues lacked psychological impact and depth. Also, the ease with which young Hannibal criss-crossed urban and rural Paris, seemingly knowing all the back lanes and short cuts felt implausible. Moreover, the slayings of the long-ago enemies were much James Bond-like - ducking bullets, him against the world, that sort of thing. The Japanese Aunt was a major distraction whose story thread, presence and contribution led to nowhere and did not add substance to our understanding of Hannibal The Monster and how he metamorphosed to become his sinister self.

Would I recommend this book to you : Good for a week's past-time and a quick thrill and kill; otherwise, the book fell short of the high standards set in the Author's excellent previous books of the same series and certainly never matched the chilling tale that was, The Silence Of The Lambs.

Breakfast At Tiffany's

Book Name : Breakfast At Tiffany's
Author : Truman Capote

What is it about : A twenty-something New York high society girl with a bit of a past partied her days away with models, rich friends and the elite - almost always a martini in hand. Her colorful and eventful life took a turn when she was visited by the past, in the form of her fifty-something ranch owner Texan husband; she faced more woes and uncertainty when her association with a crime boss surfaced on the FBI's radar.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The plausible tale was written with seemingly effortless pen strokes - this short story read like as if it was hot-off-the-typewriter at a flick of the author's fingers. I found the book to be an outstanding example of a novella - concise, precise, cut-to-the-chase conversations, brimming with charming characters and an intriguing plot. The readers would be enchanted by Ms Golightly in one of the parties she played host, would feel sympathy for her past and dilemma, would agonise over her naivety, would run away from her tantrums; and the readers would feel a sense of loss and nostalgia in her eventual absence (she ran away to Brazil from her predicament). All in all, you would feel for the girl.

Would I recommend this book to you : You could : 1. Use the book as a case study of how a novella should be written; 2. You could also study how the book was translated and transformed into the well-known film and won acclaims for Hepburn and Peppard; and of course, 3. You could read it (like myself) to enjoy the high drama, the entertaining dialogues and the peoples in Ms Golightly's life - a shy bar owner, an accidental friend and neighbour, a devoted and forlorn husband and more; or you could do all 1 to 3 and admire Capote's talents and the reasons behind his fame and what made him such a hit in his days. Highly recommended.