Hannibal discussion

I really like all the book!! All the parts make sense to me and how Hannibal and Clarice life's are getting closer.
But the end I still cant believe it that they end up together. I am not sad its not that,but how,when,why Starling decide to be with him??? Thomas Harris did not explain that it would help a lot if he had. I know she was sad and distubing with the police,she was in love with Hannibal?? she wants to run away of this life she had??
Of course Hannibal was madly in love with her/crazy obssesion,but its scary me bc he could eat her or she is assuming Misch's place?
So many questions...

I love the book, aswell! I think Thomas Harris is brilliant, the character Hannibal Lecter has always been one of my favorites (especially the way he describs his memory). I haven't read the book in a while, but I can give you my thoughts. The ending did shock me a little given Starling's character, but the events leading up to it give it meaning. The FBI turns on her, she's pumped full of tranquilizer (I think Hannibal drugs her further in the book), she chowed downed on the brain of that d@#khead Paul Krendler with him, and then the behavior therapy he gives her. I think that was enough to allow the change between them, that and did you ever feel that she may have been a little obssesed if not fascinated with him too(not in the same way, though)? As for the whole eating her thing, I feel that wasn't Lecter's style. He mainly killed those who were offensive or who may have gotten in his way. I know she had too strong of a personality to be "brainwashed" into becoming "Mischa", which was one of the reasons he admired her. Either way, I really enjoyed the ending of this book!

Noon wrote: "I love the book, aswell! I think Thomas Harris is brilliant, the character Hannibal Lecter has always been one of my favorites (especially the way he describs his memory). I haven't read the book i..."

Thanks I think same as you!!! I think she was fascinated by him and then turns out to be love,almost

I loved the ending as well - it was unconventional, daring, wicked, psychologically twisted - all that fits within this series really. A surprise to readers but thought it fit everything well.

Brenda,

Most of it was instigated by Hannibal's manipulations, the hypnosis, careful psychological unraveling of her psyche, and drugs. She was weaned off the drugs later after he had molded her to see him as okay and someone to depend on and make 'her world'. If you notice him exorcising her of her father's memory being so painful, I believe a main reason was you couldn't have her heart buried with another man so fully and be successful in twisting them together for his purposes and psychological remolding. He went so far as to get the bones and have her see it and say goodbye. He was trying to reinvent her, but was surprised at the end that it worked while so many parts of the original Clarice somehow still existed, filled with free will motivations and desires of her own that weren't Hannibals.