Hannibal

UHHH okay, so when I started reading [b:Red Dragon 28877 Red Dragon (Hannibal Lecter, #1) Thomas Harris https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1309285070s/28877.jpg 925503] I mentioned that I was only doing it because of the show, and I rarely read adult mystery/horror/whatever because I don't like gross stuff? Then I was surprised by how much I liked Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs. But I guess I was ultimately afraid those books would be like this one? GROSSSSSThere was so, so much time spent on the whole feeding people to giant, specially bred pigs plot. WHAT. GROSS. WHY. WHYYYYY. Plus Mason and his thing with foster children, and just... everything. Everything. Gross. Can I say gross enough times. It felt like Harris was just trying to throw in as many horrific details as possible, which the last two books did NOT feel like to me.Also it just felt like I was supposed to be more sympathetic to Hannibal than I actually am? Thomas Harris like has a boner for how refined and cultured Hannibal is and I felt like I was supposed to like, not be able to stand the idea of him going back to prison and being away from fancy soaps and truffles again? But I was pretty fine with it. He killed like, a hundred people. And ate them. In case you forgot. Oh yeah and does he have mystical powers now or something? How the fuck did he just wake up one morning and “sense danger.” I'll go along with him having a super strong sense of smell or whatever, but did he literally smell danger? Dumb.Now can we talk about the ending?! >:( WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK. HE HYPNOTIZED/BRAINWASHED CLARICE AND RAN AWAY WITH HER? Is this supposed to be a happy ending or a horrifying one? I felt like it was coded as happy. Or is that like, the twist? Like that... it doesn't have a happy ending? IDK. I fucking hated it. Why did we spend 2 books about how awesome and strong Clarice was only to have this be her fate? Honestly, I think I'd rather she died.In summary: GROSS.