7jane's Reviews > Red Dragon

In which Jack Crawford thinks it's a good idea to get help from Will Graham in a 'just one more case' style. A serial killed, named 'the Tooth Fairy' (at first) has killed two families, and he's asking Graham's help in finding the killer before he strikes again. Some help comes from the killer Graham caught before, one named Hannibal Lecter (this is not the novel where he shows up a lot, but I can see how he became popular already from here).

I have seen the older movie of this book, though I don't remember much (apart from what happens with certain Lounds person and his (view spoiler)[horrific death, which is pretty much as it was in the movie (hide spoiler)]). The killer appears properly the first time in chapter 9, but some things point already at his killer-name: the red fingerprint powder - "Dragon's Blood" and the (view spoiler)[carved sign the killer got from his grandmother's Mah Johngg piece - Red Dragon (hide spoiler)]. The name also shows up in two other things later: the name of(view spoiler)[ a firework in Hong Kong: 'The Dragon Sows His Pearls', and of course in the painting that inspired our killer, who then also gets a huge back tattoo of it on himself - painting later eaten by him *nomnom* (hide spoiler)].

I also found it a bit funny when the killer visited the museum in (view spoiler)[New York to get to the painting: there he briefly in a dark place saw a picture of George Washington and thought he was looking at the portrait of his grandmother (hide spoiler)]!! XD

But I'll try not to get stuck in details here... I think the story flowed very well. A few surprise turns, a good use of practiced skills. There was also a few things that stuck in my mind, things that make this book more than 'hunt the serial killer':
I found the fate of Will Graham tragic. I'm sure that even if Crawford wouldn't have contacted him for this he would've gone down the same path, though more gradually. Now he just (view spoiler)[ends up losing the people he's attached to, and losing the battle with drinking, very quickly, due to the killer's last attack. I have read that Crawford felt much regret about the whole thing. (hide spoiler)]. The whole things is thus also horror of this.

Much better story than I expected. The point of time shows in some things, like the obvious communication ways, but also in the asbestos suits of firemen (asbestos! but this was 70s/80s point of time). On the other hand the character of Reba McClane is such a positive sight: even after all that's happened, I think she will believe Crawford's supporting advice (and I hope her later life was happier). I liked her a lot.
This is a quick-flowing story, a tragic story, and a certain will think about it for a long time. And it will certainly be reread at some point, again. :)