proof of her mettle lives in her ability to continue without distraction.

The exception is Dr Lecter, who initially toys with her – like a cat with a mouse – but soon arrives at a grudging respect for her. This is not a clichéd, stereotypical villain-with-a-heart-of-gold type of affection. It is a respect borne of an almost clinical fascination. Their ‘quid pro quo’ is exactly that – she regards him as an object of study, and he regards her in the same way. She is respite from the depths of boredom that are inherent to lifelong incarceration. In many ways, this places these two characters on equal footing – despite the fact that she has the benefit of liberty, and he has the benefit of a genius-level IQ.

Lecter’s interactions with Starling are the counterpoint to...

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