The books are completely different from the films.

In the books - the contributory factor to lector becoming a 'bit mixed up' happens during World war 2 when he is a small boy. Lector's family are Lithuanian nobility and they have to flee their castle to avoid the germans ..... they are then captured by partisans, who kill and eat his beloved sister, Misha. Lector himself partakes of the meat as he is starving.