Right to Life: And 2 Stories
by Jack Ketchum
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jack KetchumIllustrator: Neal McPheeters
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-03
ISBN: 1887368566
Number of pages: 158
Publisher: Gauntlet Pr
Book Reviews of Right to Life: And 2 Stories
Book Review: Just when you thought it was safe to go the abortion clinic...
Summary: 4 Stars
Review: "Right to Life"
You ever feel dirty after reading a novel? Because that is exactly how Jack Ketchum's "Right to Life" novella will make you feel afterwards. Like Ketchum's "The Girl Next Door" (which was inspired by the tragic Indiana Torture Slaying), "Right to Life" is primarily based on the Cameron Hooker case. Read "Perfect Victim" for the full story, of Cameron and Janice Hooker, who held a young hitchhiker captive for 7 years. Ketchum tells the story of one, Sara Foster, who is currently in a relationship with a married man, Greg Clover. Several years ago, Sara lost her son to a tragic accident. By mistake, she is impregnated during the affair with Greg. If Greg's wife ever finds out about the affair, their life together would be over. He particularly doesn't wish her to know he got another woman, Sara, pregnant. As the story begins, Greg is driving Sara over to a Manhatten abortion clinic, where dozens and dozens of New Yorkers protest right to life. In the midst of the protesting, Sara is abducted by married Stephen, and Katherine Teach, who drug her and then whisk her away to their New Jersey residence. Sara awakens from her stupor in the Teach's basement/torture chamber. There, she is tortured physically, mentally and sexually by Stephen, who is an evil psychopath who uses a story to brainwash Sara into believing she is his and Katherine's slave, and her and her family will be killed if she ever disobeys. The Teach's plan is to keep her captive until she bears her child. Sooner or later, Stephen becomes less interested in his own wife than he does his "slave", who is repeatedly tortured throughout. It even seems like he'd rather have the slave than the baby. Lonely, Katherine even finds herself sexually attracted by Sara. Will Sara escape the Teach's?
While readers are meant to believe Ketchum's sole intention is to make a bold statement about the controversial abortion themes, the Right to Life issue is left in the wind as soon as Stephen's psychopathic colors show. This is when this disturbing, sadistic novella is told with a frightening immediacy. No matter what side of the abortion issue you are on, you really start to feel for Sara. Her helplessness and despair leaks onto the pages. She has no way of escaping the Teach's, and you really want to see her and her baby survive. Yet, as this novella begins to reach its conclusion, you never have an idea how it's going to end exactly, or what is going to happen to Sara, and if she is ever going to escape. This keeps you on edge, frantically turning the pages until you get to the end of it all.
Rounding out this novella are two of Ketchum's short stories, "Brave Girl" and "Returns". Both stories are so far on the other side of the spectrum of the title story, it is actually refreshing to see a change of pace. If the former had a tighter ending, it'd have been really memorable due to how well-told of a short it is. "Returns" is light in its tone, and while it isn't exactly my cup of tea, it's pretty much a harmless, neat ghost story. These short stories, in a way, are like appetizers to a main course (although they are featured at the end of the volume). And that main course, "Right to Life" is a difficult one to digest.
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