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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Compelling character studies, May 31, 2008
Old Flames contains two novellas, the title piece, and a reprinting of Ketchum's harrowing "Right to Life." Both feature strong women in central roles, but that's where the similarities end, as each piece veers off in its own unique direction.
Ketchum's heroines are a study in contrasts. Both are tough, and not to be trifled with, but each expresses that toughness in radically different ways. Dora, the focus of the novella "Old Flames," is by the far the most fearsome of the two, a veritable force of nature, a woman you don't want as an enemy--Dora knows what she wants and does whatever she needs to do to get it. Although her aggressive nature has served her well over the years, it leads her astray in "Old Flames," as she discovers that what she desperately wants is to hook up with a former lover. There's only one problem--he's happily married. Deciding that her goal is worth any cost, Dora embarks on a dark path, one which leads to deception and murder.
Sara, the protagonist of the grueling second piece, displays a quieter strength, brought out by the trauma of being kidnapped as she is about to visit an abortion clinic. Imprisoned and subjected to physical and mental abuse, she endures, holding on by the slightest of threads as her captors seek to break her will, and, ultimately, take her baby for their own. Although she finds herself in an intolerable, oppressive environment, she never loses her dignity, and never gives up on herself. She marshals her anger and strength, waiting for one decisive, explosive moment to seek her freedom, surprising readers only a little more than she surprises herself.
In both novellas, Ketchum continues his tradition of focusing on people's reactions to extreme situations, and of building to violent crescendos. In "Old Flames," Dora initiates the action, and mesmerized readers can only watch as she and the supporting cast struggle to deal with the fallout. "Right to Life" provides a compelling, character study of a woman in jeopardy, leaving readers to ponder how they would cope in a similar situation. The first a tragedy, the second more uplifting, each novella provides ample evidence of precisely why Ketchum's work is so highly prized by his peers and fans.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A pair of horror novellas, June 16, 2008
Many horror novels have their own bits of oddness, but Jack Ketchum's Old Flames has an oddity that is pretty rare. Although it is seeming a book featuring the story Old Flames with a "bonus novella" called Right to Life, it is actually the latter story that is the longer of the two. It's almost like eating a dinner in which the dessert is more important than the entrée. I suppose there's a good reason - probably because Old Flames is a new story and Right to Life is a reprint - but it still is a little strange. Weirdness of structure aside, however, this is still a good book.
Both stories are tales of non-supernatural horror. Old Flames is the story of Dora, a fortyish woman who's love life is going nowhere, leading her to track down her high school lover and meet up with him in a "chance" encounter. He's now happily married, but Dora's a woman who never backs down from a challenge, even if she needs to do criminal acts to achieve her goals.
Right to Life focuses on a different woman, Sara, who finds herself accidentally pregnant with her married lover's child. She opts for an abortion but is kidnapped outside the clinic by a sadistic couple who will subject her to increasing cruel physical and psychological torture. Their ultimate objective, however, is to take her child.
It is a wise choice on Ketchum's part not to make either of these stories truly novel length. Old Flames is an intense read, but there's not enough plot or character for a long book. Right to Life is even more intense - it is akin to that new horror film category known as torture-porn - which makes for compelling reading but also makes the reader want the experience to end. I haven't read much Ketchum beyond this book, but if this is representative of his work, he is a pretty good horror writer who knows how to mix suspense and terror very well.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Two for one, June 7, 2008
In reviewing this book let me tell you first of all that it is actually two novellas, I did not know that when I acquired it so I was a bit shocked when the first one ended and half the book was still left. The book is well written, as are all of Ketchum's novels, however I didn't feel that this was one of his better novels. It will always be hard to top "The Girl Next Door" but I felt myself very distanced from this book.
The first and title story is "Old Flames" where Dora who has been through a number of abusive relationships, seeks out an ex-boyfriend from high school. Unfortunately he is happily married with children... but Dora can't let that stand in her way. I had a difficult time with this story, not because it wasn't believable, but mainly because it was told from Dora's point of view and she was such a toon that as a reader I couldn't connect with her.
The second novella is "Right To Life" about a woman on the way to an abortion clinic who is kidnapped by people who want the baby... and more. The main character in this is Sara, a strong 40-something who is pregnant by her lover (of course he is married.) The people who kidnap her are complete toons... unfortunately this is not new... it is basically a rehash of "Girl Next Door" with a pregnant woman substituted in for the little girl.
After now having read several of Ketchum's novels it has dawned on me that he seems to think that adultery is a regular occurrence (almost as common as breathing), and should be punished and by terrible means, generally torture and/or the death of your family and loved ones. As I said before, this is VERY well written, the problem is that if you have read most of his other works, this doesn't feel at all new. And the angle that it is written from is a hard one to really dig your mind into. If you have read everything else he's written the feel free to get your Ketchum Buzz on, but just remember it's not one of his best.
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