Terrorist

Terrorist, by John Updike

If you want a thorough review of John Updike's new novel, Terrorist, read the review in the June 18 New York Times Book Review. This book has generated a lot of interest and commentary - pro and con. Not surprisingly, as Updike is one of our premier novelists of the last three decades and I admire him for taking on such a volatile subject. I recommend the book - it is timely, to say the least, and the storyline is believable . It might even be a portend of events to come. A devout, impressionable young Muslim (half Egyptian, half Irish) falls under the influence of a radical imam, and his devotion increases to extreme proportions. The teen-aged protagonist never comes alive for me, but the surrounding characters are more believable and, as always, Updike excels in writing descriptive passages that set the scenes and draw the reader into the story. The ending is painfully suspenseful - shadows of 9/11.
-Janet