Extremism in the mind of a child

{ "b" : "Terrorist," , "cite" : "by John Updike, Hamish Hamilton, €23."}

This is as political as contemporary novels get. The stark, provocative title, twinned with the author’s name and reputation, triggers waves of conflicting emotions - disquiet, hope, surprise.

Terrorist is an audacious book, confrontational and opportune.

It’s not altogether strange that Updike has chosen to tell a story about Islamic fundamentalism - God and sex are two of his favourite ...