I have a deep affection for Updike. Generally speaking, I am captivated by both his prose and the stories he weaves. However, this particular book failed to win my heart. There were indeed aspects within it that invited contemplation, such as the nature of the boy, the people surrounding him, and even the very title itself.

Nonetheless, at certain moments, it appeared to lean more towards being an allegory rather than a fully-fledged novel. This detracted from the intricate and poignant essence of a boy's成长过程, with those life-worn adults serving as his guides, as he searched for meaning in life. It felt somewhat improbable, as if the story was trying too hard to convey a particular message rather than allowing the characters and their experiences to unfold naturally.

Perhaps my expectations were too high, given my admiration for Updike's previous works. But despite this, I still believe that there were valuable elements within the book that could be explored and analyzed. It just didn't quite reach the level of excellence that I had come to associate with his name.

Updike makes numerous attempts to vividly portray the high school banter of the mid-2000s. However, each time he fails miserably. The female characters in his work are presented in a rather unflattering light. There is a high school senior who, upon graduating, descends into a life of prostitution. Then there is a single mother who engages in an affair with a man twenty years her senior. This man's overweight wife is also part of the story, as well as the wife's sister, who has fantasies about having an affair with her boss, who is described as a Donald Rumsfeld expy. Despite these rather tawdry characterizations, when Updike manages to get into a groove and describe the characters, their lives, and the world they inhabit, his prose has the power to compete with that of anyone, anywhere. His writing style, at its best, can transport the reader into the lives of these characters and make them feel as if they are part of that world.

SPOILER ALERT

An aging Jewish high school counselor plays a crucial role in a tense situation. He manages to convince a recently graduated half-Egyptian boy, whose mother is Irish, not to carry out a dangerous plan. The boy had unfortunately come under the influence of a radical Islamic cleric and was on the verge of driving an explosive-laden truck into the Lincoln tunnel.

This story offers an interesting examination of the way religion can sometimes be misused to warp the minds of young people. It shows how vulnerable they can be to the influence of extremists.

However, the climax where the boy is dissuaded from his dangerous act seems unconvincing. There are perhaps not enough details provided to make the reader truly believe in the sudden change of heart. Overall, while the premise is engaging, the execution in this particular aspect leaves something to be desired.

The main trouble with "Terrorist" lies in the voicing of the characters.

The anti-hero, Ahmad, a half-Arab American teenager, is groomed to become a terrorist by the imam at a local mosque. In many ways, aside from his faith, he is a typical teen, self-concerned, withdrawn, and amazed at the hypocrisy of adults. However, Updike, for some reason, inserts his stodgy authorial voice into Ahmad's body, making him sound like a geriatric Middle-Eastern diplomat. Despite growing up in America, Ahmad speaks in a clipped, formal English that no teenager, no matter how serious, could ever affect. The teens at his high school fare even worse, as Updike's take on modern slang is laughably stereotyped and behind the times.

The plot, both in terms of the narrative and the terrorist scheme, is supported by flimsy coincidences and happenstance encounters. It is only in the character of Jack Levy, a lapsed Jew and guidance counselor, that Updike regains his footing. Dwelling in familiar Updike territory - the failed marriages of the middle class - Levy is a tired man with an overweight wife and a penchant for brooding over the meaninglessness of his final years. His character feels natural, but predictability abounds - an affair with Ahmad's mother, the inevitable end of the affair, and a last-second bid to stop Ahmad from martyrdom.

Updike sets out to show Ahmad - a terrorist - as human, a person whose faith is not absolute, whose convictions are broken, and who is ultimately a victim of extremism and political forces over which he has no control. However, Ahmad is stiff, a robotic idealogue who spouts formal dictums when cornered or confronted. Drained of blood, the story lacks a pulse.

I haven't read an Updike novel in several years. However, I was pleasantly reminded just how much I LOVE this guy's writing.

His style is so poetic that he could write about a day in the life of a trash man and it would be wonderful. Every word is perfect and in the right place.

Nonetheless, I didn't find the last star as satisfying. For me, the ending was a bit off. It felt rushed somehow and didn't seem to marry up right with the rest of the story. It's strange how a great book can have an ending that just doesn't quite hit the mark.

Maybe it's because my expectations were so high, or perhaps Updike was trying to do something different with this particular ending. Either way, it didn't quite work for me. But that doesn't take away from the fact that Updike is an amazing writer and his novels are definitely worth reading.

A young student finds himself completely captivated by Islam. This intense fascination leads him down a disturbing path as he decides to become a suicidal bomber. It's truly not a pleasant or enjoyable topic to read about.

My major issue with this kind of subject matter lies in my inability to fathom how anyone could actually give credence to the absolute nonsense that religious dogma often presents. It seems incomprehensible that someone would be so influenced by such ideas that they would be willing to sacrifice their own lives and potentially harm others.

Perhaps it is the power of indoctrination or the allure of a sense of purpose and belonging within a religious community. However, it is still difficult to understand how rational individuals could be led astray in such a way. It makes one question the role of education, critical thinking, and the ability to distinguish between what is real and what is mere dogma.

Overall, this story serves as a reminder of the dangers that can arise when people blindly follow religious beliefs without question. It highlights the importance of promoting open-mindedness, tolerance, and a healthy skepticism towards all forms of ideology.

If I had rated this a year ago, I would have given it 2 - 2.5 Stars. It's a novel that really stayed with me. I couldn't quite put my finger on it and say, "THIS is why!" But then it dawned on me. The Terrorist is exactly the type of ambiguous narrative that I truly enjoy. Instead of simply handing you Ashmawy's motive on a silver platter, it delves into the natural complexity of his supposition and allows you to decide the key factors as to why this Irish/Egyptian teen ultimately becomes what he does.

His 22nd novel, Updike, is a true wonder. I can't wait to dig even deeper into it. His style is so simple, yet its intricacies are abundant. His prose works wonders in the consciousness of the reader, digging into your psyche so subliminally that it doesn't hit you until much later, more forensic than not.

This is an excellent piece of literature. Well played, sir! It keeps you thinking and engaged long after you've finished reading. The way the story unfolds and the characters are developed is truly masterful. It's a must-read for any lover of literature.

No mame, señor. This expression is quite common in some Spanish-speaking regions. It can convey a sense of surprise, disbelief, or even a bit of annoyance. For example, if someone tells you an unbelievable story, you might respond with "No mame, señor." It's a way to show that you're really taken aback by what you've just heard.

In a more expanded context, imagine you're having a conversation with a friend and they share some astonishing news. You might exclaim, "No mame, señor! I can't believe that happened." This phrase adds emphasis to your reaction and shows that you're truly shocked.

It's important to note that the usage of "No mame, señor" can vary depending on the tone and context in which it's used. It can be used playfully among friends or more seriously in a situation where something truly unexpected has occurred. Overall, it's a colorful and expressive phrase that adds character to the Spanish language.

Here is a truly very interesting book. It tells the story of a young Muslim boy who is an extremely ardent follower of his faith. On the other hand, there is a Jewish High School Counsellor who takes a great interest in this devout young man. The counsellor tries his best to convince the young man to go to college. However, his Imam encourages him to become a truck driver instead. As we continue to read, the plot thickens and becomes extremely intense. We witness the road that the young man decides to follow. It is a captivating story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This is a really good read and it is definitely worth your time to pick it up and enjoy. You will be drawn into the world of the characters and experience their struggles and decisions along the way.

Terrorist is John Updike's final novel. The story commences and concludes with Ahmad Allowy's inner musings. At the start, he thinks, "These Devils seek to take away my God," and at the end, "These Devils have taken away my God."

Ahmad is a devout Muslim youth residing in New Prospect, NJ, on the verge of graduating from high school. He lives with his white mother, an artist, whose life lacks the structure that Ahmad adheres to. Ahmad feels like an outsider at school as his religious dedication conflicts with the lax and irreverent culture surrounding him. Despite scorning this culture, he remains peaceful and respectful. He even accompanies his friend to her Christian church on a Sunday to watch her sing.

One of the most radical developments in the novel occurs when Ahmad agrees to become a martyr in a plot to blow up the Lincoln Tunnel. It initially appears that Charlie Chehab, a fellow Muslim who befriended Ahmad at Excellency Home Furnishings (where his father was the owner), lured Ahmad into this plot. Charlie is one of the novel's most intriguing characters. He seems, for the most part, not very Muslim. His interests lie in fornication, television, commercials, and he has an unusually deep knowledge of U.S. history, especially the American Revolution against the British. Charlie's most significant speech in the book compares the militias of the American Revolution, led by General Washington, to the jihad of radical Muslims against America. The seeds of Charlie's true U.S. alliance are planted in this speech, and it is this very speech that convinces Ahmad of the validity of jihad. It is with Charlie, overlooking the New York City skyline, that Ahmad vows to join jihad, to die for God if necessary, and to wage war against America. Even when Ahmad realizes that Charlie is a CIA operative, he does not waver in his intention to detonate the ammonium nitrate in the back of his truck and blow up the Lincoln Tunnel. However, the turning point comes when Ahmad accidentally recalls the 56th Sura, where the Prophet speaks of "the moment when the soul of a dying man shall come up into his throat. That moment is here. The journey, the mirai. Buraq is ready, his shining white wings rustling, unfolding." Yet in the same sura, God asks, "We created you: will you not credit us? Behold the semen you discharge: did you create it, or We? God does not destroy: it was He who made the world." This causes Ahmad to let go of his determination to destroy.

So, in my opinion, this work isn't so much a novel as it is a collection of sketches connected by at times above-average prose. I haven't read a great deal of Updike's work, and from what I've gathered from reviews, this isn't his finest effort. Taken on its own merits, independent of his literary reputation, there was a desperate need for at least one more thorough read-through and edit of the entire piece before publication.

The phrases in some places are so clumsy that they border on the absurd. For example, on page 255, it says, "His moods sweep through Hermione like a power boat's backwash through a hovering jellyfish." Oh dear! The characters are given the briefest and often incongruous motivations for their actions. And the central character's religious devotion is patronizingly naive. I mean, considering he's writing about the early 2000s, it's hard to believe that not once is a teen influenced by online content or that no one uses a cell phone. Seriously?

The narrative distance also fluctuates throughout the book without any real consistency. Sometimes Ahmad speaks as if he's older than he is, while at other times his thoughts don't seem to align with his actions, thoughts, or motivations as presented in the text. It's jarring and starts right from the beginning of the book. I also lost track of the "lake/shores of rubble" that Updike used at least four or five separate times to describe the area around the New Prospect high school. It's just overdone and unappealing.

I think Updike is really out of his element here. The monologues, often not supported by the text, are also at times stilted, and the transitions, when they exist, are overly abrupt or cursory. The plot is believable up to a point, but then it becomes ridiculous, like the Bonnie & Clyde-esque truck ride at the end. There are just so many things missing from this book. Whether, as some have suggested, it had anything to do with his cancer, I don't know. But the cynic in me suspects that he was banking on the expected reception from the NYC intelligentsia when he put this work out there, and no one was brave enough to tell him about its many flaws.

I do know that the subject matter is extremely difficult, and while I think Updike makes valiant efforts to explain the obvious social disorder in America as a motivation for a terrorist act, he really would have been better off studying the mentalities and testimonials of actual terrorists more closely when creating these characters. There is just too much left unsaid for some of the views to be plausible in the way they needed to be for this to really succeed, especially for the central character to come alive and be more than just a cardboard caricature of a teen easily led down various paths, most of them not particularly "straight." Overall, it was an unimpressive book (by any author), and I hope it's not representative of his entire body of work.

I have a deep adoration for Mr Updike's book.

Recently, I began to pray, although not five times alas.

Anyway, this book has been extremely helpful in enabling me to understand a Muslim perspective.

The title of the book might seem scary, and I think the holy book itself is also a bit intimidating.

However, believing in "an unseen paradise" and living in a way that one deserves it is, in my opinion, a great idea.

Our society would truly benefit a great deal from kind individuals who follow Muslim ethics.

Thanks to this book, my worldview has improved significantly.

I am a huge fan of Mr. Updike. He is really cool.

His writing style is engaging and thought-provoking, and it has opened my eyes to new ideas and perspectives.

I look forward to reading more of his works in the future and continuing to expand my understanding of different cultures and beliefs.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about Islam or simply wants to expand their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

It is a truly remarkable piece of literature that has the power to change lives and make a positive impact on society.