31 Hours

July 20, 2009
Hamilton's gorgeous and complex fourth novel tracks the 31 hours before Jonas, a sensitive young man raised by idealistic parents (now divorced), straps on a vest of explosives and enters the New York City subway system to martyr himself. The novel begins with Jonas's mother, Carol, knowing, with a mother's instinct, that something is very wrong with her son. Thus begins an odyssey that takes her back to her ex-husband, Jake; to Jonas's girlfriend, Vic; and, finally to the authorities. Hamilton touches on many perspectives, including that of Vic, a dancer who is shocked that her longtime friendship with Jonas recently turned to love; Vic's younger sister, Mara, who tries to fix their parents' failing marriage; Sonny Hirt, an especially perceptive homeless man who senses something is very wrong on the subway where he's panhandling. Through all of this, Jonas ritually prepares for this final act of his life, but without the single-minded fanaticism one expects. It's a very tense narrative, vividly imagined and eerily plausible.

August 15, 2009
What does it take for a white, middle-class American to become an Islamic suicide bomber? How long does it take for those closest to him to realize that their son, their lover, their friend is about to become one of seven martyrs detonating deadly explosions in the New York subway? Jonas is a loving, sensitive, 21-year-old with strong intellectual curiosity. Unfortunately, "his ability to spot the wizard behind the curtain had for years plunged [him] into periodic depressions." Drawn to Islam's disciplined daily routine, he takes up with Masoud, who offers him a path to make the ultimate difference. Hamilton ("The Camel Bookmobile") lets the tension build as each chapter counts down Jonas's last hours, alternating points of view among the clearly delineated characters. Hamilton slowly strengthens the connections from character to character and their links to the subwaythe setting for Jonas's final deed. VERDICT Hamilton's novel raises many thought-provoking questions, which makes it a strong choice for book clubs and for readers who enjoy character-driven fiction with contemporary political relevance.Christine Perkins, Bellingham P.L., WA

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2009
In 31 hours, Jonas is to launch his career as a homegrown terrorist in New York City. Isolated from family and friends, he grapples with his decision to commit unspeakable acts and reflects on the path that quickly transformed him from a university student loved by his family and girlfriend to a young Islamic radical. Meanwhile, his dancer girlfriend, Vic, is dealing with issues of her own. Her parents separation creates a black hole in her family, leaving her mother inconsolable and her sister anxious about the familys future. Another layer is added with Jonas mothers instinctual certainty that something has gone terribly wrong with her son. These three narratives, along with other voices, drive Hamiltons fourth novel (following the critically acclaimed The Camel Bookmobile, 2007). Hamiltons career as a correspondent in the Middle East supplies valuable texture to her portrait of Muslim and radical Islamic culture, while her use of landscapea wintry, post-9/11 New Yorkdelivers an appropriately chilly backdrop to the action. A dramatically dark departure from her earlier work but a fascinating look into the mind of a terrorist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)