The novel seeks to explore the worldview and motivations of religious fundamentalists (specifically within Islam), while at the same time dissecting the morals and lifeways of residents of the fictional decaying New Jersey Rust Belt suburb of "New Prospect" (which Updike has identified with Paterson, New Jersey, also the setting of his novel, In the Beauty of the Lilies).
This novel aims to delve into the beliefs and practices of religious fundamentalists within Islam while analyzing the moral codes and daily routines of residents in the fictional decaying New Jersey Rust Belt suburb "New Prospect" (which Updike has connected to Paterson, New Jersey, also the setting of his previous work, In the Beauty of the Lilies).