Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #422837 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-17
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

The Times
'Her true accolade is that she writes plainly and honestly about things that are universal and true...'

Synopsis
A hugely significant political novel for the late twentieth century from one of the outstanding writers of the modern era In a London squat a band of bourgeois revolutionaries are united by a loathing of the waste and cruelty they see around them. These maladjusted malcontents try desperately to become involved in terrorist activities far beyond their level of competence. Only Alice seems capable of organising anything. Motherly, practical and determined, she is also easily exploited by the group and ideal fodder for a more dangerous and potent cause. Eventually their naive radical fantasies turn into a chaos of real destruction, but the aftermath is not as exciting as they had hoped. Nonetheless, while they may not have changed the world, their lives will never be the same again...

Customer Reviews

Enjoyable, thought-provoking book with an explosive ending.
First published in 1985, the story is told from the perspective of Alice, a bossy mixed-up aspiring revolutionary in her mid-thirties. After being evicted from her mother's house with her bullying immature boyfriend, Jasper, she joins a disorganised but idealist group of young people in a disgusting squat scheduled for demolition. As her boyfriend and his idealist friend head on futile trips abroad to Ireland and Russia to offer their services to the likes of the IRA and KGB, Alice stubbornly clings to her communist ideals, even after events lead to her to doubt the competence of the group.

Although the central character is organised and is devoted to improving the living conditions of her squat-mates, Alice is not always likeable or sympathetic. She is extremist in her views and is suspicious of anything or anyone who is part of the mainstream society she and her comrades have opted to drop out of. After first reading the book, I thought it was going to be a one-sided attack on extreme left political groups, particularly as many of the characters are selfish, irresponsible and work-shy who only seem to live when revelling in conflict and battles with authority. But after witnessing brutality, bureaucracy, the waste of potential and sheer ugliness of their surroundings, you can all but sympathise with their tragic plight.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Good Terrorist and I really wanted the book to continue so I could find out more about the characters after they left the squat. Perhaps Doris Lessing could write a sequel about what happened sixteen years later?

Highly realistic
This is a highly realistic novel about a Communist gang that turns to terrorism in 80s London. Lessing describes with great detail the process of rebuilding a squat and holding a radical conference there. I would be very interested to know how she managed to research such an accurate picture of this underground process. The main characters live a blinkered existence that may infuriate the reader as much as it does the characters' much-abused families! However, there are such characters in existence. The political scenes also contain many debates that also continue to divide the left, such as support for the IRA or genetic debates. Like any volunteer organisation, the "CCU" in this book relies on one or two hard-working people to support a number of essentially selfish individuals. My only quibble is with the ending - would the KGB really continue to keep in contact with the CCU after such a clumsy attempt at terrorism?

reality
This books description of children of the middleclass and their struggle with trying to be revolusionaries is excellent, it rings true for any child of the 60's who argued late into the night about policitics! the main character Alice is so disturbingly normal yet essentric that you almost want to reach in and help her!, a great insightful look at the lives of thoes who choose not to conform, as with other Doris lessing books a joy to read.