"...that he could have criticised"

Norm took belief pretty seriously and didn't seem interested in the criticism of religion in general, and frequently stated he didn't like wasting time, so I doubt he would have read many books he didn't find interesting, while we know he read atwoods the handmaid's tale.

"...it seems unlikely"

that someone who took religions seriously openly talking about Christian faith and his respect for Christianity around the same time he began vocally persecuting an author and their work that criticized the Christian faith specifically?

seems pretty likely.

"It's basically YA..."

that describes accessibility to readership, not the nature of the premise.

The premise of religious extremism infecting and overthrowing government, leading to the gendered elimination of civil rights and bodily autonomy.

that the book is accessible to young adults does not make its premise juvenile.

those are exclusive characteristics.

maybe you didn't read this book? or you don't understand the difference between a literary premise and a reading level.