What do you think?
Rate this book
Fundamentally
A wickedly funny and audacious debut novel following an academic who flees from heartbreak and lands in Iraq with a one-of-a-kind job offer—only to be forced to do the work of confronting herself.
When Nadia Amin, a witty and bighearted PhD, publishes an article on deradicalization, everything changes. The United Nations comes calling with an opportunity to put her theory into practice and lead a rehabilitation program for women caught in the crosshairs of harmful ideology. And why not? Abandoned by her mother and devastated by unrequited love, she leaps at the chance.
In Iraq, Nadia quickly realizes she’s in over her head. The UN is a mess of competing interests, and her team consists of Goody Two-shoes Sherri who never passes up an opportunity to remind Nadia of her objections; and Pierre, a snippy Frenchman who has no qualms about perpetually scrolling through Grindr. But then Nadia meets Sara, a hilarious, foul-mouthed East Londoner who was pulled into radicalism at just fifteen. The two are kindred spirits, and Nadia vows to get Sara home.
As the rehabilitation program picks up traction, Sara reveals a secret that upends everything, forcing Nadia to make a drastic choice. In the fallout, Nadia’s brown-savior fantasies crumble, leaving her to wonder if she can save someone who doesn’t want to be saved.
A fierce, wildly funny, and razor-sharp exploration of radicalism, family, and the quest for belonging, Fundamentally boldly inspects one of the defining controversies of our age and introduces a fearless new voice in contemporary fiction.
When Nadia Amin, a witty and bighearted PhD, publishes an article on deradicalization, everything changes. The United Nations comes calling with an opportunity to put her theory into practice and lead a rehabilitation program for women caught in the crosshairs of harmful ideology. And why not? Abandoned by her mother and devastated by unrequited love, she leaps at the chance.
In Iraq, Nadia quickly realizes she’s in over her head. The UN is a mess of competing interests, and her team consists of Goody Two-shoes Sherri who never passes up an opportunity to remind Nadia of her objections; and Pierre, a snippy Frenchman who has no qualms about perpetually scrolling through Grindr. But then Nadia meets Sara, a hilarious, foul-mouthed East Londoner who was pulled into radicalism at just fifteen. The two are kindred spirits, and Nadia vows to get Sara home.
As the rehabilitation program picks up traction, Sara reveals a secret that upends everything, forcing Nadia to make a drastic choice. In the fallout, Nadia’s brown-savior fantasies crumble, leaving her to wonder if she can save someone who doesn’t want to be saved.
A fierce, wildly funny, and razor-sharp exploration of radicalism, family, and the quest for belonging, Fundamentally boldly inspects one of the defining controversies of our age and introduces a fearless new voice in contemporary fiction.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published February 25, 2025
365 people are currently reading
18.5k people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
March 4, 2025
who among us hasn't experienced heartbreak so intense we'd accept a potentially immoral international job offer from the united nations
(review to come / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(review to come / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
March 11, 2025
Genuinely hilarious and unputdownable. The politics of victimhood, self immolation and codependency and expectations in love, and the insane politics of the UN� I was heaving with laughter at so many lines and heartbroken for these characters at other points. The general pro-nuclear family element of it set me off though, since I’m a family abolition girlie through and through. However, I understand its purpose in this story, which was a bit maternally Freudian in its themes as well. Islam, terrorism, and the academic/practical divide themes all came through in a fantastic way though, you can really tell the author has lots of firsthand experience with this shit. An unbelievably funny and emotionally incisive novel. Highly recommend!
December 6, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐�
Genre: Contemporary Fiction + LGBTQ
Nussaibah Younis' debut novel, Fundamentally, explores the complexities of international aid and deradicalization through the story of Nadia, an academic working with the UN in Iraq. After a difficult breakup, Nadia takes on the challenging task of rehabilitating ISIS women, immersing herself in the intricate world of humanitarian efforts and the contentious nature of her work.
When Nadia arrives in Iraq, she realizes that the task ahead of her is much larger than she anticipated and that she may not be the best person for the job. Nevertheless, she embraces the challenge and resolves to pursue her mission in her own way. Along the way, she encounters various personalities, some of whom become significant to her journey.
The story is thought-provoking and sensitive, exploring themes such as terrorism, religion, deradicalization, and the complex issues that accompany them. However, the novel tends to oversimplify these themes, which is likely intentional given the author's choice to adopt a humorous tone throughout the book.
For a debut novel, this was a decent read. Would I recommend it to every reader? Probably not. While some situations were quite funny, providing humor for those seeking it, I don’t believe the book will appeal to all readers looking for a lighthearted experience. Additionally, the novel's portrayal of Islamic culture and religious beliefs often leans towards Western stereotypes, which may disappoint readers who understand the basics of the religion. If you can overlook the story's shortcomings, give it a chance; you might find it enjoyable.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.
Genre: Contemporary Fiction + LGBTQ
Nussaibah Younis' debut novel, Fundamentally, explores the complexities of international aid and deradicalization through the story of Nadia, an academic working with the UN in Iraq. After a difficult breakup, Nadia takes on the challenging task of rehabilitating ISIS women, immersing herself in the intricate world of humanitarian efforts and the contentious nature of her work.
When Nadia arrives in Iraq, she realizes that the task ahead of her is much larger than she anticipated and that she may not be the best person for the job. Nevertheless, she embraces the challenge and resolves to pursue her mission in her own way. Along the way, she encounters various personalities, some of whom become significant to her journey.
The story is thought-provoking and sensitive, exploring themes such as terrorism, religion, deradicalization, and the complex issues that accompany them. However, the novel tends to oversimplify these themes, which is likely intentional given the author's choice to adopt a humorous tone throughout the book.
For a debut novel, this was a decent read. Would I recommend it to every reader? Probably not. While some situations were quite funny, providing humor for those seeking it, I don’t believe the book will appeal to all readers looking for a lighthearted experience. Additionally, the novel's portrayal of Islamic culture and religious beliefs often leans towards Western stereotypes, which may disappoint readers who understand the basics of the religion. If you can overlook the story's shortcomings, give it a chance; you might find it enjoyable.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book.
February 27, 2025
It's funny how the book you expect to be the most serious turns out to be incredibly entertaining. For all her academic work Nussaibah Younis has turned out an extremely amusing and thoughtful piece of fiction.
Fundamentally follows Nadia, newly employed by the UN during a sabbatical, to set up a new group that will (hopefully) deradicalise ISIS brides. Nadia travels to Iraq where she meets Sara, a young woman separated from the babe she had with one of her ISIS fighter husbands. Something about the young woman calls to Nadia and she sets out to help her get her child back and get free of ISIS.
There are some very funny moments in this book, not least of which deal with the bureaucracy set up to deal with refugees. Nadia and her colleagues have very different styles of "help" including employing a hippy Sheikh from California to help rehabilitate the women.
Both Sara and Nadia are very engaging characters. The story of their flight from the camp and to safety is (obviously) far from reality but the story is about so much more than the mechanics.
This story is more about belief, faith, love and family. It is about how we navigate the world through our beliefs and how important family is in the end.
Loved it. Highly recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
Fundamentally follows Nadia, newly employed by the UN during a sabbatical, to set up a new group that will (hopefully) deradicalise ISIS brides. Nadia travels to Iraq where she meets Sara, a young woman separated from the babe she had with one of her ISIS fighter husbands. Something about the young woman calls to Nadia and she sets out to help her get her child back and get free of ISIS.
There are some very funny moments in this book, not least of which deal with the bureaucracy set up to deal with refugees. Nadia and her colleagues have very different styles of "help" including employing a hippy Sheikh from California to help rehabilitate the women.
Both Sara and Nadia are very engaging characters. The story of their flight from the camp and to safety is (obviously) far from reality but the story is about so much more than the mechanics.
This story is more about belief, faith, love and family. It is about how we navigate the world through our beliefs and how important family is in the end.
Loved it. Highly recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
Currently reading
April 1, 2025Sure, go in the middle of a literal warzone to escape from the embarrassment of a bad break-up.
January 26, 2025
I’ve seen lots of reviews extolling the importance and brilliance of this debut novel and I love the fact that the author is someone who is genuinely writing about something she knows and that few readers will have firsthand experience of.. However, that made this novel even more disappointing when it failed to deliver any real insight into the aid workers or the camps.
The protagonist, Nadia, travels to Iraq after a bad break up with her longtime girlfriend. On sabbatical from her newly won lectureship, she plans to put her thesis on the de-radicalisation of Isis brides into practice. My issue with is that she is never especially serious about the cause, it feels like a convenient niche for her to run away to rather than a genuine commitment.
Nadia’s sexual incontinence juxtaposes uncomfortably with the joyless unions of the Isis women but doesn’t offer any kind of meaning. Both seem to be merely stereotypes that both sides of the divide would use against each other.
The UN, Save the Children and every other aid agency depicted comes across as peopled by hordes of immature, selfish and avaricious individuals more interested in their own interests than in the job in hand.
Similarly Sara, seemingly the sole focus of Nadia’s placement, comes across as an Isis bride version of AliG. I found the dialogue implausible and the humour puerile. Nadia constantly swearing and behaving like a �90’s ladette whilst supposedly representing serious issues in negotiations felt (I hope and pray) unbelievable.
I felt as though this book was trying to be too many things at once and so ended up not delivering on any of them.
With thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
The protagonist, Nadia, travels to Iraq after a bad break up with her longtime girlfriend. On sabbatical from her newly won lectureship, she plans to put her thesis on the de-radicalisation of Isis brides into practice. My issue with is that she is never especially serious about the cause, it feels like a convenient niche for her to run away to rather than a genuine commitment.
Nadia’s sexual incontinence juxtaposes uncomfortably with the joyless unions of the Isis women but doesn’t offer any kind of meaning. Both seem to be merely stereotypes that both sides of the divide would use against each other.
The UN, Save the Children and every other aid agency depicted comes across as peopled by hordes of immature, selfish and avaricious individuals more interested in their own interests than in the job in hand.
Similarly Sara, seemingly the sole focus of Nadia’s placement, comes across as an Isis bride version of AliG. I found the dialogue implausible and the humour puerile. Nadia constantly swearing and behaving like a �90’s ladette whilst supposedly representing serious issues in negotiations felt (I hope and pray) unbelievable.
I felt as though this book was trying to be too many things at once and so ended up not delivering on any of them.
With thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 13, 2025
I am here for the dark humour
Dr. Nadia Amin is an academic who wrote an article on the possibility of rehabilitating ISIS brides, from this article she was offered a job by the UN to actually make the article a reality. Running from a heartbreak and being tired of academic Dr. Amin finds herself in Iraq trying to put together a programme for the ISIS brides. She is way out of her element, nothing seems to be going right and she wonders if she is built for this. Between the dust, bureaucracy and terror, she finds a bride she wants to help, but things aren’t always black and white.
Fundamentally asks bold questions: Who can tell someone what to believe? And how do you save someone who doesn’t want to be saved?
I had so much fun reading this one. I think the author did a great job of walking the line of dark humour and creating awareness for real problems. I did laugh out loud at certain points, a very good read.
Dr. Nadia Amin is an academic who wrote an article on the possibility of rehabilitating ISIS brides, from this article she was offered a job by the UN to actually make the article a reality. Running from a heartbreak and being tired of academic Dr. Amin finds herself in Iraq trying to put together a programme for the ISIS brides. She is way out of her element, nothing seems to be going right and she wonders if she is built for this. Between the dust, bureaucracy and terror, she finds a bride she wants to help, but things aren’t always black and white.
Fundamentally asks bold questions: Who can tell someone what to believe? And how do you save someone who doesn’t want to be saved?
I had so much fun reading this one. I think the author did a great job of walking the line of dark humour and creating awareness for real problems. I did laugh out loud at certain points, a very good read.
November 19, 2024
(Review of an ARC via Netgalley)
I waited a few weeks to write this review so that it would consist of more than just variations of 'lol', given that this is genuinely one of the funniest books I've ever read. Nadia's narrative voice is absolutely hilarious, wry and witty and a complete disaster in ways that felt just close enough to real to anchor the book's ambitious premise. The secondary characters are vivid and alive, too - a particular special mention goes to an overly enthusiastic white feminist at the UN - and, for the most part, the narrative pushes itself along in a pacey fashion.
I don't personally know enough about Islam to comment on its rep here, but I did appreciate the nuance that Younis brings to it; we see the ways that Nadia's own life has been shaped by her mother's religious devotion, and we see the ways that the West often patronises people in majority Muslim countries by framing Islam as some kind of backwards, second rate religion, and how radicalisation can't be divested from the way that Islam has been stigmatised across the global North.
I think this novel is most successful in its satire of the UN, a huge, umbrella organisation which is always trying to spend and thus justify its budget, and ends up throwing huge parties for its delegates and paying bribes. The juxtaposition of the earnestness of its newer employees and the jaded resignation of corruption of its more seasoned workers is clear here, and we see it through Nadia's own journey, as she moves from lionising the UN and her job to realising the sheer mundanity of the bureaucratic loopholes she's forced to jump through. My only experience with the UN is once getting lost in their Swiss headquarters whilst trying to find a loo, but still, I thought that the white saviour aspect was tackled well here.
The only part that didn't work for me was the ending, which I thought was too neat and a little oddly paced - a lot happens in one chapter, then nothing for another two or three, and then it's all tied up rather suddenly. It felt unrealistic to me that the issue of radicalisation in one woman would be sorted so suddenly. I was so invested in the rest of the book that I think I wanted a bit more out of the ending.
Still, an absolute roaring hoot of a book. I don't think anyone else could have written this. Nussaibah Younis' very particular background (she's worked in deradicalisation in Iraq) could have written this without falling into the myriad obvious pitfalls. It's a tough sell to write a funny novel about ISIS brides, but against all odds, here it is, and it works.
I waited a few weeks to write this review so that it would consist of more than just variations of 'lol', given that this is genuinely one of the funniest books I've ever read. Nadia's narrative voice is absolutely hilarious, wry and witty and a complete disaster in ways that felt just close enough to real to anchor the book's ambitious premise. The secondary characters are vivid and alive, too - a particular special mention goes to an overly enthusiastic white feminist at the UN - and, for the most part, the narrative pushes itself along in a pacey fashion.
I don't personally know enough about Islam to comment on its rep here, but I did appreciate the nuance that Younis brings to it; we see the ways that Nadia's own life has been shaped by her mother's religious devotion, and we see the ways that the West often patronises people in majority Muslim countries by framing Islam as some kind of backwards, second rate religion, and how radicalisation can't be divested from the way that Islam has been stigmatised across the global North.
I think this novel is most successful in its satire of the UN, a huge, umbrella organisation which is always trying to spend and thus justify its budget, and ends up throwing huge parties for its delegates and paying bribes. The juxtaposition of the earnestness of its newer employees and the jaded resignation of corruption of its more seasoned workers is clear here, and we see it through Nadia's own journey, as she moves from lionising the UN and her job to realising the sheer mundanity of the bureaucratic loopholes she's forced to jump through. My only experience with the UN is once getting lost in their Swiss headquarters whilst trying to find a loo, but still, I thought that the white saviour aspect was tackled well here.
The only part that didn't work for me was the ending, which I thought was too neat and a little oddly paced - a lot happens in one chapter, then nothing for another two or three, and then it's all tied up rather suddenly. It felt unrealistic to me that the issue of radicalisation in one woman would be sorted so suddenly. I was so invested in the rest of the book that I think I wanted a bit more out of the ending.
Still, an absolute roaring hoot of a book. I don't think anyone else could have written this. Nussaibah Younis' very particular background (she's worked in deradicalisation in Iraq) could have written this without falling into the myriad obvious pitfalls. It's a tough sell to write a funny novel about ISIS brides, but against all odds, here it is, and it works.
January 29, 2025
I wish this novel took itself a little more seriously because I had a really hard time trying to reconcile the gravity of the book's subject matter with the overall tone. I think maybe the point is to reach a certain kind of reader who maybe would not be familiar with UN policies, ISIS brides, or world affairs in general and to have a teaching moment. It seems from the author's note that the author actually has experiences on these topics, but I did not really get that from the pages of this book. The outlandish characters really proved a distraction of what this book is supposed to be about. At 75% I found the absolute drama of it all pretty difficult to get through. I really struggled to finish this one.
I received an e-arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received an e-arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2025
”I’d heard that ISIS considered white converts to be the most desirable brides. Imagine feeling Europe for the land of Islam, and you’re still second fiddle to some white girl who’s lost control of her gap year.�
Nadia, disowned by her mother and dumped by her best friend X lover, accepts a job in Iraq with the task of de-radicalising ISIS brides. She meets Sarah, who joined ISIS at 15, and has the desperate urge to help her beyond her original scope. What could possibly go wrong?
Obviously, this is a minefield of a topic. Thankfully, as a globally recognised expert on Iraq who proposed programmes to rehabilitate women affiliated with ISIS, Younis is exactly the right person to attack it.
This book is extremely millennial, but in a self-aware way; that takes a Glamour / East London Bridget Jones approach to discussing sitting on faces and admiring Bin Laden’s beard. It’s brash and offensive, but with absolutely buckets of care for these vulnerable women in such a precarious situation.
The heart of the story is the women: a mother who temporarily disowns her daughter; said daughter semi coping with it; a queer relationship between two best friends, each with very different ideas of what it means; a boss and her team member, both belittled in the workplace for being women; and, ultimately, between a UN worker who sees so much of herself in an ex-Londoner ISIS bride.
Certainly one to watch out for in 2025.
Nadia, disowned by her mother and dumped by her best friend X lover, accepts a job in Iraq with the task of de-radicalising ISIS brides. She meets Sarah, who joined ISIS at 15, and has the desperate urge to help her beyond her original scope. What could possibly go wrong?
Obviously, this is a minefield of a topic. Thankfully, as a globally recognised expert on Iraq who proposed programmes to rehabilitate women affiliated with ISIS, Younis is exactly the right person to attack it.
This book is extremely millennial, but in a self-aware way; that takes a Glamour / East London Bridget Jones approach to discussing sitting on faces and admiring Bin Laden’s beard. It’s brash and offensive, but with absolutely buckets of care for these vulnerable women in such a precarious situation.
The heart of the story is the women: a mother who temporarily disowns her daughter; said daughter semi coping with it; a queer relationship between two best friends, each with very different ideas of what it means; a boss and her team member, both belittled in the workplace for being women; and, ultimately, between a UN worker who sees so much of herself in an ex-Londoner ISIS bride.
Certainly one to watch out for in 2025.
December 12, 2024
wow literally fuckin incredible
March 2, 2025
I really hated this book- dragged myself to the end.
You don’t need to add a chick style comedy sex and drugs to what is already a really interesting topic. All the characters were pretty unlikable and largely cartoon style. Just awful.
You don’t need to add a chick style comedy sex and drugs to what is already a really interesting topic. All the characters were pretty unlikable and largely cartoon style. Just awful.
December 23, 2024
Fundamentally was a look at a topic that I knew virtually nothing about. Nadia leaves London, after losing her best friend and sometimes lover, to rehabilitate ISIS brides through an agency at the UN. She travels to Iraq and learns that there is a lot of political red tape to be able to make a difference. She connects with one of the women, Sara, who reminds her of her younger self. After trying everything in her power, Nadia puts it all on the line to make a difference for Sara.
I'll be honest that this is not a book that I would typically read. Nadia is not a character that I would normally identify with but I liked the voice that she had. I enjoyed reading about her back story and what brought her to Iraq. I did not like reading about all of the political drama that surrounded the women held in the camps. I completely understand how awful it is and it is important to write about this so people understand what is really going on. I just personally had a hard time reading about it, especially when I know that there would be no real resolution. I thought the writing was good and there were some funny moments. It also had a better ending than I thought it would. I do think there are many people who would enjoy this book.
Thank you to Tiny Reparations Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
I'll be honest that this is not a book that I would typically read. Nadia is not a character that I would normally identify with but I liked the voice that she had. I enjoyed reading about her back story and what brought her to Iraq. I did not like reading about all of the political drama that surrounded the women held in the camps. I completely understand how awful it is and it is important to write about this so people understand what is really going on. I just personally had a hard time reading about it, especially when I know that there would be no real resolution. I thought the writing was good and there were some funny moments. It also had a better ending than I thought it would. I do think there are many people who would enjoy this book.
Thank you to Tiny Reparations Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
January 28, 2025
I had intensely mixed feelings about Fundamentally, Nussaibah Younis's debut novel. It follows academic Nadia, who, dealing with her estrangement from her Muslim mother and a sudden break-up with her long-term girlfriend, takes a job with the United Nations deradicalising ISIS women in Iraq. This serious subject-matter is at odds with Nadia's voice, which is deliberately irreverent ('I was in my thirties and I'd had enough sex to know that devout Muslims have tedious chat and give crap head'), especially when bantering with Sara, a three-time ISIS widow at just nineteen who's originally from East London ('"I vote for Bin Laden," she said, without missing a beat./"I know. That's the entire problem, babe."'). I think what Younis is trying to do here is, in some ways, really interesting. Nadia obviously has very heavy-duty psychological defences, and her flippancy is a way of dealing with deep pain, especially around her relationship with her mother. It's a shame, though, that when she lurches into honesty, the writing becomes a bit turgid. Witnessing an anti-government demonstration in Baghdad, she reflects 'A sickly feeling rose through me, the unmistakable sensation of being in the wrong. I wished I was out there with the protesters... It felt shitty being on this side of the bulletproof glass; institutionalised, feckless and corrupt'.
Younis is trying to pull off something very difficult in balancing Nadia's raw internal journey, her satirical struggle within the UN, and her relationship with Sara, which blends the two. It's not surprising that it doesn't always work, and I felt the pacing was a little at fault. The novel spends too long in the UN base (it's about 40% of the book) before Nadia gets to the women's camp, drawing on what is clearly a wealth of funny stories from Younis's decade working in Iraq, though she was not herself employed by the UN. The tone becomes almost farcical, which is well and good, but it doesn't leave enough time for the more interesting material nearer the end of the novel, when Nadia's negative attitude to what was once her faith is challenged when she realises she and Sara have vastly diverging views on Islam.
Given that Nadia was a devout Muslim into her twenties, her knowledge of Islam feels shallow and, as other reviewers have pointed out, risks playing into Western stereotypes. This obviously wasn't Younis's intention and, as she clearly knows far more about Islam than I do, I think the idea here was to show how Nadia's mental blocks have led her to use lazy quips about the religion rather than deal with the pain of her mother's rejection. I wish Younis had left herself more space to explore all this in the final third as, without spoilers, I found the climax of the novel really moving and it was a shame that it felt a little rushed. Fundamentally is refreshingly original and ambitious, even if it makes some missteps, and I'm looking forward to Younis's next. 3.5 stars.
I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
Younis is trying to pull off something very difficult in balancing Nadia's raw internal journey, her satirical struggle within the UN, and her relationship with Sara, which blends the two. It's not surprising that it doesn't always work, and I felt the pacing was a little at fault. The novel spends too long in the UN base (it's about 40% of the book) before Nadia gets to the women's camp, drawing on what is clearly a wealth of funny stories from Younis's decade working in Iraq, though she was not herself employed by the UN. The tone becomes almost farcical, which is well and good, but it doesn't leave enough time for the more interesting material nearer the end of the novel, when Nadia's negative attitude to what was once her faith is challenged when she realises she and Sara have vastly diverging views on Islam.
Given that Nadia was a devout Muslim into her twenties, her knowledge of Islam feels shallow and, as other reviewers have pointed out, risks playing into Western stereotypes. This obviously wasn't Younis's intention and, as she clearly knows far more about Islam than I do, I think the idea here was to show how Nadia's mental blocks have led her to use lazy quips about the religion rather than deal with the pain of her mother's rejection. I wish Younis had left herself more space to explore all this in the final third as, without spoilers, I found the climax of the novel really moving and it was a shame that it felt a little rushed. Fundamentally is refreshingly original and ambitious, even if it makes some missteps, and I'm looking forward to Younis's next. 3.5 stars.
I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
February 27, 2025
The ISIS bride and UN insights were interesting and it felt like the author was well researched/familiar with the topic.
The characters though, yikes. Nadia was pretty terrible. She was so self righteous, had no self awareness, and was so self absorbed. She used everyone around her and they were all written like caricatures, none of them felt like real people. It sort of comes to bite Nadia in the end but not really. It just read like the ends justified the means.
The characters though, yikes. Nadia was pretty terrible. She was so self righteous, had no self awareness, and was so self absorbed. She used everyone around her and they were all written like caricatures, none of them felt like real people. It sort of comes to bite Nadia in the end but not really. It just read like the ends justified the means.
January 6, 2025
This book was really fun and enlightening. I love when I can enjoy reading something, but also learn something in the process.
Nadia is a lecturer at university in London. She decided to take a sabbatical and implement her deradicalization ideas with a division of the UN stationed in Baghdad. Immediately upon arrival she starts to question why on earth she thought it was a good idea.
Her unit will be responsible for the ISIS ‘brides� imprisoned in a camp. They are women from both Iraq and other countries, who somehow ended up married to men of ISIS. Nadia feels that with the right training and counseling, they can be repatriated into their own countries. Only the two people on her team seem against the idea, and her boss seems oblivious. Nadia is all alone on this one. Nadia blunders into her task with hilarity and sometimes sadness. Most of these women didn’t realize what they were signing up for, and most would like to go home.
While Nadia’s concept is noble, the task of implementing it is never going to be an easy one. The middle east is still filled with misogyny, sometimes extreme, and corruption, everyone wants to get paid for their assistance. Nadia latches onto a 19 year old former-ISIS bride who reminds her of herself. That’s when things get really out of hand.
This novel introduced me to so many things that I knew nothing about. What it is like to be Muslim in London. What happened to all the ISIS brides that were recruited. It was a lesson in world culture that I sorely needed. The wonderful thing was Nadia! She managed to keep putting one foot in front of the other even when things got horribly bad. She turned her coworkers into allies. She was tough and soft and funny all at the same time. She grew throughout the novel.
It’s a good one.
Nadia is a lecturer at university in London. She decided to take a sabbatical and implement her deradicalization ideas with a division of the UN stationed in Baghdad. Immediately upon arrival she starts to question why on earth she thought it was a good idea.
Her unit will be responsible for the ISIS ‘brides� imprisoned in a camp. They are women from both Iraq and other countries, who somehow ended up married to men of ISIS. Nadia feels that with the right training and counseling, they can be repatriated into their own countries. Only the two people on her team seem against the idea, and her boss seems oblivious. Nadia is all alone on this one. Nadia blunders into her task with hilarity and sometimes sadness. Most of these women didn’t realize what they were signing up for, and most would like to go home.
While Nadia’s concept is noble, the task of implementing it is never going to be an easy one. The middle east is still filled with misogyny, sometimes extreme, and corruption, everyone wants to get paid for their assistance. Nadia latches onto a 19 year old former-ISIS bride who reminds her of herself. That’s when things get really out of hand.
This novel introduced me to so many things that I knew nothing about. What it is like to be Muslim in London. What happened to all the ISIS brides that were recruited. It was a lesson in world culture that I sorely needed. The wonderful thing was Nadia! She managed to keep putting one foot in front of the other even when things got horribly bad. She turned her coworkers into allies. She was tough and soft and funny all at the same time. She grew throughout the novel.
It’s a good one.
January 11, 2025
This book has such an fascinating plot. Dr. Nadia Amin, fleeing the country after a queer heartbreak, finds herself in Iraq working for the United Nations trying to spearhead a program to deradicalize ISIS brides and get them back to their home countries. Nadia’s in way over her head, not sure how to navigate all the different bureaucracies and systems of corruption. But she’s determined to figure it out, especially so she can help one young woman Sara get back to London.
Nadia was an engaging character to follow. It was interesting seeing her meet Sara and connect with her. The ruminations on how their lives went in such different directions were great to read about. And the complexities of their family situations added a lot to the book overall. I appreciated how Nadia and Sara were both fully formed characters who felt extremely real.
While I did enjoy getting to see the journey that the characters went on, I didn't fully love the book overall. It took me a long time to read the book, I kept setting it down and taking forever to think about coming back to it. I think that all of the side characters working for different agencies and the intricacies of the programs they were trying to run didn’t hold my attention. I understand why they were important for the overall plot, but I didn’t find them as engaging as what was going on with Nadia and Sara.
Even though I didn’t totally love this book, I’d still recommend that people check it out if it sounds interesting to them. You might get along better with the side characters than I did.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Nadia was an engaging character to follow. It was interesting seeing her meet Sara and connect with her. The ruminations on how their lives went in such different directions were great to read about. And the complexities of their family situations added a lot to the book overall. I appreciated how Nadia and Sara were both fully formed characters who felt extremely real.
While I did enjoy getting to see the journey that the characters went on, I didn't fully love the book overall. It took me a long time to read the book, I kept setting it down and taking forever to think about coming back to it. I think that all of the side characters working for different agencies and the intricacies of the programs they were trying to run didn’t hold my attention. I understand why they were important for the overall plot, but I didn’t find them as engaging as what was going on with Nadia and Sara.
Even though I didn’t totally love this book, I’d still recommend that people check it out if it sounds interesting to them. You might get along better with the side characters than I did.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
March 12, 2025
This was a really unique book and I laughed and learned a lot! Dr Younis clearly built most of the story from her actual experiences with de-radicalization of ISIS brides so it was definitely emotional� but also somehow so funny without feeling disrespectful?
“When people start using the word ‘purview�, that’s when you know you’re working with cunts�
“When people start using the word ‘purview�, that’s when you know you’re working with cunts�
March 28, 2025
Compelling! Funny! A little tender, a lot relatable!
February 27, 2025
This was as funny as a wet sock. I couldn’t care about the whiny wah-wah main character “ohh nooo my girlfriend broke up with me I’m gonna act like a teenager instead of a woman in her thirties�. I felt the author was constantly trauma-dumping and/or preaching through the main character, who is almost actually her. Do I look like your therapist?
February 5, 2025
FUNDAMENTALLY | FEB 25TH, 2025
I can’t remember the last time I read a book so bold and honest and I say this with equal parts admiration and curiosity for the brilliant mind behind Fundamentally.
Nussaibah Younis� debut work of fiction is explosive. It features an epic cast, unflinching honesty and perhaps most importantly, scathing commentary on the status quo and the powers that be.
Fundamentally follows Nadia Amin, an aspiring professor who writes an article focused on deradicalizing ISIS brides. This article garners widespread attention including that of the UN who offer Nadia a job to put her theories into practice. Nadia finds herself in Iraq with a group of insufferable and unaligned advocates for change. Nadia’s task of getting the deradicalization program off the ground feels impossible with the slew of corrupt politicians, selfish individuals on each clearance level and ironically, the radical tasks she must complete in order to deradicalize the women who are trapped in refugee camps, women who are survivors of rape and abuse and much worse.
If you read the synopsis, you will notice the mention of Sara, one such radicalized ISIS bride and Nadia’s savoir complex binding the two and while this arc is pivotal to the story, for me the core of Fundamentally is how maddening our world actually is.
Fundamentally is described as wickedly funny and audacious and that is exactly how I felt about the book although the comedy is dark and the reader is left feeling a sense of futility at organizations and powerful people who purposefully affect more harm than good.
I strongly suggest reading Younis� firsthand experience via the author’s notes for more context.
A 2025 must read!
Thank you to @duttonbooks @penguinrandomhouse @tinyrepbooks for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This title is available on February 25th!
I can’t remember the last time I read a book so bold and honest and I say this with equal parts admiration and curiosity for the brilliant mind behind Fundamentally.
Nussaibah Younis� debut work of fiction is explosive. It features an epic cast, unflinching honesty and perhaps most importantly, scathing commentary on the status quo and the powers that be.
Fundamentally follows Nadia Amin, an aspiring professor who writes an article focused on deradicalizing ISIS brides. This article garners widespread attention including that of the UN who offer Nadia a job to put her theories into practice. Nadia finds herself in Iraq with a group of insufferable and unaligned advocates for change. Nadia’s task of getting the deradicalization program off the ground feels impossible with the slew of corrupt politicians, selfish individuals on each clearance level and ironically, the radical tasks she must complete in order to deradicalize the women who are trapped in refugee camps, women who are survivors of rape and abuse and much worse.
If you read the synopsis, you will notice the mention of Sara, one such radicalized ISIS bride and Nadia’s savoir complex binding the two and while this arc is pivotal to the story, for me the core of Fundamentally is how maddening our world actually is.
Fundamentally is described as wickedly funny and audacious and that is exactly how I felt about the book although the comedy is dark and the reader is left feeling a sense of futility at organizations and powerful people who purposefully affect more harm than good.
I strongly suggest reading Younis� firsthand experience via the author’s notes for more context.
A 2025 must read!
Thank you to @duttonbooks @penguinrandomhouse @tinyrepbooks for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This title is available on February 25th!
March 22, 2025
Oh man, I was really looking forward to this book, but reading it was honestly painful. Fundamentally had all the potential to be a gripping, thought-provoking novel, but instead, it fell completely flat for me.
We follow Nadia, a thirty-something PhD in criminology, who, despite her academic background, behaves like someone who either cheated her way through her degree or lost all critical thinking skills after a bad breakup. She is recruited for an incredibly important job—one directly related to her thesis—but instead of acting like the intelligent professional she is supposed to be, she comes across as clueless, self-centered, and shockingly unprepared. The fact that she’s working for the United Nations, of all places, makes this even more frustrating. She takes the job not out of genuine interest or commitment, but simply to run away from her personal problems. And then, despite being in a role that should require her to focus on broad, systemic issues, she fixates on helping one woman. I get that personal connections can be powerful, but the way it’s framed in the book feels misguided. The idea that humanitarian work should be about reaching as many people as possible is a valid one, and yet the novel reduces it to a single case that, for some reason, becomes the center of Nadia’s attention.
Beyond that, Nadia’s character just isn’t likable. She doesn’t care about her colleagues, feels detached from her work, and moves through the story with a level of self-absorption that made it impossible for me to root for her. The lack of character depth extends beyond her—the entire cast feels shallow, making it hard to invest in the narrative.
Another major issue was the tone. I genuinely couldn’t tell if the book was trying to be sarcastic, critical, or funny. For such a serious subject matter, the inconsistent tone made it difficult to gauge the author’s intent. Was this supposed to be a satirical take on humanitarian work? A rom-com disguised as a political novel? A biting critique of international organizations? I honestly have no idea.
By page 193, I was dragging myself through and seriously considering DNF-ing. The writing felt scattered, and I struggled to care about anything that was happening. The plot lacked engagement, and while there were some beautiful passages about the resilience of the Iraqi people, those moments were buried under the frustrating portrayal of the protagonist. It’s a shame, because with stronger execution, this could have been a much more powerful and insightful book.
And then there’s the ending—unsatisfying, too neat, and lacking real consequences. Everything seemed to resolve itself in a way that didn’t feel earned. Given that this book is based on some of the author’s experiences, it either veered too far from reality, making it unbelievable, or it’s uncomfortably close to reality, which is just� concerning.
Overall, Fundamentally had a strong premise but completely failed in its execution. The protagonist was unbearable, the narrative lacked clarity, and the story ultimately didn’t live up to its potential. I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me.
We follow Nadia, a thirty-something PhD in criminology, who, despite her academic background, behaves like someone who either cheated her way through her degree or lost all critical thinking skills after a bad breakup. She is recruited for an incredibly important job—one directly related to her thesis—but instead of acting like the intelligent professional she is supposed to be, she comes across as clueless, self-centered, and shockingly unprepared. The fact that she’s working for the United Nations, of all places, makes this even more frustrating. She takes the job not out of genuine interest or commitment, but simply to run away from her personal problems. And then, despite being in a role that should require her to focus on broad, systemic issues, she fixates on helping one woman. I get that personal connections can be powerful, but the way it’s framed in the book feels misguided. The idea that humanitarian work should be about reaching as many people as possible is a valid one, and yet the novel reduces it to a single case that, for some reason, becomes the center of Nadia’s attention.
Beyond that, Nadia’s character just isn’t likable. She doesn’t care about her colleagues, feels detached from her work, and moves through the story with a level of self-absorption that made it impossible for me to root for her. The lack of character depth extends beyond her—the entire cast feels shallow, making it hard to invest in the narrative.
Another major issue was the tone. I genuinely couldn’t tell if the book was trying to be sarcastic, critical, or funny. For such a serious subject matter, the inconsistent tone made it difficult to gauge the author’s intent. Was this supposed to be a satirical take on humanitarian work? A rom-com disguised as a political novel? A biting critique of international organizations? I honestly have no idea.
By page 193, I was dragging myself through and seriously considering DNF-ing. The writing felt scattered, and I struggled to care about anything that was happening. The plot lacked engagement, and while there were some beautiful passages about the resilience of the Iraqi people, those moments were buried under the frustrating portrayal of the protagonist. It’s a shame, because with stronger execution, this could have been a much more powerful and insightful book.
And then there’s the ending—unsatisfying, too neat, and lacking real consequences. Everything seemed to resolve itself in a way that didn’t feel earned. Given that this book is based on some of the author’s experiences, it either veered too far from reality, making it unbelievable, or it’s uncomfortably close to reality, which is just� concerning.
Overall, Fundamentally had a strong premise but completely failed in its execution. The protagonist was unbearable, the narrative lacked clarity, and the story ultimately didn’t live up to its potential. I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me.
March 9, 2025
Dealing with a “very important topic�, yet in the end it’s about a girl who wants love and gets rejected by her religious mum and turns to love from the wrong people.
It seems to be a satire of some sort, yet at times she lost her footing and it became a mockery of its own especially when the MC was going through her victim blaming phase.
There was a point where the MC after all her and the author have seen and done, discussed ISIS as muslims who have taken it too far, as if being rapists and terrorists has anything to do with any religion, and I was just shaking my head.
“opening the door and falling into a cavernous void. It felt surreal to exist without being loved. The universe would realise its mistake, swallow me back into clay, use my molten parts to create a new, superior person.�
“When people start using the word 'purview', that's when you know you're working with cunts.�
“Why do Americans operate so many decibels above the rest of the world?�
It seems to be a satire of some sort, yet at times she lost her footing and it became a mockery of its own especially when the MC was going through her victim blaming phase.
There was a point where the MC after all her and the author have seen and done, discussed ISIS as muslims who have taken it too far, as if being rapists and terrorists has anything to do with any religion, and I was just shaking my head.
“opening the door and falling into a cavernous void. It felt surreal to exist without being loved. The universe would realise its mistake, swallow me back into clay, use my molten parts to create a new, superior person.�
“When people start using the word 'purview', that's when you know you're working with cunts.�
“Why do Americans operate so many decibels above the rest of the world?�
Read
January 22, 2025a fast-paced, funny novel about an un-funny topic, which is my favorite kind of humor. Fundamentally is about a woman, Nadia, who accepts a position with the UN to deradicalize ISIS brides in Iraq, which unsurprisingly proves to be an impossible task mired in bureaucratic technicalities and complicated, conflicting goals. Nadia was as frustrating as she was endearing, though I respect her tenacity that I sure as hell don’t have. The pacing and structure felt off to me at times and that took me out of the story and away from the message, but hearing that the author comes from an academic and policy background makes those elements make a lot more sense. I still had fun with it and thought this was such a creative subject for a novel!
thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
February 27, 2025
I'm so grateful to have been given an e-ARC of this wickedly hilarious and thought-provoking book. It follows Dr. Nadia Amin, fresh off of her first big queer breakup and newly transplanted into a leadership role rehabilitating ISIS-affiliated women living in refugee camps in Iraq.
This is simultaneously a refreshing and searingly gripping perspective, and also something that has made me giggle page after page. It's also a really humanizing portrayal of the very human reasons at the core of how people can get radicalized into the things we vilify. I can say with confidence that it’s both one of the most fascinating and also the funniest book I‘ll read this year. Younis’s perspective is such a breath of fresh air, and I don’t want reading this book to end.
I'm so glad that I'm getting to read this book, and truly appreciate getting to opportunity to check it out early! Thank you so much to Penguin books and Nussaibah Younis!
This is simultaneously a refreshing and searingly gripping perspective, and also something that has made me giggle page after page. It's also a really humanizing portrayal of the very human reasons at the core of how people can get radicalized into the things we vilify. I can say with confidence that it’s both one of the most fascinating and also the funniest book I‘ll read this year. Younis’s perspective is such a breath of fresh air, and I don’t want reading this book to end.
I'm so glad that I'm getting to read this book, and truly appreciate getting to opportunity to check it out early! Thank you so much to Penguin books and Nussaibah Younis!
April 1, 2025
Of all the ways this author could have turned her experience/expertise into a book, this has to be the most hilarious and iconic. One could definitely argue that it’s missing the depth needed to really wrestle with the topics at hand but man�..it was just so funny
February 24, 2025
A really interesting premise and topic, and I enjoyed the realistic portrayal of a very East London sense of humour, but it took a while to get into its stride.
February 12, 2025
Well written and funny for such a heavy subject matter, a lil disjointed for my liking but overall a good read
March 13, 2025
I couldn’t finish this book - I dragged myself through 100 pages and just couldn’t bring myself to do the rest.
The book sounded really interesting - a woman who works for the UN trying to rehabilitate ISIS wives - but the characters were unbearable, there wasn’t one I liked, and the book felt uneducated but also condescending the whole time.
This book just felt like 2013 fanfiction (the bad kind) where it was a mix of basic feminism and mocking LGBTQ+ people and activism?? Like I get it but I found myself physically rolling my eyes at every third sentence.
The book sounded really interesting - a woman who works for the UN trying to rehabilitate ISIS wives - but the characters were unbearable, there wasn’t one I liked, and the book felt uneducated but also condescending the whole time.
This book just felt like 2013 fanfiction (the bad kind) where it was a mix of basic feminism and mocking LGBTQ+ people and activism?? Like I get it but I found myself physically rolling my eyes at every third sentence.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.