2025 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize (shortlist)
2025 Wodehouse Prize (nominee)
2025 Women's Prize For Fiction (shortlist)
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.
*SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2025*
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.
Genre: General Fiction
*SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2025*
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.
Genre: General Fiction
Praise for this book
"Funny, gripping and compassionate; Fundamentally is a truly original novel that you won't be able to put down." - Dolly Alderton
"Fascinating. Brilliant. Necessary." - Salma El-Wardany
"Absolutely hilarious: a Muslim Fleabag." - Michelle Gallen
"I really, REALLY loved it - the voice, the setting, the plot, all of it. It's original, warm, funny and engaging. A breath of fresh air." - Marian Keyes
"Tart, tender, trenchant, and hilarious, Fundamentally is a brilliant novel about faith and friendship that refuses to be any one single thing - because it is EVERYTHING. Nussaibah Younis is a genius." - Catherine Newman
"Impossibly funny whilst darkly probing, Fundamentally is the whole package: a raunchy, irreverent, touching, and daring debut with slicing commentary wrapped in bold, biting humor. It slyly and systematically rejects our swallowed concepts of heroes and who is correct, and posits instead the better question: what is right?" - Parini Shroff
"Loved this. Laugh out loud funny, outrageous and thought provoking - a winning combination. Highly recommend." - Harriet Tyce
"Fascinating. Brilliant. Necessary." - Salma El-Wardany
"Absolutely hilarious: a Muslim Fleabag." - Michelle Gallen
"I really, REALLY loved it - the voice, the setting, the plot, all of it. It's original, warm, funny and engaging. A breath of fresh air." - Marian Keyes
"Tart, tender, trenchant, and hilarious, Fundamentally is a brilliant novel about faith and friendship that refuses to be any one single thing - because it is EVERYTHING. Nussaibah Younis is a genius." - Catherine Newman
"Impossibly funny whilst darkly probing, Fundamentally is the whole package: a raunchy, irreverent, touching, and daring debut with slicing commentary wrapped in bold, biting humor. It slyly and systematically rejects our swallowed concepts of heroes and who is correct, and posits instead the better question: what is right?" - Parini Shroff
"Loved this. Laugh out loud funny, outrageous and thought provoking - a winning combination. Highly recommend." - Harriet Tyce
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