To read a book like Fundamentally, as a white woman, is to experience a life so far out of my own experience, and be reminded that some feelings and fears cross all cultures. Fiercely feminist, at times irreverent, I was surprised to find myself laughing at the many scrapes that Nadia finds herself in, as she gets deeper into trying to “save” Sara, one of the Isis brides that she is trying to de radicalize. In the telling of this story, the reader is reminded of the complexities of relationships, relationships, and the razor thin line between deep seated beliefs, and what we determine is “right” or “wrong”, both for ourselves and others. I will be thinking about Fundamentally for a very long time! Many thanks to Penguin Books and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

Fundamentally’s premise had me raising my eyebrows from the start. A heartbroken Londoner gets tapped by the UN to create a program for the deradicalization of ISIS brides in Baghdad? There would be so many opportunities for the premise to lead us down questionable paths, but I admired the author’s chutzpah. I was thrilled to read her author bio and learn that she really has the bona fides to put together a work like this. The story stems from her own experiences developing rehabilitation programs for women associated with ISIS on behalf of the Iraqi government. Her author’s note at the end of the book basically says “if you’re questioning my credentials, read my policy reports”. Younis takes the lofty ideals of her do-good-er protagonist and chucks it into a soup of bureaucracy, inter-agency inefficiencies, and big personalities. The writing is sharp, biting, and funny. Younis is deeply irreverent, and it really works. It’s a page turner and the perfect length. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book. Let us hope that 2025 is filled with even more incisive, clever books about deeply niche workplaces I’ve never once heard of before.

This book is perfect for readers wanting to learn more about diverse cultures in an entertaining and educational way. There were heartbreaking scenes and hilarious scenes and through it all, the author gracefully tells the story of something few of us will ever experience. But the universality of trying to figure out your life professionally and personally comes through with the adventures of Nadia. The author notes mentions she worked in Iraq for ten years, so there is an authenticity to Nadia which I appreciate even more knowing about the author’s experience.

This is an eye-opening story of what’s happening with vulnerable teenage girls who are lured by men with superficial promises. Why does this happen?

In this book, Dr. Nadia Amin was hired by the UN to establish a rehabilitation program in Iraq to help ISIS women in a nearby camp. She rerouted her life from London to Baghdad where she was now living in a green-zone compound. She was tasked to help some of these women find an escape from their horrible conditions in the prison-like camp. She didn’t realize how complex it would be to make changes.

Nadia focused mainly on one girl, Sara. I wish she had followed up with others for diversity. The story has a lot of layers with mother-daughter issues, abuse, rape, religious and sexual beliefs. While this is fiction, it had a lot of truth to what has been happening to young girls who are chased by men on the internet.

The author used her years of experience working with Iraqi politics to write this book. She used a lot of humor and expressive language which made the team believable with the high-tension conditions. The last chapter was an epilogue of what happened to the characters. It made me feel like it was close to a real-life existence.

My thanks to Tiny Reparations Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of February 25, 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.

4 stars / This review will be posted on BookwormishMe.com & goodreads.com today.


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.

I enjoyed the premise of the book, as I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like this before. Unfortunately, the plot moved a bit slowly for me; it’s probably realistic that one would encounter a lot of bureaucratic red tape when undertaking a project like the one in the book, but it doesn’t make for an interesting reading experience. About halfway through the book, Nadia still has not made significant headway in her project, and not much has occurred by way of a plot either.

I liked Nadia’s voice and sharp sense of humor. I wish the other characters were a bit more developed. Sara, in particular, felt more like a caricature to me—although that could also be a result of Nadia’s projections onto Sara.

The author had a difficult task of exploring two differently storylines: the UNDO project in the present and Nadia’s personal development and reckoning with her past. I thought the latter was executed better than the former.

Hot mess and imposter syndrome victim Nadia is tasked by the UN of reforming ISIS brides. Never would I have thought I’d laugh out loud while reading about conflict in the Middle East, but in Fundamentally Nussaibah Younis manages to balance heavy themes with humor that makes it approachable. Younis also manages to shed light on women - as victims and as helpers - when so many narratives regarding the Middle East are centered on the experience and role of men.

One of the things I found most compelling about this story is that Nadia’s character humanizes not only the issues but the reality of the organizations and individuals within them involved. I felt sympathy for characters who by choice or by force were led into a radical group and I felt frustrated by the corruption of characters who were supposed to be helping. I also really appreciated the perspective I got reading exchanges between Sara (a devout Muslim) and Nadia where they shared their experiences and Sara finds Nadia’s western experience sad/radical. It really drives the authors points about beliefs. Overall, this book is extremely thoughtful and well rounded.

I read approximately 15% of "Fundamentally" before deciding to DNF. While the premise and description were incredibly intriguing, I unfortunately found the execution to be underwhelming.

I was really looking forward to reading this novel based on the unique concept. However, the early chapters didn't quite capture my attention in the way I had hoped. The writing style didn't quite resonate with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: This review will not be made public on any platform other than NetGalley.

Nadia takes a job in Iraq to leave London after a breakup. Wow! Bold move. She works with ISIS brides and young refugees. I enjoyed reading this one.

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 received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A young woman takes a UN job repatriating ISIS brides. The trauma the young women suffered, the fellow employees at the refugee camp, and personal drama make for compelling story lines.

Fundamentally
By Nusaibah Younis

Nadia is a PhD looking for a "real job" when she writes a paper about the so-called ISIS brides and what should be done to repatriate them to their home countries. As the result of the uproar caused by her paper, Nadia is offered a job by the UN to set up just such a program.

A little background on who Nadia is: she lives in the UK, having been raised by a Muslim mother (whom she often disappoints), and has just suffered a breakup from her lover, Rosie. So Nadia accepts the job, ostensibly to do some good, but also to run away from home. It is only upon her arrival in Baghdad that Nadia begins to realize just how over her head this job is.

Nadia is assisted by a team of two: Sherry, a buttoned up twit loudly proclaiming her objection to the project "on moral grounds", and Pierre, a snarky Frenchman who was passed over for Nadia's job.

As Nadia becomes more involved with the "brides" in the internment camp, the story becomes, by turns, both funny and thought-provoking. Nadia's fixation on Sara, a young Londoner like herself, allows the author to give voice to all the issues involved. Two major threads concern Nadia's relationship with her fundamentalist mother and all the facets of the brides' situation (family, sex, religion, human rights – the list is endless).

While the book drags in places and the ending is less than stellar, this is a good read. It allows the reader to see the "other side of the coin". And in fact, this coin is multi-faceted.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

Thanks for the review copy. This is a great debut. I enjoyed how funny the book is, too. Thus one will be a hit.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

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.

Nussaibah Younis’ "Fundamentally" is a sharp, witty, and thought-provoking exploration of morality, relationships, and the challenges of working in high-stakes, international settings. The novel follows Nadia, a London academic who takes on a role with the UN to lead a deradicalization program for ISIS brides in Iraq. What seems like an opportunity to make a real difference quickly unravels as Nadia confronts bureaucracy, a lack of support from her colleagues, and her own inner conflict about how far she's willing to go to help the people she’s supposed to serve.

Nadia is a wonderfully complex protagonist—her inner monologue is at once funny, insightful, and deeply relatable. As she navigates her personal life, from her recent sapphic heartbreak to her fraught relationship with her mother and ex-partners, the reader is drawn into her moral dilemmas. The book balances humor with serious, often difficult themes—motherhood, religion, and sexuality—without feeling preachy or too heavy-handed.

The novel's humor, rooted in British culture and Nadia’s sometimes naive optimism, provides a refreshing contrast to the difficult realities of her work in Iraq. There are moments of laugh-out-loud comedy, but the author never lets the levity overshadow the gravity of the situation. The secondary characters are just as well-developed as Nadia, giving the narrative richness and emotional depth.

While the book offers keen observations about the clash between youthful idealism and the often disillusioning realities of global organizations, its pacing falters slightly toward the end. Despite this, "Fundamentally" is an engaging, compelling read that will stay with readers long after they’ve turned the final page.

Highly recommended for anyone in the mood for a funny, insightful, and surprisingly tender exploration of moral conflict and personal growth.

I really enjoyed this novel about a woman who, when faced with the complexities of the world, undergoes serious reconsideration of who she is and what she believes in. Nadia, a brash criminologist, gets involved in a UN plan to rehabilitate ISIS brides, and finds herself advocating for one woman in particular who--in a slightly different timeline--Nadia thinks could easily have been her. But people are complicated, and the UN people Nadia works with are a mixture of corrupt, uncaring, overworked, and burnt out, and her protege isn't as much like Nadia as she thinks. Younis does a fabulous job of world-building and character development, and I appreciate the excellent bi/pan representation in a person of color. This is a great choice for book clubs and discussion groups.

I am thankful for the chance to read this book but I honestly did not get very far. The writing felt cheesy and it took me out of the plot so much that I knew I wouldnt enjoy it.

This was a wickedly funny debut! Highly recommend anyone give it a shot to hear Nadia's narrative voice here. The satire of the UN is interesting and new for me, and felt this explored themes that were unique to what I've read in the past.

Unfortunately, this one took me a little too long to get engaged with and to finish with enthusiasm. The writing is very good, the plot just wasn’t for me. Thank you Nussaibah Younis and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of Fundamentally.