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.

Scathing, singular, hilarious - I've never read anything quite like Fundamentally and I'm not sure I ever will. An excellent read that entertains AND makes you think.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However I won’t be posting a full review as it wasn’t the one for me.

I think this is going to be very popular for a lot of people but if I’m honest I didn’t expect quite so much humour/lightheartedness. The only thing I didn’t like was how the mc seemed to be making what I thought was excessive commentary on aspects of people’s bodies/physiques. It’s nothing against the book, just my personal preference is to something a bit grittier and dark and whilst I know this is clearly advertised as having that bit of humour, I thought the backstory and context would balance that out for me, but it wasn’t to be.

I really think this is going to be a popular read and I’m so sorry it wasn’t the one for me on this occasion. Thank you so much again.

This is a razor sharp debut novel with a protagonist whose voice is unique and propulsive and a well drawn cast of characters. It has the rare gift of being a book that's both hilariously funny and utterly compelling. The observations are spot on. I loved this alternative insight into and perspective of a world that's only usually seen on loaded news reports.
I was completely absorbed and read this in a day. This is a singular book and is already one of my top books of 2025. Fantastic and refreshing.

This novel, a tale of a heartbroken English academic who finds herself running a United Nations-funded team in Iraq to deradicalise and repatriate ISIS brides, is an absolute joy to read!
An odd statement given the subject matter, perhaps, but the hilarious situations the fictional characters find themselves in, set against the brutal backdrop of Middle Eastern realities, make for a truly engaging experience. It's as if "Call My Agent" meets "The State" meets "M*A*S*H", and it's an absolute hoot!
Hats off to Nussaibah Younis for this wild ride. I'm fairly certain there's nothing quite like this out there – a satirical story about day-to-day life set deep within the world of Islamic State detritus that isn't simply a news headline. It's a story featuring lesbians, haughty diplomat nepo-babies, fit security detail, Muslims across the spectrum, a wise counsel driver, a yoga-loving Californian convert imam, orthodox parents, shifty sheikhs, plenty of sex, petty squabbles, and characters who simply must make it into a TV adaptation of this deliciously original book.
It's unsurprising that life is rather hedonistic in the Green Zone, the protected UN-occupied area, and Nadia is swiftly swallowed up by the politics, corruption, ineptitude, rivalry, and pleasure-where-you-can-get-it vibe. You'd be forgiven for immediately thinking of Shamima Begum when Nadia, our protagonist, first arrives at the Iraqi camp and meets mouthy 19-year-old East Londoner Sara amongst the captive women. Sara, thrice married (all 'martyred') with a baby girl who has been taken from her, is one of the women Nadia is tasked with rehabilitating and persuading their native countries to take back.
No spoilers here, but the book is packed with laugh-out-loud dialogue and situations. From Nadia's relationship with her estranged mother (orthodox Muslim who took four years to accept her daughter’s secular lifestyle) to UN programmes and schemes going alarmingly wrong, Younis keeps the reader thoroughly entertained. Her own academic background and work on rehabilitation with the Iraqi government have equipped her with the knowledge and understanding to recreate a fictional situation based on events and realities she has first-hand experience of.
Younis has pulled off no mean feat in giving us an albeit fictional take on UN activities and personalities – and in doing so, she has provided insight into what often feels like an impenetrable and much-maligned global organisation. It's easy to forget that there are living, breathing individuals behind those two letters. 'Fundamentally' is so darkly funny, warm-hearted, and de-toxifying as it cleverly slams the lid on the ease with which too many practice 'othering' people from cultures we have so little understanding of.

I really enjoyed this - it so different from the other books that I have been reading recently, it is an absolute breath of fresh air. The topic is one that keeps rearing its head in the media, but there is no apparent solution - what does the world do with the ISIS brides?

I know nothing about the topic and apologise if I offend with my ignorance but I felt that the characters were well developed, I veered from sympathy to wariness with Sara, and there is humour, even in the dark corners of the Iraqi camp.

It is a hit with me!