Shortlisted for the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction

 A new name to watch out for * The Times *
The debut of the year * Stylist *
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 *
Younis tackles radicalism and racism, faith and friendship, with dexterity, deep care and a large dose of laughter. Reading Fundamentally is like sitting through an action-packed blockbuster as the plot twists and turns . . . The novel is bitingly witty, and full of pungent jokes, but it also has a strong emotional pull * Guardian *
Extremely fascinating, extremely jaw-dropping - and extremely funny * Marina Hyde *
Trenchant, funny and fearless * Nina Stibbe *
Younis is a fantastic comic writer: caustic, pitiless, unafraid, with razor-sharp powers of observation. The book is laugh-out-loud funny, and many of the jokes, besides being hilarious, are jaw-dropping in their audacity... Fundamentally is certainly a wild ride, but besides being one of the most entertaining novels I've read in a long while, it will also leave you deeply moved and (incidentally) much better informed than you were before about one of the key political crises of our time. Essential reading. * Jonathan Coe *
Wise, chilling and hilarious, profound and preposterous. The best book I've read this year on the joy, delusions, missteps and precious idealism of our interventions * Rory Stewart *
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 *
Not only hysterically funny but trenchant and necessary. I loved it * India Knight *
An absolute riot of a novel. The humour is so sharp you could cut yourself and the action does not stop. Underneath all that though lies some serious topics, deftly handled, and boy, did I get some of my own thinking challenged. Loved it * Jennie Godfrey *
I loved Fundamentally. I laughed all the way through . . . it's brilliantly done. It's impressive how the book combines elements of farce with such emotional depth and moral complexity. An incredibly accomplished debut. * Rebecca Wait *
I loved this. Laugh out loud funny, outrageous and thought provoking - a winning combination. The compassion at its heart is huge. Nussaibah's experience shines through the page. Best use of fiction I know, to educate and encourage empathy while entertaining the reader so much they don't realise. Highly recommend * Harriet Tyce *
Impossibly funny whilst darkly probing, Fundamentally is the whole package: a raunchy, irreverent, touching and daring debut with slicing commentary wrapped in bold, biting humour. 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 *
A white-hot critique of international aid, with side-splitting prose * Nicola Dinan *
Clever and thoughtful: passionate but clear-eyed, confronting but nuanced, enlightening and. . . very funny * Caroline Hulse *
Bold yet subtle, witty and constantly surprising: such an impressive debut * Charlotte Mendelson *
An utterly fascinating read. A brilliant book that compels you to turn the page, moves you emotionally, and makes you question everything you thought you knew. A must read. A deeply necessary book * Salma El-Wardany *
Absolutely hilarious - a Muslim Fleabag * Michelle Gallen *
Overflowing with humour, humanity and compassion. This is such a timely novel that teaches us that there's always more than meets the eye. The prose is stark and laugh out loud funny whilst stopping to pull at your heartstrings when you least expect. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous * Lucy Rose *
Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis is one of the very best debut novels I've ever read. This is an author whose prose, humour and morality are wildly imaginative and brave in a way I feel both shaken and seen by. It's a whole new kind of book and how often can you say that? It is a spectacular achievement - so funny, so imaginative. * Emma Forrest *
A wickedly sharp and engrossing exploration of family, friendship and life's messy ambiguities. Tender, funny and unexpected. I loved it * Holly Gramazio *
So incredibly funny that you only realise afterwards how much you've learned * Hugo Rifkind *
'Densely researched while compulsively readable, funny while packed with emotional heft, able to acknowledge moral ambiguity while avoiding easy relativism. This smart, punchy book is destined to spark conversation. It deserves to be a massive hit.' * Irish Times *
One of the buzziest debuts of the year . . . an entertaining and funny novel about a serious subject * Independent *
You'll gasp then laugh * Grazia *
A wildly witty debut read . . . Nadia's voice is a quicksilver delight * Financial Times *
This is a truly original novel - I don't think I've ever read anything funny about ISIS brides or religious fundamentalism, but this was a treat. It's great on judgements, friendship and trying to do the right thing. Amazing. I couldn't put it down * Daily Mail *
A novel which follows an Asian British academic as she relocates to Iraq to help de-radicalise Isis brides should not be this funny * i Paper *
One of the funniest novels of 2025 . . . Packed with snort-worthy moments and witty dialogue * Sunday Times Style *
Who would have thought that this year's funniest debut novel would be about ISIS brides? If you read Fundamentally on the train, prepare to spend your journey smothering laughs, eyes widened and pearls clutched . . . That Younis knows what she's talking about makes the filthy humour of the book more than just a guilty pleasure - without realising it you begin to think about a divisive topic with more nuance * The Times *
Funny, gripping and compassionate; Fundamentally is a truly original novel that you won't be able to put down * Dolly Alderton *

Author Biography: Dr Nussaibah Younis is a peacebuilding practitioner and a globally recognised expert on contemporary Iraq. For several years, she advised the Iraqi government on proposed programs to de-radicalise women affiliated with ISIS. She studied at Oxford, Durham and Harvard Universities, and has a PhD in International Affairs. Dr Younis was a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council in Washington DC, where she directed the Task Force on the Future of Iraq. She has published Op-Eds in the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, and the New York Times. She was born in the UK to an Iraqi father and a Pakistani mother, and currently lives in London.