SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2025 WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION A TIMES OBSERVER INDEPENDENT AND i
PAPER BEST BOOK OF 2025 'BRILLIANT' THE TIMES 'A WILDLY WITTY DEBUT' FINANCIAL TIMES
'ELECTRIC' GUARDIAN A wildly funny and razor-sharp exploration of love family religion and
the decisions we make in pursuit of belonging. 'By normal you mean like you? A slag with a
saviour complex?' Nadia is an academic who's been disowned by her puritanical mother and
dumped by her lover Rosy. She decides to make a getaway accepting a UN job in Iraq. Tasked
with rehabilitating ISIS women Nadia becomes mired in the opaque world of international aid
surrounded by bumbling colleagues. Sara is a precocious and sweary East Londoner who joined
ISIS at just fifteen. Nadia is struck by how similar they are: both feisty and opinionated
from a Muslim background with a shared love of Dairy Milk and rude pick-up lines. A powerful
friendship forms between the two women until a secret confession from Sara threatens
everything Nadia has been working for. 'Funny gripping and compassionate' DOLLY ALDERTON
'Funny dirty and scathing truthful' HANIF KUREISHI 'Stunned me moved me made me laugh out
loud' PANDORA SYKES 'Essential reading' JONATHAN COE 'A breath of fresh air' MARIAN KEYES
'Original funny and fearless' NINA STIBBE WINNER OF THE COMEDY WOMEN IN PRINT BEST PUBLISHED
BOOK AWARD WINNER OF THE COMEDY WOMEN IN PRINT PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE
WILBUR SMITH ADVENTURE WRITING PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOLLINGER EVERYMAN WODEHOUSE PRIZE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS' AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE SKY ARTS BREAKTHROUGH
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
