Plot Summary
Arrival in a Changed Baghdad
Instead, she finds a city alive with normalcy and contradiction, a place where her expectations of war and devastation are upended by scenes of weddings and TikTok-dancing teens. Her new job with the UN, leading a deradicalization program for ISIS brides, feels both thrilling and overwhelming. Nadia's sense of displacement is immediate—she's left London and heartbreak behind, but the Green Zone's sterile safety and her own emotional baggage follow her. The city's resilience and the UN's insular world set the stage for Nadia's journey, as she questions her own motives and the possibility of belonging in a place so far from home.
Nadia's Mission and Past
Her academic work on deradicalization, inspired by a family connection to an ISIS bride, lands her the UN job. Flashbacks reveal her strict religious upbringing, her mother's fervor after her father's death, and Nadia's own journey from devout Muslim to secular academic. The trauma of being disowned for leaving Islam, and the comfort she found in her best friend and lover Rosy, shape her worldview. Nadia's mission is both professional and deeply personal—she's driven by a need to help women like her cousin, but also to prove something to herself and to the world that rejected her.
Building a Fractured Team
She meets her colleagues: Pierre, the privileged and resentful Frenchman; Sherri, the idealistic but reluctant Australian psychosocial specialist; and Tom, the well-meaning but simplistic head of security. The team is fractured by clashing personalities, hidden agendas, and doubts about the program's ethics. Nadia's authority is questioned, especially by Pierre, who wanted her job. The group's dysfunction mirrors the larger institutional chaos of the UN, where turf wars and personal ambitions often override the mission. Nadia's struggle to lead and earn respect is compounded by her own insecurities and the high stakes of their work.
Love, Loss, and Escape
Through memories of her relationship with Rosy, Nadia's vulnerability and need for love are laid bare. Their intense friendship-turned-romance provided the family and acceptance Nadia's mother denied her. But Rosy's eventual departure leaves Nadia adrift, seeking solace in fleeting connections and the hope that her work can fill the void. Her attempts at intimacy with Tom are comforting but hollow, underscoring her sense of loss. Nadia's emotional journey is one of escape—from pain, from her past, and from the fear that she will never truly belong.
First Encounter with ISIS Brides
The team visits the ISIS women's camp, where Nadia meets Sara, a sharp-tongued British girl whose bravado masks deep trauma. The camp is a place of deprivation and suspicion, where the women's needs are basic—sanitary towels, crayons for children—but their fears are profound. Nadia's academic theories are tested by the messy, human reality of the women's stories. Sara's skepticism and humor disarm Nadia, and a tentative bond forms. The encounter forces Nadia to confront the limits of her expertise and the complexity of the women she's meant to help.
Sara's Story Unveiled
In a private conversation, Sara reveals her journey: recruited by her best friend, manipulated by online propaganda, and abandoned by her family and government. Her story is one of naivety, loneliness, and the search for belonging. Nadia recognizes herself in Sara—the same longing for connection, the same risk of being swept up by a charismatic ideology. Their rapport is laced with humor and pain, as Nadia tries to offer understanding without judgment. Sara's resilience and wit make her both a mirror and a challenge for Nadia.
The Near-Radicalization of Nadia
A flashback to her teenage years at Muslim camp reveals how close she came to being radicalized by a charismatic preacher. The intoxicating sense of purpose, the allure of belonging, and the subtle escalation of rhetoric all resonate with Sara's experience. Nadia's realization that she could have been in Sara's place is both humbling and galvanizing. It cements her commitment to the program—not just as a job, but as a personal mission to save others from the path she narrowly avoided.
Bureaucracy and Sandstorms
The team is stymied by endless paperwork, interagency rivalries, and the Iraqi government's reluctance to cooperate. Sandstorms and political protests add to the chaos, highlighting the fragility of the state and the UN's impotence. Nadia's frustration mounts as she confronts the gap between her ideals and the reality of humanitarian work. The team's internal conflicts—especially with Pierre and Sherri—mirror the larger dysfunction. Nadia's determination hardens, but so does her sense of isolation.
The Ministry's Corruption
A meeting with the Minister of Humane Affairs exposes the transactional nature of power in Iraq. The minister demands a luxury trip to Beirut in exchange for program approval, and Pierre's willingness to play the game both repulses and educates Nadia. The episode is a crash course in realpolitik, forcing Nadia to accept that relationships and leverage matter more than merit. The moral ambiguity and ethical dilemmas required to get things done weigh heavily on her, as does the realization that the women in the camp are pawns in a much larger game.
Beirut: Deals and Disillusion
The Beirut trip is a study in absurdity—luxury hotels, shopping sprees, and a minister more interested in TikTok than policy. The team's efforts to secure program approval are undermined by interagency competition and the minister's indifference. Nadia's sense of futility peaks, and her personal life unravels further as she reflects on her breakup with Rosy. The contrast between the suffering of the women in the camp and the self-indulgence of the international elite is stark and demoralizing.
Protest and Institutional Sabotage
Returning to a city in turmoil, Nadia finds the UN riven by infighting. Lina, her boss, is besieged by rivals, and the program is threatened by bureaucratic sabotage. Nadia learns the art of office politics from Pierre and the necessity of alliances from Sherri. The team's survival depends on navigating egos and agendas, not just external obstacles. Nadia's growth as a leader is hard-won, and her empathy for the women in the camp is matched by a new understanding of institutional dysfunction.
The Power of Sycophancy
Nadia leverages flattery and alliance-building to bring rival agencies on board, sacrificing autonomy for the sake of moving forward. The program is finally approved, but at the cost of splitting responsibilities and budgets. Nadia's idealism is tempered by pragmatism—she learns that doing good often means making deals with the devil. The team's celebration is bittersweet, as the victory is tainted by the knowledge of what was lost along the way.
Hard-Won Progress
The team moves to Ninewah, and the program's daily grind sets in. Nadia's relationship with Sara deepens, and she becomes increasingly invested in her fate. The work is emotionally taxing—assessments, counseling, and endless negotiations with embassies and intelligence agencies. Small victories, like the repatriation of French Khadijah, are hard-won and rare. The team's camaraderie is tested by stress, secrets, and the ever-present threat of failure.
Night Out, Night In
The team's leaving party is a riot of drinking, dancing, and fleeting intimacy. Nadia's relationships—with Tom, with Lina, with her colleagues—are complicated by desire, resentment, and the need for validation. The contrast between the team's private revelry and the suffering outside the compound is acute. Nadia's loneliness persists, even in the midst of celebration, and her sense of purpose is both a comfort and a burden.
The Imam Dilemma
The search for an imam to teach the women reveals the impossibility of consensus. The ministry's preferred Shi'a cleric is unacceptable to the Sunni women; the Sunni candidate is barely moderate; the American convert is well-meaning but clueless. The farcical interviews highlight the absurdity of trying to engineer "moderate" belief. Nadia's frustration with the performative aspects of deradicalization grows, as does her skepticism about the program's efficacy.
Camp Life and Compromise
The women's needs are immediate and practical, their traumas deep and ongoing. Nadia's bond with Sara intensifies, but so do the challenges—Sara's refusal to participate in assessments, her fixation on her missing child, and her ambivalence about the program. The team's efforts are often undermined by cultural misunderstandings, bureaucratic delays, and the women's justified mistrust. Nadia's empathy is both her strength and her undoing.
Sara's Child, Lost and Found
Sara's revelation that her daughter was taken by her in-laws in Mosul galvanizes Nadia. With Farris's help, she tracks down the child, but the grandparents refuse to return her. The encounter is devastating—Nadia is forced to confront the limits of her power and the depth of Sara's grief. The experience triggers Nadia's own memories of being separated from her mother, and she spirals into depression, unable to function until Sherri and Sara pull her back.
The Impossible Choice
Desperate to reunite with her child, Sara is pressured into marrying a powerful local sheikh. Nadia is horrified, seeing it as state-sanctioned rape, but Lina and Tom justify it as the only pragmatic solution. The betrayal is profound—Nadia's faith in the system, and in her colleagues, is shattered. Sara's agency is both asserted and denied, as she chooses the lesser of two evils. Nadia's rage and guilt drive her to the brink, and she resolves to take matters into her own hands.
The Escape Plan
With Farris and Sherri's help, Nadia orchestrates a plan to smuggle Sara and Habibah out of Iraq and into Turkey. The operation is fraught with danger—checkpoints, smugglers, and the ever-present risk of discovery. The journey is a test of endurance and trust, as Nadia and Sara navigate treacherous terrain, both literal and emotional. The escape is a triumph of solidarity and courage, but it comes at great personal cost.
Crossing Borders
The final leg of the escape is harrowing—hiding in tires, traversing landmine-strewn paths, and relying on the kindness and competence of strangers. The physical ordeal is matched by psychological strain, as Nadia and Sara confront their fears and the reality of their new status as fugitives. The successful crossing into Turkey is a moment of euphoria, but also of uncertainty—what future awaits them in exile?
Aftermath and Reckoning
Nadia and Sara settle in Gaziantep, trying to build a new life. Sara's trauma and beliefs resurface, straining their relationship. Nadia's attempts to "fix" Sara are met with resistance, and the limits of empathy and intervention become clear. The arrival of Sara's parents, orchestrated by Nadia's mother, offers hope for reconciliation and healing. Nadia's own journey comes full circle as she confronts her need for belonging and forgiveness.
Homecomings and Healing
Nadia returns to Leicester, reconnecting with her mother and finding a measure of peace. The experience has changed her—she is more compassionate, more self-aware, and more accepting of her own imperfections. The fates of the other characters—Tom, Sherri, Pierre, Lina, and Sara—are revealed in epilogue. The novel ends with Nadia and her mother walking through their neighborhood, debating Christmas trees and Ka'bas, their love imperfect but enduring. Nadia's journey is one of survival, growth, and the ongoing quest for a place to belong.
Characters
Nadia Amin
Nadia is a British-Iraqi academic whose personal and professional lives are inextricably linked. Disowned by her mother for leaving Islam, she finds belonging in her relationship with Rosy, only to lose it again. Nadia's expertise in criminology and deradicalization is both a shield and a wound—her work is a way to make sense of her own trauma and to help women like herself. She is driven by empathy, but also by guilt and a need for validation. Nadia's journey is one of self-discovery, as she learns the limits of her power and the necessity of self-acceptance. Her relationships—with Sara, Tom, Sherri, and her mother—are fraught with longing, disappointment, and the hope of redemption.
Sara
Sara is a British-Pakistani woman whose journey from London to ISIS territory is marked by loneliness, manipulation, and the desire for belonging. Her bravado and humor mask deep pain—abandoned by her family, betrayed by friends, and traumatized by war and loss. Sara's relationship with Nadia is complex: she is both a mirror and a challenge, embodying the risks of radicalization and the resilience of survival. Her love for her daughter, Habibah, is fierce, and her willingness to endure anything for her is both tragic and heroic. Sara's beliefs are fluid, shaped by trauma and circumstance, and her path to healing is uncertain.
Rosy
Rosy is Nadia's best friend and lover, the anchor in her life after being disowned. She is confident, open, and effortlessly loved by all—everything Nadia wishes she could be. Their relationship is intense but ultimately unequal; Rosy's departure leaves Nadia unmoored. Rosy represents both the possibility of unconditional love and the pain of its loss. Her absence haunts Nadia, driving her to seek meaning and connection elsewhere.
Tom
Tom is the head of security at the UN compound, a former soldier whose straightforwardness is both comforting and limiting. He offers Nadia physical affection and support, but their relationship lacks the depth and complexity she craves. Tom's worldview is shaped by loyalty, family, and a desire to protect, but he is out of his depth in the moral ambiguity and ethical dilemmas of humanitarian work. His actions—especially in facilitating Sara's forced marriage—reveal the dangers of good intentions untempered by understanding.
Sherri
Sherri is the team's psychosocial specialist, initially opposed to the program on ethical grounds. Her journey is one of reluctant engagement—she is drawn in by Nadia's passion and the needs of the women. Sherri's own background is privileged, and her attempts at decolonizing herself are both earnest and comic. She becomes Nadia's confidante and co-conspirator, helping to orchestrate Sara's escape. Sherri's growth is marked by a willingness to act, even when it means breaking the rules.
Pierre
Pierre is a French UN staffer whose resentment at being passed over for Nadia's job fuels much of the team's early dysfunction. He is adept at navigating institutional politics, leveraging connections, and manipulating outcomes. Pierre's cynicism is both a defense mechanism and a survival strategy. His relationship with Charles and his role in the program's eventual success reveal the importance of alliances and the moral compromises required in humanitarian work.
Lina
Lina is Nadia's boss, the head of the new UN agency. As an Arab woman in a position of power, she is beset by rivals and forced to fight for every inch of authority. Lina's priorities are often at odds with Nadia's ideals—she is pragmatic, focused on survival, and willing to make unsavory deals. Her relationship with Nadia is fraught, oscillating between mentorship and antagonism. Lina's actions—especially in facilitating Sara's marriage—highlight the moral ambiguity and ethical dilemmas of leadership.
Farris
Farris is an Iraqi security officer whose personal losses—his mother killed in the war—inform his empathy and resilience. He becomes Nadia's most trusted ally, helping to track down Habibah and orchestrate the escape. Farris's willingness to risk everything for others is a quiet form of heroism. He represents the best of Iraq—survivor, rebuilder, and friend.
Christina
Christina is a German aid worker in Turkey who becomes Nadia's lover and potential partner. She offers Nadia the possibility of a new beginning, a relationship based on mutual respect and shared values. Christina's pragmatism and warmth are a balm for Nadia's wounds, and her presence signals the possibility of healing and moving forward.
Habibah
Habibah is Sara's daughter, the focal point of her mother's love and suffering. Her separation and eventual reunion with Sara drive much of the novel's emotional arc. Habibah represents the stakes of the conflict—the next generation, caught between worlds, deserving of safety and a future.
Plot Devices
Dual Narrative Structure
The novel alternates between Nadia's present-day mission in Iraq and flashbacks to her past—her religious upbringing, her relationship with Rosy, and her own near-radicalization. This structure allows the reader to understand Nadia's motivations and the psychological parallels between her and the women she seeks to help. The layering of timelines creates suspense and deepens the emotional resonance of the story.
Irony and Satire
The novel employs sharp wit and satire to critique the UN, international NGOs, and the performative aspects of aid. Bureaucratic inertia, corruption, and the self-serving motives of staff are lampooned, highlighting the gap between rhetoric and reality. The humor is both a coping mechanism for the characters and a tool for the author to interrogate the system.
Foreshadowing and Parallels
Nadia's recognition of herself in Sara, and the repeated motif of "there but for the grace of God go I," foreshadow the novel's central crisis. The parallels between Nadia's estrangement from her mother and Sara's from hers, between Nadia's heartbreak and Sara's loss, create a sense of inevitability and empathy. The escape sequence echoes Sara's original journey into ISIS territory, bringing the story full circle.
Moral Ambiguity and Ethical Dilemmas
The novel is driven by impossible choices—forced marriages, bureaucratic compromises, and the limits of intervention. Nadia's desire to do good is constantly thwarted by the realities of power, culture, and trauma. The ethical dilemmas are not neatly resolved, reflecting the complexity of the real world.
Symbolism of Home and Belonging
The search for home—literal and figurative—runs throughout the novel. The Green Zone, the camp, the villa, and the eventual return to Leicester all serve as backdrops for Nadia's quest for belonging. The motif of the key, the act of packing and unpacking, and the rituals of food and family underscore the longing for safety and acceptance.
Analysis
Fundamentally is a razor-sharp, darkly comic exploration of what it means to be lost and to seek home—in faith, in family, in love, and in the world. Through Nadia's journey, the novel interrogates the seductive power of ideology, the failures of institutions, and the messy, often unsatisfying nature of healing. It refuses easy answers: deradicalization is not a matter of the right program or the right imam, but a complex interplay of trauma, agency, and circumstance. The book is unsparing in its critique of humanitarian hypocrisy, yet deeply compassionate toward its flawed, searching characters. Ultimately, it suggests that survival is an act of defiance, that love is imperfect but necessary, and that the quest for belonging is both universal and endlessly complicated. The lessons are hard-won: empathy is not enough, rescue is never simple, and sometimes the best we can do is to bear witness, to try, and to forgive ourselves for what we cannot fix.
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