Odd Girl Out

by Tasneem Abdur-Rashid

Her parents' divorce has Maaryah bidding bye-bye to Dubai and her life of luxury . . . and hello to dreary London, where things get . . . complicated.There are house parties, annoying-yet-hot boys and the isolating reality of being the only hijabi in a massive school.Can Maaryah stay true to herself, even when another bombshell rocks her world . . . ?

Genres: Young Adult

368 pages, Paperback

Published April 10, 2025

Reviews

[Bookphenomena (Micky) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Headlines:
Life uprooted
Trying to adjust
Facing racism

This was a powerful and tangible story of Maaryah, uprooted from Dubai and plunged into life in Essex as a hijabi teen in a mostly white school. She stuck out and was bullied from the first day but that behaviour became even more nefarious. While this was a heart-punching story there was a thread of hope and love running through it.

There were strong themes of difficulties in family relationships and friendships and one of the hardest humps in that theme were the relationships between Maaryah and her mum and dad. She felt betrayed and unseen; all those feelings were palpable. There was such a lack of communication and she felt no sense of a safety net.

The story took the reader from Essex to London to Dubai where Maaryah found escape and the root of all the secrets behind life's recent stresses. This protagonist was resilient but when I say that I don't think anyone, teen or otherwise should have to be resilient to the kind of treatment Maaryah experienced.

This was an immersive read and I think this story will speak to young adult Muslim readers and adults from other walks of life alike.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.

[Natasha Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
With the current racial and political climate, Tasneem Abdur-Rashid’s Odd Girl Out is a humorous, heartfelt, and timely coming of age novel that I really enjoyed. And tells the story of Maaryah who, after her parents divorce, finds she must give up her glamourous life in Dubai for the (dreary in comparison) UK.

Where she must navigate the social and cultural differences of modern day Britain (which isn’t always kind to Islamic communities) and the challenges she must face as a Muslim teen (and only Hijab) at her new school.

As a thirty-something woman I’m probably not the target audience for this novel. But, the complexity and depth that Abdur-Rashid lovingly embues in our fashionable, resilient and fiercely compelling protagonist, Maaryah, gave me an eye opening (and rather poignant) glimpse into the experiences that my Muslim friends and neighbours have had to endure their entire lives.

I adored Maaryah and loved how resolute she was, in not giving in to the bullies (or peer pressure) to conform. By embracing her faith and culture, she highlights the issues with traditional assimilation. And why no one should have to lose their heritage and cultural identity just to ‘fit in’ to a country’s cultural norms.

We get some really lovely, lighthearted moments too, where Maaryah’s witty sense of humour really gets to shine.

And the writing was absolutely beautiful as well, capturing the voice of contemporary teens in an authentic and engaging way that I feel will resonate with a lot of readers. Especially when it comes to anyone currently struggling with their identity or embracing their cultural heritage.

The themes and issues (such as divorce, family relationships, friendship and Islamophobia) were all highly relevant and important too. Challenging the misconceptions (and biases) that many people have about the Islamic community (and Muslim identity as a whole) which is why I think everyone should go pick up a copy ASAP.

I also encourage you to check out reviews from Muslim readers, who are definitely gonna be far more qualified at explaining just how amazing (and important) a book this really is.

Also, a huge thank you David Fickling Books for the incredible proof.

[Zainab Bint Younus · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fave thing about getting ARCs is being able to discover fantastic new books before everyone else so I can gush about it to y'all!!!!

"Odd Girl Out" by @tasneemarashid is a great Muslamic take on quintessential YA: a teenager going through big life changes, dealing with the drama... and in this case, also facing Islamophobia.

Maaryah Rashid's life is uprooted by her parents' divorce, in more ways than one. She has to leave behind her glamorous life in Dubai to live in the middle of nowhere, Essex; she's the only hijabi at her school *and* the target of a nasty Islamophobic bully; AND her mom is so busy falling apart after the divorce that she doesn't seem to notice Maaryah's own grief, loneliness, and struggles.

I love that there are repeated references to salah, hijab as an act of worship, and what being Muslim means in the West. On the flip side, there's also flirting and physical contact between Maaryah and boys, without it explicitly called out as haram/ wrong.

As with most Muslamic YA that touches on various teenager-y things (boys, parties, various haraamness), I recommend this for 15+.

I *really* enjoyed reading this, to the extent that I slipped it out at work and may or may not have gotten caught by my manager lulz

[Kirin · Rating 4 out of 5]

At 368 pages this identity centered mature YA book really hooked me and had me invested, which is impressive because Islamophobia stereotypes and being the new kid in a new place tropes are pretty frequently done, and often after a while, feel repetitive. For me the charm of this book is actually not Maaryah and her peers/friends/bullies storylines, but the protagonist's relationship with her parents and what caused her mom and dad to divorce. Obviously as a mom of teens, I'm not in the target audience, but I feel like I benefited from the Muslim authored, Islam centered book, and think older teens, perhaps 17 and up, will also find the book enjoyable and reflective of views they have, challenges they face, and boundaries they have to establish. I don't want to spoil it, but SPOILER, had my dear friends that have read the book clued me in that the book will toe and slightly cross the haram lines, but ultimately show Maaryah deciding to re-establish her boundaries after being tempted not to, i.e. making a poor choice to attend a party with boys and alcohol present, and dressed in a way not typical to her hijabi style, I wouldn't have read the last hundred and twenty pages or so with my jaw clenched in fear. The book shows a lot of Islam in practice, salat, duas, discussions about hijab, but not everyone will agree with decisions Maaryah makes or the rationale behind them as they vacillate between culture, religion, and family expectations. I love that Maaryah is fallible and never abandons her faith, and that who we are is more than a singular mistake or instance of poor judgement. The book is not preachy, most will just take it as a girl finding her place in her new family dynamic in a new country, who happens to Muslim. I think, an assumption really, based on what the author has said about her previous adult books, something along the lines that they are not meant to be Islamic fiction, but are stories with Muslim characters, and I think this book should probably be viewed the same. There is swearing, hand holding, a side hug, normalized boy girl friendships, lying, running away, deceit, cheating, alcohol, mention of hookups, dating, vaping, music, flirting, hijab questioning, bullying, physical assault. My biggest concern about the book is that it brings up Palestine, but doesn't discuss Palestine. A side character is a non practicing Jew that visits Tel Aviv and Maaryah wants to discuss the occupation with her, but hesitates and the moment passes. It is never revisited which I really wish it would have. It could have modeled a bit how to have those conversations, I know it isn't that type of book, but Maaryah mentions repurposing kaffiyehs in her designs and so it hints that it matters to her, but never pulls on that thread. At one point it also mentions another character posted something pro Isr@*l during the genocide, which I can only assume the author thought that by the time of publication would have ended. SubhanAllah ya Raab.

SYNOPSIS:
The tag line on the cover "From Dubai Girl to London Nobody..." very succinctly summarizes the plot. Maaryah had an idyllic life in Dubai with her parents and close friends, spending her holidays with her mom's family in London, and securing an internship with a famous designer. All is going well until her parents get divorced, her mom moves her to the UK, not near her extended family, and the lack of Muslims, let alone hijabis, at her high school has her bullied with no friends to have her back. With her mom in survival mode, their once close relationship is non-existent, and the 15 year old is left to sort through it all on her own.

WHY I LIKE IT:

There is a little pulling of punches so to speak of asserting that the boundaries are Islamic, but for the most part I think Muslim readers will see that Maaryah does view a lot of what she experiences through an Islamic lens which I appreciate. I also like that the protagonist's connection to salat and faith is hers, it isn't forced on her and I think for this demographic that is good micro messaging and framing.

I was very grateful that the book answered the questions about Maaryah's family dynamic, so often parental problems are pushed to the void and let to be resolved or understood off the page. And while in the first half it was teased a little as we aren't having that conversation right now, I did ultimately by the end feel like it was sufficiently resolved. I also felt the mom was blaringly absent at weird times and I get that it was a plot device to get her out of the way, but if you are dragging at the 100 page mark, I do encourage you to keep reading, it does pick up.

This book isn't meant to be didactic, and I recognize I'm putting that on it a bit, but I do think the Gaza framing missed an opportunity to show readers how to navigate that very real scenario through the power of fictional characters.

[Rebecca R · Rating 4 out of 5]

When her parents divorce, Maaryah is forced to move away from her luxurious life in Dubai to a tiny house in Essex with her Mum. She has leave behind her Dad, all of her friends and a prestigious fashion internship to join a brand new school in Year 11 as the sole hijabi. Maaryah faces Islamophobic bullying alongside the usual issues of friendship, boys and schoolwork, while also worrying about her depressed Mum and trying to solve the mystery of why her parents split up.

Maaryah is a great character with a wonderfully authentic and engaging voice and her battle to embrace her own cultural identity in an unfriendly context is particularly poignant and timely. She's not perfect - she's a little tone deaf about her privileged lifestyle in Dubai - but her struggles are extremely relatable. A well-written, topical contemporary YA - perfect for Year 8 and above. I really enjoyed this one.

(I also really loved the striking cover design!)

[Neelam · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I’m a blend of three cultures, three countries, three languages, three lifestyles. Sometimes I feel like I don’t belong anywhere - especially now.”

This is a such a wonderful coming of age story of a teenage girl who’s whole life is uprooted when she has to move from Dubai to London.

This book is about belonging, about what it means to be a young Muslim in the west and specifically a young Muslim woman who wears a hijab.
It’s about friendships, how long distance can affect them & finding new friends.

Maaryah was such a great character & I loved her character arc. She grows so much, she struggles with the change & instability in her life which is made worse by the Islamophobia she faces at school. I loved seeing her grow from wanting to stay silent to protect herself to standing up for herself.

I also loved seeing her pray, turn to Allah for help but also struggle in her relationship with Allah as she went through all the changes in life but still holding on to her faith. She is not a “perfect” Muslim but she is trying.
I also loved that hijab was mentioned as an act of worship! Like yes! It has nothing to do with men or anyone else!

I really enjoyed the book & related to Maaryah a lot. A book i think a lot Muslim teens will be able to see themselves in.

[SairaBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good representation. tackles Islamophobia, racism in a well crafted story.

[Reema · Rating 5 out of 5]

AD PR PRODUCT I was sent a copy of this book to read, but best believe me when I say that this would have been a 5 star read regardless of buying the book myself or not. I ADORE Tasneem and her writing so much because she has a way of pulling out feelings that have been hidden for so long, making me reflect and take a look at myself.

I guess that's what you call relatable, huh?

I don't usually like books about racism and Islamophobia because we live it on a daily basis - why should I read about it as well? But it just worked so well. It was so profound, and I had a clear message! I just wanted to wrap Maaryah up in a big hug because she handled everything so well. There were so many points where I wanted to cry because I just couldn't believe how much she was suffering, the bullying, the stress, the racism, the struggles of fitting in!

I loved the writing style. Tasneem has a natural YA voice. I was laughing at the slang and easy manner in which the characters spoke.

As for romance, I wish there was more but I feel there was a perfect balance, especially because the book focused on specific themes! But please, tell me, there MUST be a book 2 yes?!?!? Because we need to know what happens next........

[Shadow in the darkness. · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this book I ran to it and read the blurb then I got it checked out. I pulled an all nighter specially for this book and I was sooooo happy when I was able to pronounce the names as I'm from Pakistan and know Arabic and was able to pronounce the names and know what Maaryah meant but nana, nani and dadi as that's what I call my grandparents. This book made me so proud to know there are boos about a Muslim's struggles in the UK and I can relate to Maaryah so much it's actually unbelievable. All in all I love this book and hope for more books about Maaryah and pretty please can there be something between her and Nazir because I ship them soooooooooo bad. ❤️ this book and I recommend to fellow Muslim's!

[Tanzina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Set between London and Dubai, we get a glimpse into the complexities of lives Muslim Bangladeshi families live. Beautiful characters, especially the main character and all the women who make her the powerful person she becomes.
Touches on difficult issues such as Islamophobia, racism and bullying, and lots of powerful moments of overcoming these challenges. Overall, a very fun read!

[Sabina Begum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! I felt seen, especially as a bengali girl. written really well, too! Tasneem, you are an inspiration! I've always wanted to write, and you are making me want to follow my passion. This book was amazing from the beginning to the end. I didn't want it to end, especially with some very hard topics, but it was a lovely story.

[H.J. Worthington-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and finished it in a day! I loved Maaryah and really empathised with her. I would highly recommend this book.

[Aisha Ditta · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. This was a fun quick read. The dialog was good and funny at times and had some serious topics. I liked the characters but it was a bit of a rushed ending.

[Sharmin Begum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I felt like I was reading about my teenage self. Just couldn’t put it down. Written so beautifully and so special for children who are growing up just like Maaryam. ❤️

[Tasneem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a good read. Was pretty invested in the story

[Lil · Rating 2 out of 5]

umm it was ok

[Shummi Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an easy 5* for me. I devoured this book in two sittings - on the way to London to meet Tasneem for her book launch, and one the way back home after! The thing I enjoy the most about her writing is that it is just so easy and natural to slip into, it's like speaking to an old friend and listening in to their stories - the characters feel like home, the experiences resonate all the time, the topics are so relatable and the protagonists come to life within mere pages of starting the book. 

I loved that this book contained so many important issues - and yes, it did make me cry! As soon as the topic of Shamima Begum came up, I knew this book was written for me. That conversation and inner turmoil? I’ve had that debate, and it really changed my views on people around me. Jamie - depicted as the ‘low income, white, racist’ individual that made Maariyah’s life hell - I’ve experienced racist boys like that whilst teaching, even to the extent of one coming into school, into my classroom with a knife to stab me, whilst I was heavily pregnant - (he did get referred to Prevent.) But it made me reflect on how much we just *take* because we think we should, just like Maariyah, who at the beginning didn’t want to ruffle any feathers and wanted to blend in. It made me reflect on how many times we’ve all done that in the past, carrying the weight of the systemic racism in place, never raising our voice, making ourselves heard, and letting our white counterparts get away with doing the minimum to ensure our safety. 

The racism in this book was palpable too - when the Black lady called Maariyah a “Paki” and then the discussion between herself and her aunt turned into how much racism exists within our own culture also, how we have to tackle when South Asian, brown people, are engrained with racism towards black people and black culture - it does exist and we battle these mentalities all the time. I liked that the conversations between the characters were about real issues that we face today within our very own societies and in the people we see around us. 

Losing friendships was a big one for me. I know Maariyah is just a school girl in this book, but this topic has followed me well into my 30s whilst I navigate the meaning of friendship, and the importance of the types of people we hold dear to us. The 5 closest to you are a reflection of you? That. 

I loved the journey of hijab that Maariyah went on - how she was resilient in continuing to wear it, because of her intentions and her faith, acknowledging it as going beyond the surface to the inner workings of intention and God consciousness, how she explored the easiness of wearing it in a Muslim country and feeling a part of something good vs in a Western country, feeling like you stand out from the crowd, and how she also held her mum accountable too. 

These are just SOME of the topics mentioned - the book was absolutely filled to the brim with much more including Palestine vs Israel reflected in friendships, teenage boy drama, parental relationships, domestic abuse, navigating life post-divorce, and much more. So much of it felt like this one book had been written to address every relevant topic in my life for the past year - and I'm sure that resonated with many others also. 

I recommend this book to everyone, but I think it would be a fantastic read for schools in particular, so that teachers and students could really dissect and explore the impact of islamophobia in the current climate -  a huge learning curve to be made by both adults and peers, and one which I am sure would raise topical conversations in the classroom and outside, and enable our white friends to help understand the real experience of their Muslim students and peers alike. 

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

made me cry

[Fabian · Rating 5 out of 5]

this ya novel is an incredible story about a teenage girl coming to terms with her life completely changing. Tasneem shows you the vulnerbale sides of growing up, emotional and sensitive, yet powerful and understanding a completely different perspective, one you might not encounter in your average ya novel. And that is exactly what this story is all about: so much more than average. It is funny and beautiful, sad and deep. And it tackles really important themes such as racism, sexism, love, friendship, and coming to terms with the fact that life is changing all the time and through the pain comes growth and beauty. It is the best ya novel I read this year!

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it and what it had to say