Romantic drama Odd Girl Out has ‘all the enticing and familiar angst of romance, friendship and broken families, with a bit of the glitz and glamour of Dubai and grey streets of London thrown in’
David Fickling Books has signed Odd Girl Out, a YA romantic drama by British Bengali writer Tasneem Abdur- Rashid. Commissioning editor Rosie Fickling bought world all language rights from Abi Fellows at DHH Literary Agency, and the novel will be published in April 2025.
Described as a ‘modern riches-to-rags’ story, Odd Girl Out follows Maaryah, whose parents’ divorce forces her to bid farewell to the glamour and glitz of Dubai and hello to dreary London, where things get complicated. There are house parties, annoying-yet-fit boys, and the isolating reality of being the only hijabi in a massive school…
Rosie Fickling said, “Odd Girl Out is first and foremost brilliant fun to read. It’s impossible not to love and care about Maaryah, the feisty, confident teenage protagonist. Her wisdom and youthful naivety make her completely compelling, and the twists, turns and ultimate mega-shocks in the book leave the reader constantly engaged and excited to read on. Tasneem has cleverly crafted a dramatic and entirely believable teenage story with all the enticing and familiar angst of romance, friendship and broken families, with a bit of the glitz and glamour of Dubai and grey streets of London thrown in, all woven alongside the insidious and ignorant racism still so present in our country. It’s an exceptionally good read and yet you feel somehow wiser and more switched on after reading it too, which I think makes it a pretty special and rare book!”
Tasneem Abdur-Rashid said: “Odd Girl Out is a book that is very special to me. As a visible Muslim who came of age in London in the ’90s and grew up feeling othered, this is the book I wish I’d had available to me as a teenager. It is inspired by my niece who made the massive move from Dubai to London, and struggled with navigating her new life and how she could fit in. Given the current political and racial climate, books like Odd Girl Out are more important than ever not only to challenge existing narratives and stereotypes and inspire critical thinking, but also create love and understanding. I hope that readers enjoy Maaryah’s story – her grit, wit and her humour – and find a piece of her journey that they can relate to.”
Abdur-Rashid is a British Bengali writer born and raised in London, who has worked across media, PR and communications both in the UK and in the UAE. Her adult rom-com Finding Mr Perfectly Fine was published by Zaffre/ Bonnier in 2022, and her second adult novel The Thirty Before Thirty List was out in 2024. She co- hosts the award-winning podcast Not Another Mum Pod.