New novel by Roohi Choudhry mixes elements of horror, mythology and the Quran

04 Oct - 24 Sep 2026

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Outside Women, Roohi Choudhry's debut novel, was highlighted as the most anticipated feminist book by Ms. Magazine, a magazine whose founders included Gloria Steinem. Expectations were met as the book became a finalist and semi-finalist for some awards in the United States. The work intertwines personal and political history and exposes ideological clashes, ethnic and class prejudices. At the center are two migrant women, separated by different geographies and generations, but united by a common goal: to bring justice.

The author defines herself as a fiction writer about women who find their true identity on the margins of society. It is with this well-defined literary project that he takes a break from his career to dedicate himself fully to his second novel, during his Artistic Residency at Casa Mísia, from October 4th to 24th, 2026.

Roohi intends to explore an even more audacious distortion of reality in Dusk Ascent (working title of the work in progress), by entangling the daily lives of Muslim women and young women with elements of horror, South Asian mythology, Sufi thought and the Quran.

True to her proposal, the author examines the norms and social constraints imposed on Muslim women and what happens when they try to do so
assert the right to its unstoppable essence, this time in connection with the natural and wild world. “Everyone has an opinion about Muslim women and our bodies. I hope this book shows the public that we can rescue ourselves and that it boosts the debate around women's identity and agency
Muslims”, he explains.

Roohi Choudhry was born in Pakistan and raised in southern Africa. He has a master's degree (MFA) in creative writing from the University of Michigan, received a grant from the New York Foundation for the Arts and participated in artistic residencies in Hedgebrook and Djerassi. She has worked as a researcher in criminal justice reform and public health, written for the United Nations, and facilitates creative writing workshops for interfaith groups, schools, libraries, and community organizations. His stories and essays
have been published in magazines such as Ploughshares, Callaloo, Longreads and Kenyon Review. Lives in Brooklyn, New York.