It takes great talent and skill not only to bring to life the work of an oil rig but also to make this work environment relatable, engaging, and incredibly thrilling.
In her latest adult novel, author Yassmin Abdel-Magied has done just that. Set against the backdrop of a high-stakes oil rig operation in Australia, At Sea follows expert driller Zainab as she is called to take charge of the latest rig project.
Unable to resist the opportunity for a promotion, she leaves behind her pregnant sister Kareema and heads offshore for the job of a lifetime.
But like most things, there's a catch. The oil rig is teetering on the edge of disaster, and Zainab is the only woman amongst a crew of hardened men who want absolutely nothing to do with her.
Running an operation, but forced to constantly prove herself, Zainab tries to investigate the rig's imminent collapse.
Whilst uncovering the secrets of the rig, she quickly grasps that the real danger lies in the cold calculations and base desires of the men she is forced to spend every waking moment with.
As tensions rise, Zainab races to uncover the truth threatening to blow below and fend off the impending collapse.
As a setting, the level of danger and degree of unknownness are perfect for an environmental thriller.
Abdel-Magied ensures the reader is immersed in this world relatively quickly through the novel's pacing, particularly given the risk and high stakes of this work.
The author is also unafraid to use the language and context of the oil rig (with explanations cleverly woven into the story's dialogue and plot), and I didn't feel alienated as a reader with little to no knowledge of this kind of work.
These aspects were well researched and really helped drive up the tension in Zainab's job from the first couple of chapters. For a thriller, pacing is everything. And the tension and movement of At Sea were sublime.
I was completely and utterly gripped by Zainab's job, her navigation of a male-dominated and ego-driven workplace, as well as trying to avoid catastrophe on the oil rig. It's a lot for anyone to attempt to juggle, but Zainab is also trying to outrun something in her past, too.
As well as the pacing, Zainab's characterisation and tone of voice are brilliant. She's smart, empathetic, witty, and tenacious. She can be brash on the surface but is plagued with inner doubt and turmoil.
She is a young woman attempting to navigate what is already a primarily male-dominated field of work, but also as a Black, visible Muslim.
Zainab has to deal with male colleagues ignoring her position of power, disrespecting her, sexualising her or extending support but only in private. All whilst doing her job and keeping every person on the oil rig safe.
These intersections of her identity and faith are woven throughout the novel, and you can see this in how Zainab works harder than most and adapts her style to the situations she finds herself in — a flexibility that I'm sure most women from marginalised backgrounds can deeply relate to.
The gendered power dynamics of the oil rig made for a fascinating and thought-provoking element to this environmental thriller. Zainab has countless misogynistic interactions on a daily basis and has to fight to be seen and heard, not only as a colleague but as the team's boss.
She comes up against an 'old-school' boss who believes that if equality means treating men and women the same, then he will treat Zainab as a man (read: poorly, crass and very rude). She encounters another, the 'Company Man', who regularly dismisses Zainab because she has the audacity to ask questions and dig deeper into his decision-making. And then there's her one and only comrade on the team, Guy, who, even though he could be seen as 'one of the good guys,' is still inherently flawed and protected by the patriarchal systems of the oil rig. Abdel-Magied skillfully presents different types of male colleagues to explore the complexities of power and drive home the message that misogynistic practices are a structural issue, and not something that can be laid at the door of just one individual. At Sea delves deep into Zainab's career successes and power struggles as a Black Muslim woman, but it is also a story that serves as a warning against men driven by ego who battle for authority whilst refusing to look at the bigger picture.
It's a story about the unexpected consequences of our choices and the broader costs of capitalism. And it's a story of the inability to outrun or escape the past. At Sea is beautifully written — often, poetic in its language — and addictive in its tension and pacing, and it's a book that will haunt you long after you put it down. At Sea is released on 5 May 2026 in North America and on 21 May 2026 in the UK. The book will also be released in Australia and New Zealand on 2 June 2026 Shahed Ezaydi is an award-winning culture writer and author of The Othered Woman . Follow her on Instagram: @shahedezaydi