This is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that explores themes of identity, culture, and family.

The story follows Maddie, an early twenties Ghanaian woman who is trying to find herself after spending most of her adult life taking care of her sick father while her mother spends her time in their home country Ghana.
In the story, she grapples with the challenges of adjusting to moving out of her sick father's home, building a life for herself, and reconciling her African heritage with her Western upbringing.

One of the strongest aspects of this book is the depth and complexity of the characters. Maddie is a deeply relatable protagonist whose struggles and triumphs resonates with every new adult. Her journey is supported by a cast of well-developed secondary characters, including her mother, roommates, best friends, and the love interests she finds along the way.

The writing style is engaging and descriptive, painting a vivid picture of Maddie's world and experiences to the point that I could understand her frustration with her mother and how unsure she acted as a 25 year old young woman who had never lived on her own. The writing style is also humorous, with a keen eye for the intricacies of everyday life. George's portrayal of the challenges Maddie faces in both her personal and professional life is both poignant and uplifting.

Maddie's journey of self-discovery was heartwarming and I found myself rooting for her every step of the way. As a self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it's not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils and rewards of putting her heart on the line. The novel also shines a light on the importance of familial duty, friendship, and the complexities of love

While the book could benefit from a stronger plot and pacing in some parts, the strength of the characters and the depth of the themes make it a highly recommended read. Four stars.

Such a sweet story about a girl and the relationship she has with her dad wrapped in her coming of age story. When her mostly absentee mother returns from Ghana, Maddie finally has the opportunity to move out and figure out adulting along with the relationship she has with her mother & brother. #maame #jessicageorge #reading readinggoals2023 #reading challenge

STUNNING. Maame is an absolute triumph of a coming of age novel. Funny, sweet, heartbreaking, it took me through every emotion and made me feel all the feels. Loved it! Also, that cover!

I didn’t think I would enjoy this book because there are many mixed reviews out there. However, it worked for me. I found the main character to be very relatable, even though she was VERY VERY VERY naive at times and relied on google to help her make the most basic decision.

Like if you have to google should you go to a man’s hours for the first date the answer is NO 😂

The only thing I would change about this book is the ending. I felt like it ended too nicely and the main character didn’t get to confront any of the people she had real issues with.

Also Ben needs to go to hell!

Maame is the nickname given to Maddie by her mother. In her native tongue it means woman and in Maddie’s case it means she was never allowed to be a child. She has always shouldered the burden of taking care of her ill father and his household while her mother leads her own life in another country and her brother pursues his dreams. It was heart wrenching to read her story of finally being allowed to live but still struggling with what she thinks is expected of her. But wonderful to have a character that felt like she was my own child and I wanted her to succeed in everything.

Maame is a novel you will not soon forget. It examines inter-generational conflict, the toll that care-taking creates in an individual and a bi-continent family.

The evolution of these characters, the choices that must be made, and a protagonist who seeks to balance her own life while remaining a character to her father who has Parkinson's disease, make for a thoughtful read.

(4.5) As a firstborn daughter who occasionally (okay, often) feels like she grew up too fast, this book really resonated with me. Twenty-five-year-old Maddie — nicknamed “Maame” (which, among other things, means “woman” in Twi) — feels lost and broken and desperately wants to find happiness, or at least some semblance of it. Maddie cries when chopping up peppers, telling herself, “if sadness is your natural state, what does that say about you?” She’s been weighed down by expectations and her family’s belief that they can all be broken and messy because she’s strong enough to hold everything together and can pick up everyone else’s pieces… with no one considering how that belief might affect her. She Googles things such as “happiest jobs” and seeks out lists on how to be happy, and she says at one point, “…although I didn’t think I’d be rich, I expected to be happy, and the failure to do so has left me gasping for air most of the day.”

Maddie used to love being called a “woman” and being seen as an adult while still in girlhood, but now she thinks she might have grown up too fast and missed out on too much. Her mom only calls her to ask for money, to encourage her (currently nonexistent) search for a husband, to remind her how much things are worse in Ghana, or to spew some Bible talk at her. Her dad has Parkinson’s and requires constant care, which Maddie provides (with the sometimes help of a care aide) while her brother begs off, saying he’s busy or short on money. The “Maame” label, she says, “made me grow up when I should have had more time. It made my dad overlook me when I was a child, my mum leave me behind, and my brother get away with doing the bare minimum. It made me lonely, and it made me sad. It made me responsible and guilty. It made me someone, if given the choice, I wouldn’t want to be.” So when Maddie’s mom returns to London from Ghana for a year, Maddie takes the opportunity to finally move out of her family’s home and to find out who she really is and who she wants to be.

It’s a testament to Jessica George’s writing that she’s able to adeptly portray internal and external conflict and turmoil. And even more impressive is how she’s made Maddie leap off the page — she’s sweet and complicated and sad and kind and is really trying to do her best. Her grief and struggles feel real and familiar. Both the writing and the story are bold, and George doesn’t shy away from talking about the messy and hard topics that permeate everyday life, especially the everyday life of a young, Black woman in London whose life is influenced by her Ghanian culture. There are plenty of rich side characters (although only some of them are lovable) and complex relationships that just make the point that, as much as we wish otherwise, life is hard. Really, really freaking hard. And George tackles that wonderfully in insightful ways and by using wit and heart to tell a moving and compelling story that’s equal parts hopeful and heartbreaking.

I’d say Maddie is suffering from older daughter syndrome — not that I’d know *anything* about that — but she’s the baby of her family, which almost makes all this worse. But her journey toward finding herself and navigating a complicated, sometimes horrible world is a good reminder that it’s never too late to put ourselves first and live the lives we want, not the ones that have been forced upon us.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I know there are a lot of mixed reviews on this one but it really worked for me! I found the MC to be relatable if a little immature. The exploration of micro aggressions in the workplace and daring life was spot on. It did feel like it was missing something but it was still a hit with me and I would definitely recommend.

I really liked Maame! The author did a great job with the main character, Madeleine and how she was dealing with her grief and depression. It all was so real. The supporting characters Nia and Shu were a great balance and so supportive. The online dating and bad work environment were well done. And yay happy endings!

Lovely book, very character driven story of a young woman, poised for a big life yet taking care of her father, her family and friends. I was so invested in Maddie’s life. This was a very full, Rick book that I really enjoyed.

I absolutely loved this book so much. Jessica George really painted the scenes so nicely. I could picture everything happening in my head and I appreciated that the book felt so realistic. Nothing seemed overdramatic or unrealistic. It was perfect.

This has to be one of the most gorgeous book covers I’ve seen! I sadly didn’t get a chance to read this gifted ARC before the book published - thank you to St Martin’s Press for giving be both access via NetGalley along with a physical copy in exchange for my honest opinion! Maame was chosen as the Read With Jenna book club pick for Feburary, too! I finished reading it over the weekend, in a mix of both listening to the audiobook and reading it. Maame means woman in Twi, and it has been Maddie’s nickname for as long as she can remember, well before she was an actual “woman.”
I don’t know if my expectations were too high after reading rave reviews or that some themes had recently come up in another read, too, but this book didn’t live up to my hopes.
Things I did enjoy: Maame is a story where the reader gets to view Maddie’s coming-of-age as she figures out what she wants her life to be. The pressure Maddie feels to live into her parents’ cultural expectations as well as her own desires to fit in with her friends and coworkers were portrayed in an understandable manner. In addition, the audiobook narrator @heathatrottlives did a fantastic job - once I started listening to her narration I wanted to continue and not switch back to reading it myself!
I am having trouble putting into words what didn’t work for me. If you read this and loved it, I would love to chat with you about it!

Maddie is 25 years old and her life in London is far from rewarding. She’s the primary caregiver to her father and her mother spends most of her time in Ghana. When her mom returns from her latest trip, she’s finally had enough and is ready to put herself out there!

I questioned Maddie a lot during this book, but she really grew as a person and it was beautiful to watch. This one felt more like a memoir than a book (especially after those acknowledgements)! It was definitely a unique read and I don’t think I’ve read anything like this before. This would have been a 5 star for me but my only qualm was I ended up enjoying the first half of the book way more than the second half!

I have recently been given an ARC for Jessica George’s story Maame. I was so excited to read this coming of age story of a first generation American girl. As we find our protagonist, she is the sole caregiver of her ailing father, with a mother who lives away in Ghana their homeland most of the time. When Maddie spreads her wings she quickly finds how sheltered her life has been. It is great to see how Maddie’s character develops and the storyline is really good. I feel there is a bit too much chaos at times, with ALL the issues addressed from racism, sex, death… The constant Google Q/A format interspersed with the story will not be for everyone, but provides a creative glimpse into our character’s mental health and development. I personally will not put this at the top of my list for the year, but can see how others may love it. All opinions are my own, 3.5 stars.

It was heavy, it was hard, it was good, it was relatable. This was such an amazing story, especially for a debut novel. I felt so connected to Maddie throughout the book. I was rooting for her, smiling for her, crying for her and laughing for her. I felt all the emotions with this one. I so appreciate that this felt like an adult coming-of-age story. This was about a girl in her mid-twenties finding herself and figuring out life and I wish there were more books like this one out there. Life and family are messy and it's not all magically solved when people hit adulthood.
This was so impactful in so many small ways. It didn't hit you over the head with any of its messages but each one was still so well delivered. I'II be thinking about this one for a long time.

"Maame" is a name Maddy's mother calls her because in her native Ghana it means woman, or mother. It's supposed to be a term of endearment but Maddy hates it because it seems her mother has pressured her all her life to be the grown up in the family while mom is off on long trips to her homeland. Maddy's older brother has moved out and she has to live at home taking care of their infirm father. Maddy has little money of her own, but the mom and brother still make her pay for more than her share of things and loan them money. She's twenty-five years old and really hasn't started living her own life yet. When she finally gets to move out and experience what most her age went through years ago--new friends, lying boyfriends, sex, money problems, and a challenging job--she is faced with uncertainty and depression . As she grows and matures, one can't help but cheer her on and anticipate her new life.

Jessica George did an amazing job here on her debut. I was thankful for a comp ebook copy from the publisher through NetGalley; but I chose to listen to the audiobook instead, which was quite well done.

Loved this story! Everything about Maame - her struggle to care for her father, finding her voice, finally living instead of sleep walking through life will resonate with so many.

I am so late to the hype on this but all I think I need to say is that is it absolutely worth it. What a beautiful coming of age story. Go read it!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Maame by Jessica George is a fresh coming-of-age novel. Such a fantastic debut novel. This is one of the first novels I’ve read where the main character is a caregiver for her father with late-stage Parkinson’s disease. I work with people with Parkinson’s disease. I felt this book did well describing the condition and how it can impact the person and the family. I did need to pause reading because it was triggering for me as I was reading it around the anniversary of my father’s sudden passing. I highly recommend this book and audiobook. It was narrated very well. TW: loss of a parent.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for my gifted copies.