This was Jenna’s Today Book Club pick for February, so I was thrilled to find this on my NetGalley shelf. I really enjoyed this book, the story of 25-year old Maddie who lives in London and takes care of her father who has Parkinson’s and also has a full-time job that she doesn’t really enjoy. Her mother lives every other year in Ghana and her older brother is never around, but she doesn’t complain about being in charge of her father and having no social life. Then her mother comes back and Maddie takes the opportunity to get her own flat, but tragedy strikes and the story goes from there. I laughed, I cried, I loved Maddie and how she grew throughout the story. I couldn’t put it down and read it in only 3 days so that’s a good indication of how much I liked it. Highly recommend it. ThNks to ;etgalley and he publisher for this advance copy; all opinions are my own.

A touching and dynamic exploration into all the ways that families are complex and complicated. Maddie was a soft but tough protagonist who was rendered with such nuance and care. I really felt what she was feeling and was with her every step of the way.

Maame is fantastic! It's unlike anything I have read, and I truly connected with and enjoyed this one. It's poignant and unique and just all of the great things I can think of.

Twenty-five year old Maddie (Madeleine Wright) has a lot of weight on her shoulders. She has a mostly absent and neglectful mother living most of her time in Ghana, who, when she calls, manages to be overbearing and demanding. Maddie’s older brother James?? doesn’t often return her calls, is chronically running low on cash, but has the money to travel and dress well. Maddie’s father, on the other hand, lives at home with Maddie. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease years earlier, and Maddie has been his sole caregiver since her teens, as well as solely responsible for keeping up to date on house and other critical payments.

Maddie works as an assistant for a mercurial and anxious boss. Maddie is constantly under fire from this woman, who expects Maddy to manage her schedule amidst all her other duties, while constantly sabotaging Maddie’s efforts. Maddy also finds that when she provides ideas, she’s not credited for them, and finds she really hates her work. She has also managed, with a lot of effort, to build herself a small savings, which Maddie has a hard time maintaining as her life radically changes when her mother returns from Ghana, saying Maddy has to begin living her life.

Maddie goes for it, renting out a flat with two other young women, and making a list of goals she intends to fulfil now that her mother is taking on her dad’s care. She goes on dates, goes out clubbing, and all seems great, then she’s fired without cause, and her relationship with one of her flat mates falls apart. And then the worst thing happens: her dad dies. It’s all too much, and Maddie, who already displays numerous signs of depression, begins falling apart.

Maddie is a very responsible person, but naïve and lacking in self esteem when she starts on her journey. She's too trusting in some cases, and gets burned for it, but she's also learning and maturing, examining how her mother's calling her "Maame" has shaped who she is and what she has allowed herself to expect from others.

Author Jessica George has created a sympathetic character in Maddie, who has so many losses but also awakenings over the course of this totally enjoyable book. I loved watching as Maddie dissects her familial, cultural, gender and professional expectations, and grows so much as she discovers who she wants to be. I totally loved Maddie and this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

In Maame, Maddie is a 25-year-old woman who is the primary caregiver for her father, who is suffering from Parkinson’s disease. It's amazing how you can feel a strong connection to a character even if you don't necessarily have a lot in common.

I loved loved this book so much! What a debut! What a voice! Maddie/Maame captured so much emotion and rawness, and vulnerability. I loved her, and felt like I could relate to her. I also really liked learning about Ghanaian culture. Some of my students are from there so it was really interesting to read about it. This story is unique, you will feel all the emotions when reading it. I love a good coming of age story and this one did not disappoint! I need to get my hands on a physical copy, this is one I will definitely be recommending!

This was an intense and moving read. Maddie struggles with caring for her sick dad while her mother is in Ghana working at her family's store most of the year and her brother travels the world for work. She feels responsible and stuck because no one else is helping. She suffers from depression, but due to cultural and societal norms, her concerns are dismissed when she tells her mother. When Maddie's mom returns from Ghana for a year, she offers to take care of her husband so that Maddie can move out and get on with her life. Not soon after, her father passes away and Maddie feels guilt for not being there since he died alone. Maddie goes through a myriad of emotions, from guilt, grieving and dealing with her depression, there is a lot to unpack. It's a moving story and tackles many interesting views on how religion, society and culture influence how we act and think.

Very well written story.
The story is about a 25 year old Maddie who is taking care of her father who has a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. Her mom goes back and forth each year to Ghana, and her brother James doesn’t seem to be around much leaving all of the responsibility on Maddie. Her mom shares that she is coming home and able to move out, which Maddie does and the unthinkable happens.
The story of Maddie’s thoughts and feelings and going through trials and tribulations and her perseverance.

Let me start by saying that I don't think I have ever added so many tabs to any book before now. However, Maame is not just any book. This book was laugh out loud funny, absolutely heartbreaking, and incredibly relatable. I loved Maddie and her journey throughout this book. There were so many thoughts and actions of hers that I could relate to when trying to navigate life on your own. I was surprised to have enjoyed the stream of consciousness writing style as typically this is not a narrative style I gravitate towards. However, Jessica George's writing lured me in and left me in a puddle of my own tears!

Besides Maddie, we meet a relatively large cast of characters including friends, coworkers, and family members. I felt like every character received so much development and I had strong emotions about the characters I loved as much as the ones I would personally like to tell-off! I also really loved Maddie's friends Nia and Shu and how strong their friendships felt. As someone who has frequently lived away from some of my nearest and dearest friends, I found this dynamic so relatable! In fact, there were many aspects of this novel that were relatable - the struggles of dating, the pressures put on daughters to be caregivers, and the many ways that Maddie struggles to set boundaries with her family. In the Acknowledgments, Jessica George discusses how parts of the book are semi-autobiographical and while of course I have no way of knowing for sure which parts she is referring to.....there are so many parts that reflected experiences I've had with navigating complicated family dynamics and grieving. For that alone, I am incredibly thankful that this book exists!

Another important aspect of this story is Maddie's family being Ghanaian immigrants to the UK. We see Maddie grapple with her family's culture and how she feels like she missed out on some aspects - especially the language of her parents. But we also see how her mom's cultural beliefs surrounding the roles of women have affected her life. One important example is the term "Maame" which is a term of endearment in Twi for the responsible one, little mother, or a woman who became one before her time. The name becomes symbolic of Maddie's entire life. Outside of her family we see how in her chosen career fields she is often the only person of color in certain rooms, but more specifically the only Black person in these spaces. She also struggles to date as a Black woman on dating apps where she is treated in an overly-sexualized manner. In both instances she encounters micro-aggressions and discriminatory behavior. We follow Maddie as she finds ways to stick up for herself and learns that there was never anything wrong with her, but rather there was something incredibly wrong with the people who were treating her differently.

Overall, this book was an emotional rollercoaster, but in the best of ways! I was hesitant to believe the hype surrounding this book, but am happy to report it has found a home on my favorites shelf. Thank you to the publisher for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Maame is one of those books you don’t want to end. A gorgeous, poignant story that deals with dating, sex, friendships, family, and grief. Maddie lives with her Parkinson’s stricken father while her mother splits her time between her native Ghana and their home in London. Maddie is in her mid-twenties at a job she loathes and having never really lived for herself. As her life appears to fall apart in more ways than one, she is forced to figure out who she is and how the relationships she has impact her psyche and well-being. Maddie is the sort of character you want to make your little sister so you can help her navigate dating and friendships and to just tell her it will all be ok.

“Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman.”

A deep emotional story about Maddie (Maame) who is 25 years old but is the primary caregiver for her sick father. Soon, she finds freedom with her Mum back in town. She’s experiencing new things (drinking, flatmates, and sex) but still is not feeling fulfilled. Not too long after she has moved out a tragedy strikes which brings her through a whole different set of emotions she is not prepared for. A rollercoaster of a story with deep sadness and depression to happiness and everything in-between.

Maame has a slow build up (imo) but it leads to a great story that can be sad but also feels comforting. I received an eARC and I was just reading a little at a time until I was about 30% in and then I was trying to get as much reading in before my phone reminder told me to go to sleep. Maddie’s character goes through so much in such a short time and it all flows together which takes great writing skills. I really enjoyed sinking into this one, thank you NetGalley!

This debut novel from Jessica George, blew me away and had me devouring every page. A charming yet deep, coming of age story about Maddie who is trying to break out of her shell as the caregiver of her family. This story packs so much depth, but will also having you laughing out loud as awkward and shy Maddie moves out of her childhood home, starts dating, tackles a new job and searches for acceptance, love, and independence. I loved Maddie's inner dialogue and her google searches. There is also themes of grief, loss, love, family drama and friendship. Maddie's personal struggles with caring for her sick father and her mostly absentee mother were raw, heartbreaking, and emotional. Furthermore, this story highlights the struggles of a black woman and how she must deal with micro aggressions and racism. I could not put this book down and I highly recommend this book!

Maame (pronounced ma-meh) was such an interesting exploration of grief (most specifically the effects of generational grief), friendship, dating, social cues, work changes, and ever-present moments of racism and sexism. The novel tackles the gambit. I think this would be perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine since we deal with a MC that struggles with fitting in, understanding how to interact in various social settings, is dealing with depression in a visceral way and the themes of grief. TW for death of a parent. I knew it was coming but it really hit hard in an unexpected way and the aftermath of picking up the pieces, with a rather estranged family and an outpouring of those claiming relation -since our MC is Ghanaian- is a lot. Our MC is also only 25 years old but has spent her entire life acting in the best interest of her family, to the detriment of her own wants or needs, due to how she was raised and familial circumstances. It's really an interesting view into what happens, with nature vs nurture, when the nurturing is not quite beneficial. This one is honestly difficult to describe in a succinct way because so much ground is covered. However, this would be a perfect read if you're looking for something hard hitting (in the feelings department), an exploration of life, love, and relationships, and dealing with mental health issues through it all.

I love this book. I wish everyone I knew would read it too.
I don't typically love character-driven books but I absolutely adored George's writing. Maddie is SUCH a relatable character, I found myself highlighting passages more than any other book.
Thank you so much for this copy to review! I will definitely be reading more of George's works in the future.

Maame was a delight to read- traversing grief, loneliness, love, and learning with depth and lightness all at once. As the main character, Maddie, develops confidence and finds her voice, so does the plot, becoming stronger as the story continues. Maddie is a singular personality, completely unique, nuanced, and relatable.

A good book, not worth all the hype and honestly I probably would have thought higher of it if I had read it randomly without the hype. It was good it just had a little bit of a beginner feel but a very promising start for a first novel.

I tried multiple times to pick up this book, although I loved the cover I did not enjoy the writing of this novel.
It has rave reviews on NetGalley, so although it wasn’t for me, I’m glad others were able to connect to the story as the synopsis did initially appeal to me.
Thank you NerGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a chance to read this ARC.

Maddie, known as Maame by her family, is a young woman of Ghanaian descent making her way in London while being the sole caregiver for her father with Parkinson's. Her dead-end job and family responsibilities make it difficult for her to date, have friends, and pursue her dream of a job in publishing. Maddie's mother returns from Ghana for an intermittent stay and suggests she move out and live her own life while her mother takes over as the family caregiver.

I greatly enjoyed this novel. Maddie's situation was extremely stressful and stifling for such a young person, and I was pulling for her to get out and experience life without so much guilt. Her dating mishaps and job woes were very relatable. The additional difficulties she experienced as a black woman in those arenas gave me pause as she astutely considered the motives and perceptions of those around her.

This story also touched on themes of familial obligation. Maddie was always the responsible one, and as such, her mother and brother continued to expect her to do the heavy lifting. She was in a difficult spot, and her contentious relationship with her mother went through a transformation as Maddie went forth and spread her wings.

Treat yourself to this honest and hopeful story of personal growth and discovery. You'll cheer Maddie on as she pursues her hopes and dreams with her own brand of cautious optimism.

Maggie lives at home, takes care of her ailing father, works at a job where she isn't respected, and struggles to find any purpose or independence in her life. Her mother lives abroad in Ghana much of the time and her brother is living his own life away from the family. Her father's health and their family finances fall entirely on Maggie to manage. When the opportunity arises for her to move out on her own, she jumps at the chance to start over as a new Maggie. This new life obviously comes with some big ups and downs that she has to work through.

I love so much about this book. This book goes deep on some heavy topics like depression, sex, death, and racism. The topics are so important and so beautifully handled by George. Maggie's struggles are real and raw. It's hard being a 20-something woman trying to find your way in the world. Throw on top of that everything else that Maggie has to deal with and I could feel her emotions pouring out of the page.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book.

This is a must-read! I loved every page of this book. Maddie is so endearing, and you can’t help but root for her as she tries a series of “firsts” (dating, finding flatmates, going clubbing, and pot brownies, to name a few). She is the perfect example of a woman who was forced to grow up too quickly, and is finally making time for herself. Her struggles were believable and at times I wanted to cry along with her. When something made her happy, it made ME happy. I watched her make mistakes and grow from them, and ultimately find a voice for her own desires.
This is also an important book regarding race, family, and culture. It’s often that Maddie finds herself as the only Black person in the room, and reading about how that felt was really educational for me. It’s so easy to pretend not to see micro-aggressions and casual racism, but this ultimately reminds you that it’s something that should always be called out. I also really enjoyed learning about Ghanaian culture, and there’s definitely a few recipes I’d like to look up.
There is a strong religious element in this book. Usually that would bother me, but not in this story. Religion is part of who Maddie is, and to leave that out would be to leave a piece of her behind. It just worked, and it wasn’t preachy or too much. It was just her. However, if religion is a big trigger, maybe steer clear.
This book will make you feel all the feelings - frustration, aching sadness, absolute joy, and even peace. I recommend it with all my heart.