This is the touching coming of age story of Maddie, a 25 year old Ghanian woman living in London. She acts as caretaker for her father who has Parkinson’s.

We watch Maddie grow throughout the story in her career as an editorial assistant, her love life, in her friendships and as the Maame of her family. She will make you laugh and cry, and have you rooting for her until the last page.

The author says this book is near and dear to her heart and you can tell. It is a character driven story full of life. I wonder if much of it parallels her own actual life and that’s what makes it so heartfelt.

Pick this up for your first official book cry of 2023. Maame got me. 😭 This would also make an excellent book club choice.

I am SO thankful to have read this book early!

What a beautiful, impactful debut. I think I will be processing this for a while, but this is what character-driven books should be! A moving story featuring a lovable and endearing main character, through the ups and the downs of this complicated journey that is life.

George’s writing and character development are flawless. I laughed out loud at times, teared up, and found myself raging on behalf of Maddie. The explorations of race, mental health, and coming of age are all spot on. Readers will have much to take away from this beautiful book.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this one early!

While reading Maame, I found the beginning to be a bit slow. But I pushed on, and I am glad that I did. In the beginning, Maddie seems shy, meek, and willing to do whatever anyone asks without asking anything in return. By the end, she has started standing up for herself and finding her voice.

When Maddie was a small child, she was given the family pet name Maame. The name means woman and carer. She finds herself as more the mother of the family than as the daughter. It is a toxic family dynamic, but sadly one that is more common than many people realize. After a significant family shake-up, Maddie stands up for herself and makes the nickname her own.

When I first read the synopsis for Maame, I bypassed it because it seemed too serious of a book for me to want to read at the time. The second time the book presented itself to me, I decided to give it a chance. Boy, am I glad that I did! You will be surprised to realize this is George’s debut novel, and I look forward to reading more by her.

Powerful, emotional, pulling on all the heart strings. Days later I’m still thinking about it and still struggling to put words to all the feels this book gave me. There are so many themes and layers and nuance….and oooof the visceral portrayal of grief absolutely gutted me. The whole things is just ahhhh, so beautifully and poignantly written and covers such a universally resonant spectrum of human emotions.

I related so deeply to Maddie’s sadness, grief, depression…her confusion and not understanding, and feeling lost in, so many social situations/cues/rules. The googling everything was so endearingly relatable. To me, Maddie felt ASD coded, I don’t remember seeing anything in blurbs about it specifically but as an AuDHD person so many of the things she struggled with deeply resonated with my own neurodivergence.

Some of my favorite bits throughout the book were the parts with Nia and Shu…their friendship was so wonderful! And the ending was so sweetly satisfying, I was really happy with it!

Excellent coming of age/becoming an adult while trying to find your way between two cultures. The writing is superb, the characters feel like people you could meet. Maddie straddles being Ghanian and British, and often what it means to be the only black woman in the room, while also trying to navigate a complicated family. Maddie really comes into her own by the end of the novel, and the transformation of the 25 year old felt real.

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

It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.

When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. 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."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

This was so raw and vulnerable. There were so many points when I genuinely gasped out loud. Loved it! I can't wait to read more of George's work :)

I absolutely adored this book! Maddie was the perfect character, full of personality and genuine curiosity in life. The Google searches killed me!! I loved the writing style. It was so different and fresh. I would 100% recommend this book to anyone. Thank you so much to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this story. I laughed, I cried and I even cringed. Maame is a term of endearment, but holds a heavy place in Maddie’s life. Her relationship with her dad was sweet, sincere and heartbreaking. Her mom seemed awful, but then you learned more towards the end that made you question that feeling. Her living situations and work life made me eye roll at how typical and relatable they were. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone. Truly loved it and absolutely 5 stars from me.

🌺REVIEW: Maame by Jessica George🌺

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Digital
Length: 320 pages
Read: Jan 16-20, 2023
Pub date: Jan 31, 2023
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Bildungsroman

““Maame” has meant meanings in Twi but in my case, it means “woman.””
“Maame. The responsible one. The woman. The mother. Often before her time.”

Madeleine Wright, Maddie, is a very naive 25 years old. She lives in London with her father who she helps to care for since his Parkinson’s diagnosis 10 years prior. Her mum lives part of the year in London with them and the rest of the year back in their homeland of Ghana where she runs a hostel with her brother. Maddie’s brother James is a music manager and travels. Therefore, most of the responsibilities have fallen to Maddie to care for the house, bills, and most importantly- caring for her father.

Now, Maddie’s mum has come home for a year (we hate her😏) and she is moving out with new flatmates and essentially living for the first time as an adult. She is trying to find her way in friendships, dating, her sexuality, and in a new job where as a black person in a white dominated industry she can’t seem to find her footing and then begins to wonder if she’s being discriminated against. When tragedy strikes Maddie has enormous guilt and anxiety along with having to be responsible all over again.

I absolutely fell in love with Maddie. Her voice is so strong. She is funny and endearing and just like us (those Google searches y’all!) and then the next minute she’s breaking our hearts. I wanted to curl her up in my arms and give her the biggest hug.

Jessica George has written a love letter to children who care for their parents. This may be a coming of age story, but as a 51 year old who lost my mother last year and lived with her for the last three years of her life to help care for her I was SO moved by Maddie’s story. There is so much guilt in wanting to live your own life and wanting to care for them at the same time while also thinking you’re not doing enough. Reading this has been total catharsis for me, so thank you for that Jessica.
“What everyone fails to mention about the grieving process— I still have to live.”

Out January 31st! I believe this will be a huge success this year and based on the artwork on their site will be a BOTM pick for February. Don’t pass up your chance to meet Maddie.

I wasn’t a fan of this one. I found the writing to be a little too cheesy in its attempt to be “modern”—it was very direct and conversational, with occasional Google searches and excerpts from the protagonist’s Notes app. One example is a list named “The New Maddie”, which included the item “Have different experiences (Travel? Brunch?)”. I don’t know—overall, despite dealing with important and at times dark subjects, I thought it was a bit surface-level.

Wow, what an incredibly stunning debut from Jessica George. Family dynamics, racism, cultural assimilation, mental health - all of these are explored on the page as we follow Maddie through the trials of losing her Dad, living on her own for the first time, changing jobs, and pulling herself out of a hole she hadn’t realized she had fallen into. I already know this is going to be one of my favorite books of 2023 and I highly recommend you add it to your reading list!

With themes of familia dirty and racism, Maame follows Maddie’s life as she struggles to find herself before and after her father’s death. This was a very powerful read that I would recommend. Extraordinary character development had me hooked a few pages in.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review

Maame is a modern coming-of-age story that explores many themes that young adults struggle with today: belonging, pressure, motivation, anxiety, loneliness, sexuality, dating, self-worth, and confidence, along with themes of loss, guilt, familial duty, home, and culture.

Maddie, a young British woman from a Ghanaian family, has a lot on her plate for only 25. She cares for her father, who is in the advanced stage of Parkinson's, and a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana but always needs money from Maddie, a job she is unhappy in, and her unrewarding life. She is a likable character you will feel sorry for, a little too agreeable for me with no flaws of her own. She is perfect, and all the conflicts she experiences are from outside forces that affect her well-being, like an unsympathetic mother to hate that pulls at your heartstrings. She has no one looking out for her and relies on google for life answers.

Maddie grows from her experiences and learns plenty from them. There are so many important and meaningful messages here; however, the pacing is off, and when it all comes together, it is too easy, simple, and fast for how complex all the themes are.

While this is one to please many readers, it was too perfect, likable, and pleasing for me. I wanted less time to spend on all those outside forces and more on seeing how Maddie grows rather than being told as the story wraps up.

I should have loved this, and I feel bad I didn't.

This was a Traveling Friends group read and everyone loved it but me.

Maame by Jessica George was so much more than what I expected. I agreed to review this book based on its very brief summary: "Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures―and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong."

What I did not realize about this book is that is begins with Maame/Maddie as the sole caregiver of her father whose health is declining due to Parkinson's. To read this book less than a month after my father passed away was risky. I didn't realize the strong thread of Maddie's relationship with her dad and subsequent grief would be woven into the other aspects of her life. I strongly believe we respond to books based on our own experience and I have to say this a solid five star read for me. My heart hurts and is happy at the same time.

The story of Maame/Maddie is a coming of age story that addresses so many themes in such a seamless way. This book will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Look for this to release 1.31.23.

I love character driven novels, and Maame was an amazing example of that! What a debut novel!!

Maddie (Maame) is in her mid 20's and lives at home with her dad. Her mom spends every other year in Ghana and her brother spends his time with his friends families. So when Maddie's dad is diagnosed with Parkinson's it is left to Maddie to be his caregiver. But as Maddie thinks, it has always been up to her to take care of everything, even when her dad didn't have Parkinson's. She has been responsible for so many things that should have never been her responsibility, and she thinks she has handled it .... but as she discovers later, she really hasn't.

I will not say anymore about the book, and believe me there is so much more to this book! I have a feeling that this one will be in my top 5 at the end of the year. 4.5⭐

This was a great, emotional coming-of-age story. Maddie is trying to figure out her life in London. The daughter of immigrant parents from Ghana, she’s the primary caretaker for her dad and solely responsible for him while her mother runs the family business in Ghana. With her mom’s return to London, Maddie decides to set out on her own and try to forge a life for herself independent of her parents.

I enjoyed the different messages of the book, especially the focus on family and faith. Lots of reviewers have compared this book to Queenie, another book I enjoyed, but I found Maddie to be much more grounded of a character. That said, she was also incredibly frustrating at times. She’s meant to be 25 but it sometimes felt like she was actually 15. She’s incredibly naive and after awhile her bizarre google searches got a little annoying. Does anyone actually search for some of the things she did?

Despite that, the way that grief and depression was portrayed was very powerful. Anyone who has lost a family member could relate to what Maddie goes through as she navigates the loss.

I definitely look forward to seeing what Jessica George writes next!

What a raw, emotionally gripping, and passionate debut! I read this quickly, needing to know what happens to Maddie. Maddie is guarded, weighted, and incredibly thoughtful and I found myself rooting for her and being so impressed by her strength. There are so many moments of vulnerability between the characters that are so impactful. I think at some point we have all felt alone and Maddie really makes us feel understood. Maame is an empowering coming of age story with themes of family dynamics, the process of grief, and going after what you truly want. I can’t wait to see more from @jessicabgeorge

4.5⭐️

Terrific. This is in many ways a coming of age novel- or coming into your own novel- as well as a novel about grief. Maddie has been called Maame by her mother since she was a child, when her mother first left the family to spend time in Ghana forcing Maddie to care for her brother and her father. She's now 25 and she's always lived at home, now caring for her father, who has advanced Parkinsons's, and she's working for a woman she hates. And then just as she takes a step to rent a room in a group home, she's fired, which turns out to be a positive because she finds a new one that's more suited. And she has a date, a man who wooes her. But not all is good because, well, no spoilers except that her father's death forces her to take a hard look not only at herself but also at others and to finally stand up for herself. She's a well drawn, relatable, sympathetic character who deserves so much more than. she gets from most of those around her. This has wonderful storytelling and it sings in small moments as well as large. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A marvelous debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a lovely yet profound read, and I especially loved how the author included the themes of identity and how the legacy of one's blood family can shape who we are. I truly sympathized with Maddie and was rooting for her the whole time. I also must say that it was really refreshing to read a book centred around a Black character that didn't revolve around trauma or racism.

I would recommend this book to people who Google anything and everything, those with overbearing mothers, and folks who love to see a good character arc.

📚📚 BOOK REVIEW 💫 💫

Rating : 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
We come across the meaning of the term “Maame” multiple times throughout the book and each time the word takes a new gravitas based on the mood of the protagonist. “Maame” in Twi means “woman” and it’s this name which has been tied up to our protagonist, Maddie’s destiny.

Maddie, born in London to Ghanaian parents, is introduced to us as a simple 25 years old girl, devoted to taking care of her Parkinson’s affected father and the household, in the absence of her mother (on a recurring Ghana visit) and a brother James (running away from his responsibilities). A spur of the moment decision to move out and live her own life, unfair termination from job, a failed relationship while losing her virginity in the process, an insane night of smoking pot and Maame finds her questioning her choices when she wakes up late on her dad’s birthday to find him dead and having missed the last opportunity to meet him. A bout of depression and self searching follows- whether Maddie recovers and does she finds herself form the rest of the story.

Maame as mentioned above is a coming of age fiction which has a lot of heart. Each incident feels like a page out of your own diary- you cry with Maddie, you root for her to come out victorious and therein lies it’s biggest positive. The mother daughter relationship is another highlight and it’s endearing to see the evolution as the narrative proceeds. While the first half of the book has enough humor sprinkled in, it’s the 2nd half where the emotional quotient really hits the mark. The only negative is the romance which didn’t really connect with me. Overall the mother daughter and Maddie’s ode to her father will resonate with you- too early into the new year but definitely one of my favourites for the year!

Thank you Netgalley, Jessica George and St. Martin’s Press for the arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #Maame #BookReview