Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel. I encourage you to check this one out! Really solid read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / MacMillan Audio Influencers Program for an eARC and early access to the audiobook of Maame by Jessica George in exchange for an honest review.

CW: death of a parent, terminal illness, mental illness, panic attacks, suicidal ideation, racism, grief, biphobia, homophobia, infidelity, see full list on StoryGraph.

This is one of the strongest books I’ve read all year. Our main character, Maddie, is navigating her “second coming of age” i.e. mid-20s, and is trying to figure out her life as a single, working woman, while also caring for her father who is suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. This novel expertly explores grief and new adulthood in a way that felt reverent and understanding of its unique brand of difficulty. Maddie is so overwhelmed by this process of differentiation from family, as we all inevitably find ourselves, and yet handles being thrown back into the tumult with graceful and honest communication, striving to the best of her ability to be her authentic self.

Maame means woman in Twi. It’s also the name that Maddie’s mother has called her from an early age.
The book was described as humorous. Well, heads up. There’s nothing humorous about the first section of the book. Maddie’s life is depressing - she cares for a father with advanced Parkinson’s, her mother is in Ghana but still is overbearing, her boss is a cruel idiot. I couldn’t figure out why Maddie lies. She tells no one, not even her close friend, how poorly her father is doing. When she hurts her back lifting her father, she even lies to the doctor. But later in the book, even she realizes why she’s doing it and it makes so much sense.
In many ways, she’s very innocent and young for her age. Oh, I wanted to just take her aside and explain things to her. Although, as one of her friends states, some things you just have to go through yourself. As the book progresses, she starts to find her voice and speak up for herself. As one responsible daughter watching another, I was definitely rooting for her.
The book is partially written as if Maddie is speaking directly to the reader. “You’ve now met my mother, so are at least partway to understanding why I can’t tell her…” Other times, it’s just a straight first person narrative. Maddie has an unhealthy reliance on using Google for everything and we are subjected to her searches. Some of the instances were humorous but I also felt like George was trying to make a point but she was hitting me over the head to make sure I got it.
Overall, this was a lovely debut novel with a fully realized main character. It tackles some difficult themes (grief, racism, depression, parental absence) with insight, strength and compassion. I loved the ending.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

A fascinating look into how family cultural expectations can clash with the desire for a life as a contemporary single in London. Maddie Wright is the responsible sibling in a Ghanaian family in London.
Her brother stays distant and her mother spends years in Ghana, leaving Maddie (Maame) to care for her father with dementia. When circumstances allow her to finally move out, she jumps at the chance. What ensues gives us a look at the conflict of young adults attempting to live their lives, while being pulled by families ruled with historical ideas of correct behavior.
I wanted Maddie to succeed, and laughed and cried at her attempts.
I definitely recommend this book and look forward to more by Jessica George.

This is a new to me author and I have to say I am looking forward to reading more by this author! I loved this book

Maame is an absolutely amazing debut novel from Jessica George. This is the type of book where the story and the emotions stay with you long after you turn the last page and you just want to tell everyone you know to read it so that you can have more people to talk to about the book. The story is written in a raw and emotion laced way that makes you feel like you are really inside of Maddie's head sensing all of the conflicting feelings fighting for air. Maddie is the glue that keeps her family together even if it means putting her entire life on hold and making sacrifices for people who would not do the same in return. When she is given the chance to finally step out on her own she is forced to ask her self who she is and who she wants to be, without her family. A series of life lessons hit her all at once with tremendous force and threaten to destroy the hope she had for becoming someone new, but its in this darkness that her true self begins to shine through. Maddie is a beautifully complex character that I am sad to leave behind but I'm also happy because of how much she has changed and grown.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC

Maddie, a 25-year-old British born Ghanaian, has always been the responsible one in her family. With her mom in Ghana and her brother living his own life, she is the one who is living with and caring for her father who has Parkinson's disease. Her family situation has severely stunted her emotional and social growth so when her mom comes back from Ghana, she jumps at the opportunity to move out. Readers will laugh with her, be frustrated with some of her choices, cry with her, and cheer for her as she navigates family, loss, love, and adulthood.

A lovely debut about a young woman finding herself amidst the pressure of family, culture and society. So much of the writing made me pause and smile - a lovely balance of conveying unique, complex feelings with humor (aren’t the best writers able to do just that?). I loved the way the author described that fine line to walk on between assimilating with life in the world with your family culture. There’s a beauty in that fine line. A wonderful debut. Thanks to St Martin’s for the advanced copy. I’m grateful.

I so wanted to love this book... I did enjoy the first 25% or so, but as storylines start, then are quickly abandoned for other plot points, I got very frustrated.

The main character Maddie has a really tough life, however at 25 she has the naivety of an early teen, as well as zero backbone. I really struggled with how badly she was treated and how she did nothing to discourage it or give herself any respect at all. It really felt very YA-like throughout most of the book.

My biggest issue was how the story kept bringing up "big" issues/topics: relationships/online dating, caring for a sick parent, grief, mental health friendship issues, major work drama, etc- there are even MORE, then just abandoning the topic soon after. And the ending is FAR too neat and tidy, which made me mad as well.

This is not a BAD book, but definitely not for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy!

This is one of those "quiet reads" of fiction narrated in the first person which connected with me as a reader. It centers around a young woman of twenty-five named Maddie who lives with her disabled father in London. Her mother mainly lives in her native Ghana running a hostel, only returning to London every other year. The Mom has been wont to call Maddie "Maame" since she was about twelve, a native Twi term for "woman". Maddie's brother James works in the entertainment industry and is a remote sibling- always too busy to help and underfunded to assist financially. Maddie works as an administrative assistant, dividing her time with being a caregiver at home to her father who has Parkinson's disease. There is also a professional carer who fills in the gaps while she's at work, but she's essentially grounded in an existence of responsibility. She hasn't dated in eight years, loves to read and write, and is still a virgin.

Suddenly Maddie's mother decides it's time again to live in London for a year, relieving Maddie from most of her duties for the time being. Mom urges Maddie to move out and get an apartment so that she can live a more normal and freeing life for a young woman her age. Maddie's been put in a position of being the point woman for all the work both financially and as a caregiver for a very long time, so she's a bit disoriented at the thought of changing her life to such a degree. It's like she's navigating uncharted waters with personal relationships such as living with other people as a roommate, dating, job advancement and intimacy. She often Googles questions on these topics to provide answers to these various situations.

In fact she has been taken advantage of by both her mother and brother for years and is also a "people pleaser", trying to make other people happy (because she wishes people would also try to make her happy). It was very interesting "watching" Maddie get her feet wet in new situations, adapting to what is thought to be the normal and correct way of doing things. She learned a lot along the way, but it was very difficult mentally and emotionally, especially when tragedy suddenly hit. I connected on several fronts with this vulnerable yet strong character, and enjoyed this thought-provoking story.

Thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

A poignant debut and a beautiful coming of age story. I identified and empathized with Maddie so much. Even though she is 25, and not a teenager like many coming of age stories, I found this story to more truly reflect a woman growing into her own. On top of that Maddie has to endure racism, cultural bias, and familial expectations. It’s no wonder that she is only just now trying to forge her own path and determine her identity. Women, young and old alike, will find it easy to identify with Maddie and root for her as she defines herself as a woman and what she desires in life. My favorite part was Maddie’s growth over the course of the novel and finally finding her voice and speaking up for herself. This should be on everyone’s must read list for 2023. I hope to see it picked up by book clubs for even wider exposure.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. An excellent story about Maddie (Maame) a young British woman, the daughter of Ghanian immigrant parents, trying to find her way and place in life. The novel unfolded through Maddie’s eyes which drew me in and made me feel like she was a friend telling me her story. The plot was well-paced, the writing flowed well, and the characters well developed.

Maddie’s story touched on many interesting issues - living with a chronically ill parent, grief, mental health, familial relationships, friendship, racism, straddling two cultures, and workplace politics. I was utterly absorbed by this novel and the pages just flew by. A wonderful way to have spent the past day in which it took me to read this very impressive debut. Highly recommend!

Thanks to St, Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Maame is out on January 31, 2023.

My Review ✨

Wow this was a beautiful debut. It was a work of literary fiction that, while not perfect, was great.
Jessica George amazingly encapsulated grief and all it’s aspects so we’ll, I truly felt for Maddie. I have yet to lose a parent but I feel like when I do lose a parent I will feel exactly how Madi did, the raw grief was written so well.
The book wasnt all sad don’t think that, it was a coming of age story with laughable moments, tear jerking moments and moments that made me angry.
I love how it felt like we grew with Madi and I really knew who Madi was as a person deep inside. I loved watching Madi grow and become the best person she could be.
I loved how she reacted to obstacles and just kept fighting. She is an extremely strong person.
just like with grief Jessica George did such an amazing job with encapsulating depression as well.
This was such a thought-provoking Raw book I absolutely loved it - there were some quirky moments and I genuinely enjoyed how Madi would Google everything because I do that too.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This book was enjoyable but overall felt very much like a debut - the writing was somewhat unsophisticated, and several of the characters felt flat and underbaked. That said, it was clearly very heartfelt and I’m sure that it would resonate for the right reader - Maddie is easy to root for. On my end, I didn’t love it but will definitely keep an eye on this author.

Jessica George's Maame is a truly captivating read. With its emotionally-driven characters and storyline, you are taken on a journey with Maddie as she struggles to maintain her relationships and balance her life. The love and loyalty she has for her family is palpable, and I was hooked from the very beginning. This book is a definite must-read.

Excellent debut novel from Jessica George. Maddie Wright has been dealing with being left by her mother and brother to care for her father battling late stage Parkinsons along with handling an unreasonable boss at a dead end job. When her mother finally returns to take over her father's care, Maddie is able to begin to explore the parts of being a young adult that she hasn't been able to thus far - dating, living on her own. Just when she's getting started, she gets fired and has to find a new job. After landing a new job that may or may not have a future and discovering just how difficult dating can be, another heartbreak occurs, sending Maddie into a tailspin. This book deals with many tough subjects - grief, family relationships, dating, job stress, racism - and does so well. I look forward to what George writes next!

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Maame, in Ghanian, is given as a nickname to ne who is responsible for others like a mother,. In this story Maddie is Maame. Living in London and solely taking care of her father who has Parkinson’s Disease while her older brother makes every excuse to not be present and while her mother lives back in the home country, Maddie has so many expectations placed upon her at a young age. Not only at home but at work, she is a doormat. She doubts herself often and seeks answers how to navigate real life by “googling” for answers. At age 25, she has few friends and no love life. When Maddie’s mother comes back to live at the family home, Maddie rebels and decides to move out to finally live her life, if only for a year. Maddie discovers that trying to create a new life while not being true to yourself can be devastating. Through the ups and downs, Maddie does discover that she has true friends, what is truly important, and finds her inner strength. Walking with Maddie on her journey with her family, I felt a kinship with her and was so glad she had the true friends Shu and Nia to always believe in her. Having lost my own father to Parkinson’s, parts were very hard to read as memories flooded back but I appreciated the author’s authenticity to highlight this disease and its effect on loved ones. This is a beautifully written story showing familial/cultural connections with some sarcastic humor although there were some awkward moments. However, once I staring reading, it kept me engaged and I couldn’t put it down. I so wanted to see Maame (Maddie) embrace herself and find happiness. This is a story of hope and finding your inner strength.

Many thanks to #netgalley #maame #jessicageorge #st.martinspress for the opportunity to read and review this book.

“Comparison is no friend of mental health”

This debut thriller will tug at your heartstrings and have you rooting for 25 year old Maddie. She’s had to mature much faster than kids are supposed to as she plays head of household while her mother tends to their hostel in Ghana. Since she was 17 she is the sole caretaker of her father who has Parkinson’s. Depriving Maddie of maturing into adulthood, experiences, friendships, and relationships.

When her mother comes back for a year she makes the decision to set out on her own to finally live life. While Maddie has to endure death, friendship, dating, virginity, racism, cultural bias, and mental health you can’t do anything else but root for her and her happiness. A poignant story with bits of humor sprinkled in make this debut novel a compelling must read.

Maame is a coming of age story about Maddie. It show her path in becoming the primary caretaker of her dad who has Parkinsons. For me it was a slow paced read but was very witty!


Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the Arc!

Three stars. I enjoyed Maddie and her journey. I almost walked away at one point because it does move slowly and the Google inserts make it slower. HOWEVER, George created a character I was invested in and the characters weren’t flat. A good time was had by me and will be had by anyone who reads this.
Now I can also see this being adapted to a mini series.