Maame - Jessica George
"Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman."
Maddie has to grow up quickly and be her father's caregiver while her mother works in another city. She feels like she has missed out on so much while being tied to her home and family for the last ten years. Maddie's mother soon arrives back home, and Maddie moves out to experience life on her own. I really enjoyed the character development of Maddie and was routing for her throughout the book. I'm looking forward to reading more from Jessica George in the future.

MAAME [out on 1/31/23!]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s not even 2023 yet and I may have already found my favorite read of next year!

Maddie is in her mid-20s and still lives at parents’ home in London, taking care of her father with advanced Parkinson’s while her mother is in Ghana and her brother is MIA. She works a job she barely can tolerate in order to make the ends meet for her family. When her mom comes back from Ghana and gives Maddie the chance to move out — to go to bars! make new friends! to even go on dates! — she sets out to become a new version of herself. We follow Maddie through the ups & downs along the way.

This book is so relatable and reads so easily; scattered with Google search excerpts, texts, and lists, it feels like we’re BFFs on FaceTime living right alongside Maddie.

At the same time, the topics here are really important. It’s about being Black in London and all of the racism and microaggressions that come with it. It’s about complicated relationships with parents, especially when growing up in a place and culture different from the one they grew up in. It’s also about religion, sex/dating, roommate/friend dynamics, grief, workplace biases and politics, and the expectations put upon mothers/daughters vs men.

I highlighted soooo many quotes in this book: there were lines that resonated with me, lines that made me think, and also lines that made me laugh out loud (one of the first lines I read that made me love Maddie’s POV was “I see that they don’t make an effort to recycle, so sadly they themselves are trash.”)

If you couldn’t tell, I enjoyed every page of this book — highly recommend this as a must-read for 2023. Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress @jessicabgeorge for the ARC!

PS - when the epilogue mentioned “Jess” - I was like 😱… is this a nod / reference to the author? Love love love!


note: there were a few formatting errors in the ebook - wonder if that was just because of the ARC format, but some of the italicized vs non italicized sentences in the blog post were getting messed up. Just wanted to call out in case helpful!

This was a difficult novel for me to review. Objectively, I think it's well written. Maddie is certainly a character worth investing your time in, and the book's exploration of how to navigate grief and family failure is exceptional. I didn't necessarily buy into Maddie's romantic relationships the same way, but I do think, overall, the book was worth my time.

Maddie wants to find herself. She moves out, gets a new job, starts dating, and enjoying life.
I struggled with this book. It might be because it's set in Lomdon. It could be that I found Maddie to be annoying questioning herself and her inner battle. The mental health issues she faced are real and addressed but I felt it might have helped addressing it sooner. I didn't think the end could come soon enough. All the googling was annoying but at the same time funny because you know someone is asking that and at least Maddie is brave enough to search for answers

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC

4 stars

This is an outstanding debut. Jessica George is now on my immediate you-write-I-read list!

Maddie, the m.c., has been called "Maame" her whole life, and there's a lot of meaning behind the titular word. This word connects her to her roots, but her mother also uses it to refer to Maddie as "woman." The struggle here is that way too much responsibility has been foisted on Maddie her whole life under the guise of her being a "woman" and not a girl or young woman. An added implication is that while Maddie has been handling everyone else's dramas, she hasn't had enough time to focus on developing herself, understanding important aspects of her identity, or engaging in pivotal life experiences. Many readers will relate to the kind of isolation Maddie feels for different reasons and in distinct situations; truly, it's impossible not to root for her.

I really enjoyed having a window into different elements of Maddie's life and getting to see her struggle but especially triumph in specific situations. This is a wonderful meditation on grief, family, and especially coming of age, even when it happens a little later than others' timelines might suggest is typical.

The narrator of the audiobook adds so much to an already compelling character, so I not only recommend the read but also the listen when and where accessible. I'm looking forward to much more from this author!

What a lovely book! Maddie (Maame) is a young woman trapped in a care-giving situation, a dead-end job, few friends, no social life and no love life. Her mother is in Africa and apparently carrying on with another man while her husband wastes away at home, her brother is in London, but doesn't bother to check in on his little sister or father and when Maddie does manage to get in touch with him for help--monetary or otherwise, he is more likely to ask her for money instead, promising to help out "next month," which, of course never comes. Just when the world should be opening up to her, she is becoming more and more closed in.

Of course, things can't stay like that and an opportunity does present itself and we get to see Maddie venture out of her shell and navigate this unfamiliar world. I loved this character, although at times she did seem more sophisticated and savvy than I would have anticipated one who has been so isolated to be. That did not mar my enjoyment of this book. I think I was more jealous of her quick come-backs and insights. That was certainly not me at 25! Her innocent gullibility does result in some heartbreak, and damages relationships with her new roommates, but that makes her story more believable.

I enjoyed getting a taste of life as a young Ghanaian woman in London, and would have loved to learn more about that culture, but that was not the focus of this book, just a delightful side dish.

George's writing style is fluid and easy to read. Her characters breathe and she puts the reader in the scene with her descriptions that do not take over the story, but enhance the experience. I will definitely keep an eye out for more from this author.

I received an early copy of this book from NetGalley.

I love the new apparent trend of books talking about how very hard it is to be a woman in your twenties. While it hits a bit close to home for me (as I am 27 and also feel I am flailing sometimes, ha), it is very relatable and moving.

I usually enjoy books about family life, but this book failed to hold my interest. The characters were not very likable. Thanks to author Jessica George, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

4.5 stars.

Synopsis: 25 year old Maddie's life is far from ideal. She is the primary caretaker to her father who has Parkinson's, while her overbearing mother spends most of her time in Ghana. Needless to say, Maddie has not had much opportunity to really *live* her life. When her mother returns to London from her latest trip, Maddie decides to move out and begins making decisions for herself. Soon, she is going on dates, meeting coworkers for after work drinks, and advocating for more recognition at work. When tragedy strikes, Maddie is forced to confront her family dynamics and navigate grief, while also welcoming opportunities to build the life she desires and deserves.

Thoughts: This was a beautiful and raw coming of age story. It also tackles familial responsibility, racism, female pleasure, the magic of friendship, and the woes of dating. Maddie is a protagonist you cannot help root for, and you want to give her a hug as as grief takes its toll on her mental health. There are so many relatable elements to her story that I am confident every person will find something that will resonate with them.

While I enjoyed the glimpse into Ghanaian culture in this book, one that was very unfamiliar to me, I found Maddie unlikeable. Her life was a hard one. She was taken disadvantage off by her family so badly that I should have been full of sympathy for her. Unfortunately, she made so many poor decisions and acted so cringe-ily that parts of the book were difficult to read. Otherwise, I found the book well written, especially for a debut novel. I know many people like books with unlikeable characters, and I would recommend this book to them!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Oh my goodness could this book of gotten any better? Honestly, probably not, it was pretty damn great.

Maame is such a beautiful story. We follow Maddie, our late bloomer, always dependable main character. When the story starts Maddie is quiet and hasn't really lived yet. By the time we say goodbye she has grown into a strong confident woman and her journey isn't one you'll want to miss.

The writing was beautiful. The story was wonderfully told. There were moments of laughter, moments of sadness and moments of total shock. Maame is one I highly recommend adding to your TBR if you haven't already.

Great book! Very character driven without losing the reader. I’m so glad I read it and can’t wait to recommend it!

Wow! This book touched my heart in a way that books rarely do. Narrated in first person, Maddie is a young woman from Ghana, who struggles with selflessly giving herself in behalf of her family. As the responsible one, she cares for her sick father since her other family members have effectively abandoned their roles - her mother has spent every other year in Ghana since Maddie was a young girl, leaving Maddie in charge. Her older brother, James, moved out during adolescence to live with friends and makes himself unavailable for any type of family support.

Maddie struggles with her role in the family, her career and her social relationships. The story really takes off about halfway through making it difficult to put down.

The writing is magical and heartwarming.
The conversations Maddie has with others and in her head are funny, sarcastic, kind, loving, and at times heart shattering, but always honest. Character development at its best!

First, I’d like to thank NetGalley and St Martins Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely ADORED this book! This is a debut and it was so beautifully written and was such a wonderful coming of age novel! I just wanted to give Maddie a big hug for most of this book. What I really loved was how Maddie came into herself and found her voice and her strength. The friendships portrayed were also so special. While this was in most ways very serious, there were so many times I laughed out loud, particularly when Maddie would Google. Also, loved the look into the Ghanaian culture as well. This book is being released in January and it should definitely be a Book of the Month selection! I’m excited to see what Jessica George has for us in the future.

Maame is a beautiful coming of age story. But think of it as more of a late coming of age story as Maddie is in her mid 20s. It is her special circumstances that prevented her from being a careless young person.

Maddie comes from a Ghanaian family. Her mom starts spending every other year In Ghana, running her father's hotel leaving teenage Maddie and her brother with their distant father. And her mom reminds her that their family's business should stay private so at an early age Maddie starts keeping everything to herself. She doesn't open up to her friends. She doesn't have many anyway. Then when she was still very young her father gets diagnosed with Alzheimer's and Maddie finds herself as the primary care giver. Maddie is clearly lonely and depressed. Then her mom comes back to care for Maddie's father and Maddie finally moves out of the house, gets herself flatmates and starts living like a 20something, Her work life is complicated. She feels like her idea's are being used without any credit. Then there is her love life. She mets someone and this relationship goes places Maddie is not yet ready for. Then the worst happens and her dad dies. Maddie starts to wallow in guilt, self pity and depression.

Maddie's story reminded me of Yinka's in Yinka, Where is Your Husband. Maame is less humorous than that other book. While there are similarities in deeply religious mother's pressuring daughters to meet someone and get married and struggling with both Ghanaian and British identities, Maame leans heavily into, caregiver burnout, loss and grief. Maddie acts very young and clueless sometimes and makes mistakes. That is expected of any coming of age story. What set this apart from the others for me is how well the therapy sections were written. Maddie and her therapist Angelina's conversation were really special and eye opening. Not related to the book but I pictured Angelina as the Doc in Ted Lasso:)

Maddie's family, especially her mother and brother behave terribly towards Maddie for most of the book but there is some sort of growth and redemption for them at the end. The way Maddie's romantic relationships written left much to be desired, It made me feel very sad for Maddie but I was glad she found a better match for herself at the end.

My favorite part about this book was Maddie' and the therapist's discussion on the importance of names in their culture. On how this nickname Maame shaped Maddie's personaity. On how much pressure it put on her. "In many ways, they're given to us in an attempt to speak for our future. It seems there is a link between our names and our supposed destinyWe could apply that thinking to the name Maame: the responsible one. The woman. The mother. Often before her time" and how after doing the work in therapy and starting to heal slightly Maddie recognizes she doesn't actually hates the nickname that it was supposed to be a term of endearment but it was her family that turned it into an excuse. She admits the name made her someone she needed to be so she could find out who she wants to be.

I also liked the random Google searches peppered throughout the book. As I said before Maddie is a young 25yo. She doesn't have a lot of friends so when she has a question, she simply googles. These searches helped to keep the tone of the book lighter.

All in all, I think this was a very good debut.

What a strong and captivating debut novel from Jessica George!

From the first few pages, I was immersed into the life of the main character, Maddie. Her plate is completely full from working full time, taking care of her father who has Parkinson’s while her mother has been in Ghana the past year. From here, things quickly change in Maddie’s life: her mother is coming back among other things I do not want to spoil. While she has been busy being a responsible adult, there are so many things she has not experienced at her age of 25. Her mother coming back home from Ghana allows her to move out on her own and experience these firsts, which of course comes along with their own sets of problems.

Maddie is a really likable character, and I was sucked into experiencing her highs and lows. The author’s writing allowed me to feel the grief and happiness Maddie goes through. I read this book in two days since I wanted to see what would happen. Overall, people and life try to hold Maddie back while she faces various obstacles. Maddie tries her best and sometimes things do not work out for her, just like in life. There felt a uniqueness in this novel and plot. For example, I loved that Maddie would Google things since this is something I do too and could relate, especially since some of the searches were funny. I was kept interested and there were plenty of surprises to keep the plot fresh.

I really hope Jessica George publishes more in the future, since I would definitely read her next book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Rachel Hawkins, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced reader’s copy.

Wow - what a powerful book. This was so well written, I felt like I was feeling all of Maddie's feelings with her. Navigating your 20's is hard, dealing with grief is hard, standing up for yourself is. hard. The way that Maddie handled all of these situations was so authentic - talk about character development.

Maddie grew into such a different person by the end of this book. She started as a timid, naive, people pleaser and slowly grew into a much more confident, authentic version of herself. All of the curveballs that life threw her way made her a stronger version of herself.

This book provided such a good look at life through Maddie's eyes that I was able to learn from this book and become more aware of others' challenges. I genuinely think that this is a book I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. I was really excited about this book, as it explores themes of grief, race, family obligation, and self-discovery. I started reading and could not put it down for about the first half of the book. Maddie is engaging and thoughtful as she attempts to write a new life for herself. However, around the midpoint I grew frustrated with passages that read more like "explaining" or "telling" than showing - about sex, work politics, stages of grief, and mental health. It slowed the story down for me and left me feeling meh at the end. I did like the resolution of the story, but the writing did not work for me.

This book was such a welcome and pleasant surprise. I don’t use the word “love” loosely with books much anymore, just because I read so many, but I loved this one. If you enjoyed QUEENIE or GHOSTS I think this one would be up your alley. I really saw a lot of myself in Maddie which I think contributed to my connection with this book, which is largely character driven. I understood her inner thoughts and the difficult positions she was in. Her lack of self-worth and parental guilt is something that we can all understand. Her character arc was redemptive and I felt proud of her by the end. Highly recommend if you’re looking for an emotional, character driven, novel with a variety of very real themes.

Maame, at its core, is a coming of age story about 25-year-old Maddie Wright. At the start of the book, her life in London is far from ideal. She lives at home, is her father’s primary caregiver, and has tension with her mother. When she finally gets the opportunity to to move out, Maddie takes the chance and with that, has to learn how to navigate the “real world” on her own. What follows is a journey about self-discovery as Maddie explores dating, a new job and life living with friends while also being faced with the unexpected.

This novel deals with very important topics like mental health, racism, identity and family relationships. Maddie was a character I instantly liked and while her journey is different from my own experiences, there are pieces of her the are so relatable. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narration was extremely well done and engaging.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the ALC! Pub 1/31