Maame is a beautifully written debut novel written by Jessica George. I picked this book up as an ARC through NetGalley knowing nothing about the novel. This turned into a book that I could not put down. Maame is a novel about a young woman name Maddie from Ghana navigating through her young adult life in London. Maddie is the primary caregiver of her father who is living with Parkinson's disease. She has been living at home with him while her mother lives in Ghana helping with a family business and her brother does he own thing rather than offering any help. When Maddie's mother finally comes home from Ghana for an extended stay she begins living a life that she has been missing out on.

While living on her own Maddie is faced with many difficulties. I truly enjoyed watching Maddie work through these difficulties while also working to figuring out who she was and where she fit in. I enjoyed the ties to Ghanian culture and look forward to reading more from Jessica George.

Maame is a glorious coming-of-age story from debut author Jessica George. At 25, Maddie Wright makes the decision that she's going to try some new things and experience life in an independent, care-free way that she has yet to have the opportunity to do.

Maddie is a real, fabulous protagonist whose journey will make you laugh and cry. I hope everyone has the chance to read this because it really sings.

Maame is a uniquely written story that allows the reader to watch the character unfold as she goes through so many different situations. Some are common firsts and some are heartbreaking. There are so many points and situations to relate to from a unique perspective. There are some really beautiful moments and powerful messages. I truly enjoyed this book.

I loved this book. This coming of age story of a young woman in her 20s, Maame, flips the messy protagonist script, instead introducing us to a character who has been overly responsible in her young life.

The author tackles generational trauma, aging parents, caregiving, and complex family relationships within a Ghanaian immigrant family in the UK. It was both enjoyable and gratifying to follow Maame as she untangled the complexities of her relationships and career.

If you like coming of age stories, armchair travel, complex relationships, or exploration of diaspora cultures, you will enjoy this one.

MAAME
BY: JESSICA GEORGE

"Maame," by Jessica George was a delight to read and it is a novel that at first I didn't think I was the right audience for it. It turned out that I LOVED IT!. It took me back in time when I was trying to navigate my life during my early twenties throughout my later twenties. It is a coming of age story where one is trying things out and seeing what works and what doesn't. It isn't without getting hurt, which makes this novel so fresh and relatable. I was definitely entertained while I vicariously experienced Maddie's growth. I thought at first, that this was more for a younger demographic, but couldn't help feeling nostalgic for the past, younger me.

Madeleine Wright is living in the United Kingdom where a lot of responsibility--I thought too much was forced upon her at only twenty-five years old. Her mother spends too much time in Ghana, coming back to criticize Maddie and tell her how to conduct her life. Maddie is ultra responsible as she is tasked with taking care of her father who is afflicted with Parkinson's disease. Without any moral support from her mother and her older brother James, it all falls on Maddie and a male carer to see that her father gets taken care of. I thought it was poignant and sweet how much Maddie loved her dad and personally made sure that he received all the help that he needed. I also at the same time felt that it was too much of a burden for someone so young to share alone.

Maddie's mother comes back from Ghana and Maddie finally gets the chance to move into a flat with two other young women her age named Jo and Cam. She starts to really get the opportunity to begin exploring the kinds of age appropriate things that she wasn't able to do while living at home. She starts having fun and experimenting. It is that Maddie is a late bloomer and she looks to Google to find answers to the dilemmas that she faces. She goes out to nightclubs and has her first taste of alcohol and she meets her first boyfriend named Ben. I really felt bad for how Ben treated her. She reminded me of myself where she displayed over trusting that she was exclusive with Ben. I felt heartbroken for her when he invited her to a work event and she discovers that Ben has also invited another young woman after giving him something special. I was proud of the way she rallied with the help of two close friends to not let it be something that was lacking about her. It couldn't have happened at a worse time because a tragedy takes place right before Maddie is faced with Ben's betrayal.

Part of what happens is something we all face at one time in our lives. I thought Maddie was stronger than she thought she was. This turned out to be a very real portrayal of life's milestones that we all face. I enjoyed watching Maddie's growth and her ability to realize that she isn't supposed to be the person that everyone expects her to be. She starts to realize that she can be herself and with some help she reaches the stage of self actualization. It is not without some of life's challenges. I really ended up thinking that this was a very well written novel that deals with obstacles that we all face during our lifetime. Jessica George has written a very real contemporary novel that is fresh and deals with many themes. In the end I am so happy that I kept reading, because I think that no matter that I felt it to be for a younger crowd, I think that I was wrong and people of all ages can relate to this fun and feel good slice of contemporary life. Maame is a nickname and a term of endearment and I would read whatever Jessica George has written already and anything that she writes in the future.

Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Thank you to Net Galley, Jessica George and St. Martin's Press for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#Maame #JessicaGeorge #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

Love, love, love this book. Jessica George did a fantastic job of introducing us to Maddie "Maame" Wright, a 25 year old Ghanian woman living in London.

Maddie lives at home, where she cares for her father, who has Parkinson's. Her mother lives in Ghana and her older brother can't be bothered to help. Her father has a PT caretaker, but Maddie loves her father and feels an obligation to care for him, missing out on living her own life. This is a coming of age story, of finding out who you are after only knowing yourself as Maame.

Jessica George makes us really care about Maddie. She writes about depression, loss and guilt so honestly but this isn't a downer of a book! I really enjoyed it.

Maddie is solely responsible for her father who suffers from Parkinson’s when her mother is in Ghana, which is most of the time. When her mom comes home, Maddie steps out on her own to find herself and start her life but then tragedy strikes.

This was a great coming of age story but it was unique due to its diversity and exploration of grief. I loved the main character and how she grew. She was so naive and innocent in the beginning due to her upbringing. I loved how she started to explore, but stayed true to herself and her personality. I really felt for her and her experience. At times it read like a non-fiction.

“It’s only a ‘card’ to people who think it’s a game.”

Maame comes out 2/7/23.

It doesn't matter if you were a "twenty something" last week or last century, Maame will resonate with you. While Maddie (Maame is a term of endearment in her native Ghana with multiple meanings including "mother" and "woman") juggles bad dates, horrible bosses, a demanding (but routinely absent) mom, she is also the primary caretaker for her ailing father. When Maddie's mother returns from a year long stay in Ghana Maddie seizes on the chance to move out of her parent's home and into an apartment with roommates. What sets Maame apart from other "coming of age" novels is the beautiful writing-reading Maddie's experiences and her inner most thoughts is like having a conversation with your life long best friend. You can't help but feel for Maddie as she gets her heart broken yet again. When Maddie faces a life changing loss her grief is palatable and raw. As the pages turn you feel like you're looking at passages in her diary. This honest and brutal look at young adulthood is spot on. Maame is poignant and stirs your emotions. It will make you look back on your twenties with both a tear and a smile. Not many books can do that, but Maame does perfectly.

Go, right now, and preorder this book. If its not available to preorder yet, then mark down the date in your calendar. Because this book is... incredible.

Jessica George has created a character in Maddie that is so relatable its sometimes scary. Maddie's struggles with insecurities, introversion, lack of world experience, are things that reach across all cultures and take you by the throat and squeeze. There were so many times I laughed, nodded along, and just quite frankly UNDERSTOOD what Maddie was going through--from her google searches to simply staying quiet in situations that she should speak up--that I felt like George was writing this character and this story solely for me.

And yet, it had an added layer of a culture that is far different from my own. While White mothers can be... overbearing and interfering the way Maddie's mom was, there was very clearly a different level of generational and cultural situation (i can't think of the right word) going on that is not easily understood by anyone other than someone else from that culture. George and her characters explained this perfectly after Maddie and Ben broke up. But the way she showed how Maddie was relied on, to the detriment of her mental health and her financial well-being, was handled in a way that was easily understood by anyone, and didn't make Maddie seem like a victim or her mother a villain... it was simply <i>how things were</i> for her mother and therefore how they should be for her daughter. It made my gut twist and made me feel uncomfortable, particularly in the weeks after <spoiler>her father died</spoiler> but that was... in some ways, i think, the point.

The other thing George did masterfully was the depiction of grief. Its been 10 years since I lost my grandfather, but every step of Maddie's journey felt so similar to my own, and I think its safe to say it made me realize I'd buried some of my grief very deep. But the way George wrote, unflinchingly, about Maddie's grief and resulting depression and panic attacks... they were so well handled but so very real and raw.

George's book is a love letter to anyone that has ever been through something devastating. Its a love letter to anyone who has ever kept their mouth shut when they should really have spoken up. Its a love letter in finding who you truly are, through your own lens and not through the expectations of anyone else. Its a love letter to anyone who has ever felt like they weren't going to make it. I urge you to read this book when its released next year. Because its powerful and beautiful and George's is a voice that demands to be read.

I enjoyed this one, it was a heavy for a portion that was hard for me because of the sadness, it was real. It was honest. I really felt for Maddie and wanted things to go better for her.
It had moments of humor too, I had no idea I wasn’t the only one googling every single thought in my head in detailed questions for google. Maddie does that too! Made me smile.

Maddie lives in London as the caretaker for her dad with Parkinson’s, her mom and brother are off doing their own thing leaving Maddie to be the adult in the family. Then Maddie’s mom returns from Ghana to takeover and encourages Maddie to finally strike out on her own to live in her own place with roommates and navigate dating and a new job. This new lease on life gets cut short when tragedy hits and Maddie has to deal with the fallout both emotionally and financially. Maddie deals with depression and how to navigate her family life within her culture.
It is a coming of age story and I love that it highlights therapy. I also loved learning about Maddie’s culture, how she deals with often being the only Black person in work and social circles, this book tackles racism through Maddie’s eyes. There’s a lot to love about this book despite having to walk with Maddie during her difficult journey. It’s worth it in the end. I have a lot of respect for Maddie. Glad I got to know her through this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A story of a woman named Maame who has to find her way. I liked her and I liked her story of finding a path away from your family and all of their expectations. I found the culture of Ghana fascinating. Enjoyed this book.

Maame is a beautiful story that follows the life of Maddie, who resides in London and cares for her father with Parkinson's. While Maddie is caring for her father her mother resides in Ghana where she works at a hostel that runs in the family. When Maddie's mom tells Maddie that she'll be heading back to London to stay for a year she advises Maddie to move out and start living her life...including breaking into London's dating world. With so much life to experience and the burden of caring for her father released from her shoulders she tries to find herself. But as Maddie starts to live a little, tragedy hits and she find herself battling with depression amongst everything else.

This book addresses situations of caring for a parent, depression, friendships, and dating. It a coming of age novel that is relatable to the reader as she goes on a journey to find herself separate from her family. But as she becomes more independent the financial burdens of her family comes back to drag her back down. Amongst the tragedy Maddie finds herself at a job she loves as a publishing assistant but realizes she has to find her voice to share her thoughts and receive credit for her ideas.

The book was able to describe Maddie's journey as she reaches many milestones in a beautiful way and left the reader with a satisfied ending. You're able to see where everything leads Maddie and the person she has become from it all.

I rate this book 4/5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for this ARC!

deep, definitely a thinker. maddie is such a complex character and is written incredibly raw, you can't help but feel for her throughout the entire novel.

thank you netgalley for the arc!

This is well written. I just couldn't get in to it. Tried to read it when was in the mood for rom coms or thrillers so was just not the right time for me and this book. Will pick it up later when I'm in a different mind set.

Wow! This was a great read. Such heavy topics but aptly interspersed with fun and levity. I laughed, and I cried. It has a very relatable and likeable main character, and you will be rooting for her to the end.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A quick and interesting read about a young Black woman in London, dealing with finding herself, grief, fitting in and family responsibility.
Maddie's mother spends a lot of time in Ghana leaving her to tend to her ill father, while her older brother shrugs off any of his family duties (this I feel!). She also is trying to understand relationships, growing up and standing up for herself.
I liked it, it just felt like something I had read before.

I really loved reading this book. Jessica George has done an outstanding job bringing her reader along on Maddie's (Maame's) path of development. This is a book that is engrossing and easy to read, even while it tackles some really timely (timeless) themes of navigating familial duty, navigating the world as a young, Black woman, navigating friendships, navigating the best way to earn money while still keeping one's self intact... It was just great. I related to it a lot, and I think my students would also relate to it. I would not assign it for a class, but I would definitely recommend that they read it for fun.

Many coming-of-age books center on adolescent protagonists so it was refreshing to have a different perspective. Although Maddie has long been the emotional and financial rock for her nuclear family, the book follows her as she ventures on her own - moving into an apartment with roommates, finding and navigating a new job in a field that interests her, exploring relationships. In addition, there's an additional layer of her immigrant story, her ties to her Ghanaian heritage in a white, British community. As. a reader, we experience Maddie's loyalty to family while she stands on her own. It's an enjoyable read and I especially appreciated the glimpses into her Ghanaian culture.

What a beautiful book- I highly recommend reading Maame by Jessica George. It is about a mid-20 year old, black woman named Maddie "Maame" and her search for freedom/a new career/boyfriend and so much more. She is her father's main caregiver and when her mother returns from Ghana, she is finally able to move out and pretty much start over. It is mixed with love, grief, friendship and a lot of laughter. Some of the one liners had me cracking up! I lost my father suddenly in January 2021 and this book really hit me hard and at times I had to put it down before I could finish. I gave it 4 stars just because she almost felt too sheltered as a 25 year old and some parts dragged a tiny bit- but still one of my new favorites!

This is a good book. It took a minute to get started, but you truly see the world through Maddie's eyes. She is young(ish) and naive to the real world with immigrant parents and a different upbringing. She is her ill father's caretaker by default, with her brother living his life and her mother living in Ghana. She finally gets out into the world and it is a big world. The narrative is told through her eyes, thoughts, and actions. She lays it all out there and you think through everything with her. It is very well done. You get some family strife, but also some funny snippets and a touch of snark when she starts to find herself.

I got to read a prepub copy for my honest review. I really enjoyed this one and definitely recommend it. I'll probably go to my local indie book store to buy this one in hard copy.