I could not stop reading Maame. A beautifully moving novel about a young Black woman in her mid twenties, Maddie is trying to find herself (aren't we all at that age?). The book begins with her stepping away from the role she has held for so long: taking care of her father, who suffers from Parkinson's. She moves out of their home and into a flat with roommates, and she also begins job hunting when she is fired from her job. When tragedy strikes, she navigates grief while still being very lost with who she is, and watching her explore the grieving process and the living process simultaneously is both beautiful and so hard. Author Jessica George has created a gorgeous novel exploring that age old question: who am I, alone and with others? Who do I want to be? I LOVED this one.

Maame is coming to terms with a harsh past, and an unknown future at the same time she is struggling with her father’s failing health, and cultural clashes between her Nigerian family and her life in London. She manages with humor, making some mistakes, along with sincere introspection. At times it came close, but was never depressing for the reader; Maame learned to ask for help, and came to gain some maturity through her experiences. The family dynamics between cultures depicted some universal truths, too! This 70 year old grandma enjoyed this lively read.

This debut novel is so beautifully written, it is hard to believe it's her first! I loved the storyline, loved the characters and loved how the author wove it all together. Jessica George has a very bright future ahead of her.

Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you're looking for a diverse, BIPOC, coming-of-age story, I highly recommend this quick read by Jessica George. The protagonist, who has become the default caregiver for her father (suffering from Parkinson's Disease) , suffers from mid-twenties malaise. Her tethers are many. Those around her who should be stable (a tear-prone boss), an irresponsible older brother, a mostly-absent mother) are self-indulgent and undependable. Maabe discovers opportunity for independence by moving into an apartment with flatmates. This is a novel that generously traces an emerging spirit. Maabe learns uncomfortable lessons about the subtleties of racism, but ultimately the success of the novel is in the growth of all (well, most) of the characters. I will happily add it to "free choice" reading opportunities for students.

I went into this book blind and I’m so glad I did. I loved it!!! Everything was done so well. I absolutely looooved the writing style!!!

Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced opportunity to read Maame by Jessica George. I felt such empathy for Maame. This book would be good for a health or psychology class to help open discussion about mental health, neurological diseases, or even the risk of STDS. I wished the main character had been more careful, her sexual encounters were dangerous both for her physical health, but her mental health as well.

I almost want to mark this down to 3 stars bc it made me so uncomfortable at times. This was not the book to read with a dad having health problems. But that is what books are for - connecting about commonalities.

I appreciated the references to 4c hair without making it a primer for white people. You don't have to explain something that is second nature to you. White people need to catch up.

This is one of the few books that makes me wish I was in a book club because I would love to talk to someone about this one!!

I started this book lateish on a Saturday night — and devoured it in one sitting. We’re slowly introduced to Maddie, the routines she has carefully laid out to get through caring for her seriously ill father when she should be enjoying her youth. The more successes build her up and failures tear her down, the more Maddie learns about herself, who she wants to be, and the more we can learn to address our own lives, to ask for what we want.

This is a gem of a debut novel, a lovely blend of tough life lessons, and sheer twee joy of 20-something life in the big city. I will be recommending this a lot to a wide variety of readers.

Made me cry, made me laugh, made me ever so wistful! Maddie, can we be friends!? I've been stuck in a reading rut for weeks on end and Maame drew me in as soon as I saw the cover and read the first page. This is a heartwarming coming of age immigrant story set in London. It is relatable and charming and something you need to experience for yourself. Thank you, St Martin's Press for the eARC! Just brillant. I also think this book would be a great film!

This book was a mixed bag for me. The most compelling parts involved how Maddie navigated both grief and her mother's abandonment, having to grow up too soon and care for her ailing father alone. These sections were deeply felt, expressed, and lived-in. George's choice for the title, Maame, illustrates this, as Maddie's feelings about what the nickname meant to her and how that changed over time paralleled her journey and growth throughout the book. George understands family--how you can love someone completely yet hold deep reserves of anger for the choices they made. In the end, Maddie showed both grace and compassion for her imperfect parents whom, like many of us, she didn't see fully as their own people with lives and secrets until tragedy allowed her to confront them.

Where the book faltered for me was its depictions of Maddie outside her family home, mainly her love life. These parts seemed much more juvenile--how quickly the virginal Maddie had men fall head-over-heels gaga for her. All of her dates and conversations with men seemed a little too perfect and scripted, even if the relationships did not end in a fairy tale match. George's device of having Maddie constantly Google things--some things no twenty five year-old should rely on a search engine for ("Can I date my flatmate's ex-boyfriend?"), made the book seem more like YA than adult fiction. I also wonder why, in at least three instances, George has Maddie refer to the reader, as if she was consciously writing a book of her story. SPOILER ALERT- At the end, we DO discover Maddie is writing a book about her father, but it's not implied that the book we're reading is THE book, as the scope of the story then presumably wouldn't involve Maddie's roommates, love life, work life, etc.

There's certainly some good here, but the book was just okay for me.

Maame- I really enjoyed this book! It was charming and beautiful. I loved watching Maddie’s growth and finding her own way, but also loved her devotion to her family. This was such a captivating read. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for this arc!

Wow! I loved this book for so many reasons. The main character, Maddie, I had such a liking for. I found I was constantly cheering her on. I was upset how poorly she was treated, used and manipulated by her mother and brother. I was sad for her also that she didn't realize her self worth and frustrated for her in her work situation. The premise of the story I had a personal connection to. I am one of three siblings, yet all responsibility fell to me caring for my mom when she got cancer. I experienced the same guilt and overall brokenness that Maddie felt. In so many instances, I could've been Maddie. I loved hearing her talk to herself. The ending was absolutely perfect! I recommend this book to everyone! I will read whatever this author writes. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this advance book.

This is the story of Maddie, a naive woman with a LOT of responsibility. It's a coming of age story where Maddie learns a lot about who she is and who she wants to be. She steps out of her comfort zone and tries new things, experiences heartache and loss, and battles with herself.

Maame started off much slower than I prefer. It took a while to get into the story and to see some growth from Maddie. However, the slower beginning also allows the reader to see just how much responsibility is thrown on Maddie and how she's handling it all.

Overall, I found Maddie overly naive and permissive. Her mum is downright selfish and really irritated me. They were both pretty extreme in those characteristics.

I appreciated the Ghanaian culture throughout the book and the depth of the characters. I rated it 3 stars because although it's a decent coming of age story that tugs at your heartstrings, it wasn't my favorite and was a bit slow.

What a lovely book! The complete and utter devotion of a daughter, yet trying to liver her life a bit as well was just so beautifully portrayed in this book. I enjoyed every page of this book!

This is a charming coming-of-age (albeit a little later in life) story. Maddie, the main character, had such a relatable voice. While Maddie's Ghanain culture might not be something with which everyone can personally identify (I really struggled with her mother and brother), her self-doubt and questioning of how she fits into the larger picture is something I think most women find themselves wondering at certain points in their life. It felt a little like if Bridget Jones' Diary and Transcendent Kingdom were blended together.

Maame by Jessica George is a tender coming of age late story. Faced with living in two worlds, that of her Ghanaian relatives expectations and her own desires, the protagonist has to carve her own way. Plenty of first, albeit later than most. You'll cheer for her as she finds her way.

A charming story that I enjoyed reading very much. At first I was a bit frustrated with the main character, as she came across as such a doormat. But as the story progressed Maddie came out of her shell, so to speak and really grew into herself. It was a very realistic story and wonderfully written. I highly recommend.

I received an ARC of Maame, by Jessica George. Maddie has a lot on her plate. Being caregiver to her dad with Parkinsons,. her mother back in Ghana, and being the only black person in her office. Something has to change for Maddie, she can't go on like this anymore.

Maame was so busy raising herself,taking care of her ailing father, getting her college education, and then working a demanding job with a boss who requires a minder, that she didn't get around to dating or having much of a social life. She loses her father, and her job before she finds what kind of career and man she really wants and sees the tree value of her Ghanaian background.

This book was far from my comfort zone, it’s not usually a genre I gravitate toward, but I’m so glad I read it! It was captivating.