I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick read.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

A well-written story about Maddie who has lived a life of making others happy and doing what others want for her and the consequences of doing that until one day you start living for yourself.

I did end up DNFing this one, but I truly did love the writing of this one. I loved how our expectations on daughters was portrayed on page and how this transcends culture. I ended up DNFing just because it is a heavy novel that was hitting very close for me, and I was not in the headspace to finish it. I definitely would have if I could.

This book is a must-read! This is a beautiful coming-of-age story of a twenty five year old woman of Ghanaian immigrants who has spent her life being the responsible one in her family from a young age. Maddie has been the primary caretaker of her father who suffers from Parkinson's Disease. When she moves out of her father's home, disaster strikes and Maddie must learn to navigate the world she has just begun experiencing while dealing with grief and guilt. I absolutely adored Maddie - the Google searches, the inner monologue - and how she navigated a world she has practically just introduced herself to. While her family lets her down time after time, her friends Nia and Shu remain the support she needs while she deals with the rapid changes in her life. While Maddie seems to be dealing with disaster after disaster, they are a breath of fresh air. I value the frank discussion of depression and seeking therapy - I wish all workplaces were as supportive in that department as Maddie's seem to be. If I could wish for more - it would be more Nia, Shu and Sam. I eagerly anticipate
George's next novel.

I really had no idea what to expect with this. It is a "coming of age" story in many ways as a woman attempts to find herself - but later in life than most. She has been the caretaker for her father but finally is able to move out and take on life as her own person. Her joys and trials are relatable, We get to see Maddie come to terms with her background and heritage. It is uplifting and would make a great bookclub read

In her debut novel, Jessica George delivers a capital-I Important novel that doesn’t read like one. On its surface, it’s as light and as bouncy and entertaining – even when it’s tragic or anxiety-inducing – as Bridget Jones’ Diary or an advanced YA novel. It races along, bristling with excitement and energy even when it’s weighed down with sadness and grief and melancholy. It’s jammed full of great characters, bursting with inner lives, realistic motivations and believable quirks, creating a lavishly fleshed out world and then sucking you in. Maame gives voice to a number of the most pressing contemporary issues currently facing society without ever becoming preachy or falling into agitprop. It’s a stellar debut from an incredibly talented new voice.

Grateful for the opportunity to read this book. Maddie is her father’s caretaker while her absent mother lives in Ghana. I very much enjoyed this book.

I highlighted this book on my Booktube channel. The video can be accessed here: https://youtu.be/6J9tbc8JSEQ

A beautiful, moving debut.

It took me a while to settle into this book, but it was well worth the read. Maddie’s journey is difficult to read at times, and so many emotions were brought up for me reading Maame, but it’s a wonderful coming-of-age tale that felt so relatable at times.

Unrelated to the content, the cover is absolutely stunning! I love it so much. Also, because I didn’t read this arc before it was released (I’m an awful reviewer, I know), I was able to purchase the audiobook. If you like audiobooks, I highly recommend getting this on audio. The narrator was wonderful and really brought Maddie and her story to life.

I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the author’s future works.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary e-arc. All opinions are my own.

Maame follows Maddie, a Ghanaian woman in her 20s living in London. She’s having a rough time. Between work troubles, an overbearing mother, and being the main caretaker of her father with Parkinson’s, she barely has time to breathe. This book is a bit of a coming-of-age story and I really enjoyed it. It has deep themes but remains hopeful, with a very lovable main character and side characters. Recommend! Thank you for my e-ARC @stmartinspress!

📖 BOOK REVIEW

BOOK: Maame
AUTHOR: Jessica George
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Contemporary Fiction
DID I CRY: No
PUB DATE: 1/31/23
RATING: 9/10
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you so much @macmillanaudio @stmartinspress @librofm @netgalley for my #gifted advanced digital and audio copies of #Maame out now!

MY THOUGHTS

What a WONDERFUL debut this was! Taking booksta by storm, this book packs it all — self-exploration, identity, grief & loss, guilt, familial duties, expectations and roles, culture, racism, love and relationships, friendship, boundaries, mental health, personal growth, etc etc. I think for me, the grief explored in the book through the loss the MC experiences is one of the best, most realistic portrayals I have seen in literature and it’ll stay with me for a long time.

Along with those powerful themes, the writing was beautiful & following our MC through 1st person POV made the story more personal & moving. I had a little bit of difficulty with the characters at points. All were EXTREMELY unlikable (intentionally) except for Maddie (our MC), but even at times Maddie’s naïveté had me feeling frustrated as a reader. But at the same time I understood exactly why she was portrayed the way that she was so it didn’t take away from the story. I also really enjoyed that it was a coming-of-age story for a woman in her mid 20’s. This also felt more realistic and relatable for someone of the same age, and being able to compare myself and connect better with the story and MC.

I think if this book was a little bit longer, I would have felt more satisfied after finishing. This book packs a LOT of themes and plot points and I typically have difficulty with this — feeling like the story is a little too big for the book. So if it had been maybe 50-70 pages longer, I feel that it would have covered each theme a little more in depth.

I loved chatting about this book for my #LowMaintenanceBookClub in Feb & think it’s a great book for discussion! Definitely recommend & bravo to Jessica George on a knockout debut!

Maame by Jessica George is a charming novel. I think it’s a debut and there are definitely elements in the writing that reveal that.

The main character is Maddie, short for Madeleine, and her family nickname is Maame, which she resents as we learn later in the book. Maddie, is in her mid-twenties, works as an administrative assistant who wants to work in publishing. She lives at home and takes care of her father who has Parkinson’s disease when we meet her.

This is a coming of age novel and I really appreciated the glimpses into Ghanaian culture. Maddie is still figuring out how to incorporate being Ghanaian and British. She eventually moves out and rents a room in a flat with two flatmates and explores life free of taking care of her father.

The book is well-written and sweet. There are a few scenes that seem unnecessary to the story but do have entertainment value in some sense. We explore her love life and her work life and most of all, her relationship with her often absent yet authoritative mother and selfish brother.

I enjoy reading Own Voices stories and am happy this is out in the world.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Somewhat of a “coming of age story of a late bloomer. Maame’s mother is absent and has her own life in Ghana. Maame spends most of her time taking care of her father , who has Parkinsons.

When her mom returns she makes the big decision to move out. She is on a journey of discovering who she is as she starts dating, builds her career and friendships.
Within her story there are some serious topics such as racism, and discovering emotional and sexual connection. The topic that made me ponder the most is the impact taking on a parental role has on a young persons life. Her story was funny, heartwarming and hopeful as she met lives challenges. Excellent on audio.

Thank you to the publisher for a Netgalley.

I really enjoyed this story of Maddie and how she began to really live her life in her mid-twenties. This book is sad, and I will admit I scanned a few portions when she talked about her dad. As someone who lost her father a few years ago, I find it hard to read about at times.

But I liked reading about Maddie and how she began to navigate through the life she wanted to live. Not a perfect life, but learning to work with the hand that she has on the table. This book was extremely well written, and I look forward to future works by this author.

“Maame" by Jessica George is a powerful and emotional novel that explores themes of identity, family, and love. Set in Ghana, the story follows the journey of Maame, a young woman who is forced to confront her past and make difficult choices about her future.

What I appreciated most about this book was how George portrays the complexities of Maame's relationships with her family members and loved ones. The characters are all well-developed and multi-dimensional, with their own hopes, fears, and flaws. The story also sheds light on important issues such as gender roles, cultural expectations, and mental health.

The writing is poetic and vivid, capturing the beauty and vibrancy of Ghanaian culture and landscape. George's attention to detail is impressive, and she does an excellent job of immersing the reader in the world of the story.

Overall, "Maame" is a deeply moving and thought-provoking novel that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it. George's writing is both powerful and tender, making this book a must-read for anyone who appreciates stories that explore the complexities of human relationships and identity. Highly recommended.

SO GOOD! This was very intriguing and even more compelling than i expected. This mother daughter relationship was absolutely enthralling. Like watching something burn.

Let’s start by saying I was scratching my head a bit in the beginning. Was I too old for this? Is this moving too slow for me? Should I keep going? I’m really fortunate that this was offered as a @librofm ALC because the audio really elevated this book for me, more than just reading the print book would have. The narration of Heather Agyepong was OUTSTANDING. She really brought Maddie to life and I also cannot say enough good things about the author, Jessica George. What an extraordinary story. You had to be a little patient, but the benefit of seeing everything come full circle and watching Maddie come into herself was a pleasure to read and listen too. I felt so many emotions while reading this book and it won’t be one I forget anytime soon. I suspect, I will be putting this in my year end best and it’s also no surprise this was a @readwithjenna pick. I usually align in taste with Jenna’s picks the best and this was another winner. I’m so grateful to the publisher for sending me an arc copy and I will treasure it as part of my library forever.

I received this complimentary e-book from NetGalley; all opinions here are my own.

I had the best time reading ‘Maame’ — the main character’s struggle for work-life balance, dealing with others’ expectations, and finding her true self and best life was relatable. Maddie is so realistically written and experiencing her companionable point of view is a comfort.
I enjoyed the winding way through her story as it developed and she had defining moments.

And it’s not all serious— I definitely laughed at times and loved the lighter moments, too.

This would be an excellent novel to pack in your bag wherever you are for summer 2023.

I really loved this coming-of-age story. It’s poignant, relatable, and funny all at the same time. Maddie goes THROUGH IT, but she learns about herself and strengthens her relationships despite/because of her hardships. Also, Maddie Googling everything was way relatable.

The writing flows nicely and is very well done. Every character is so well-written. You love them even though they don’t always make the best decisions.

I know it sounds cheesy, but I laughed, I cried, and I tore through this book.

CW: death of a parent, grief

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital ARC of this book!

I received this ARC through net galley . What a different storyline and prose. I really enjoyed the complexity of grief, culture and gender roles/norms are explored and held here.