Maddie Wright feels like her life is on a slow drip at the age of 25. Raised in Britain with Ghanaian immigrant parents, she’s quietly resentful of her absentee mother and has assumed the role the primary caretaker for her chronically ill father, taking on lion’s share familial duties with no help from her jetsetting older brother. They call her maame - the Twi word for woman - a word that carries the weight of her family’s expectations and assumptions. When she’s not taking care of her father, Maddie works an unfulfilling job as a personal assistant, scraping by as the breadwinner while longing to live the more carefree lifestyle of her peers.

When Maddie’s mother returns from an extended stay in Ghana, Maddie takes steps towards building a life on her terms: she moves out, begins a new job, and starts dating. Just as Maddie strikes out on her own, a blow of fate forces Maddie to examine her identity and role in the world and her family while also navigating grief, guilt, independence, friendship, racism, and depression (with the help of Google search, of course).

Maame is a beautifully written coming-of-age story that touches complicated immigrant family dynamics, mourning, mental health, race relations, and love of all kinds with a steady and compassionate hand (at times, maybe too compassionate - I would have loved to see Maddie stand up for herself a little more). I love listening to culturally-focused fiction as audiobooks, and the narrator does a fantastic job alternating between contrasting characters with depth and warmth (particularly Maddie and her mother). Thank you for an ARC of this lovely debut novel 💖

I loved this book. Sometimes books come at the right time, and this one did for me. But I'm not sure there would have been a wrong time. It was all the things: family drama, light romance, coming-of-age, women's fiction, friendship fiction, diasporic fiction, humorous, current ... just everything I was looking for right now.

Maddie Wright is the person in her family who takes care of everything and everyone except herself. Her father has Parkinson's and she lives alone with him while her brother pursues his entertainment career and her mother travels between London and Ghana, where her parents are originally from. Though she has hopes and dreams for herself, Maddie feels strongly that she needs to be the one to hold down the homefront, since no one else seems inclined to do it. Then her chronically absent mother announces that she is returning from Ghana for a year, so she can take over the care of her husband, and she urges Maddie to move out and make a life for herself.

Consulting Google message boards, as Maddie does for most of her decisions, Maddie decides to make some serious changes and become the kind of person she never had the space to become before. She wants to date and lose her virginity, smoke, drink, and take her career in publishing more seriously. And to Maddie's surprise--and the persistent soundtrack of her self-doubt--a handsome suitor presents himself, as does a new apartment with flatmates who could become friends, and the possibility of an unanticipated but exciting development in her career. But even as she embarks on what seems to be a new life, Maddie is still carrying a lot of baggage from the old one. And eventually, it all catches up with her, forcing her to reckon with who she is in her family, and in the new world and life she is building for herself.

With the light touch and tone of a rom-com, Jessica George managed to meaningfully address some very heavy subjects-depression, chronic illness, cultural identity, race, sexual discovery ... like I said, all the things. This didn't read like a debut novel; it read like the work of someone adept at giving readers just enough to understand where the characters are and what they feel without belaboring the pivotal moments in the fear that we won't recognize just how pivotal they are. The dialogue was clever and snappy without being trite, and the main character, Maddie, nicknamed Maame ("Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman."), endearing and relatable.

The significance of the title is revealed in the novel, and becomes key to helping us understand who Maddie is in her family when we meet her, and who we have the delightful experience of watching her become. A great read! Thank you NetGalley!

Audiobook note: I listened and read. Both experiences were equally positive. The narrator is exceptional. I could almost believe she is Maddie.

Did not finish at 12%

I ended up NOT finishing this book [it was just awful for me], but it was absolutely NOT because of the audiobook or narrator. I really, really, enjoyed the narrator [and had hoped that she could save the book for me; alas no] and I would absolutely look for her narration again. The narrator and narration in NO WAY affected my dislike of the book [she truly was the best part of the book] and I am disappointed that I don't get to listen to her for the whole book.

[**My rating is for the narration ONLY, not for the content of the book**]

Thank you to Heather Agyepong - Narrator and Macmillian Audio for providing this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I almost gave up on this one at 10%, and again at 55% but I kept listening and I’m glad I did. While it takes a while to warm up to Maddie, she definitely grows on you. She’s smart but naïve and inexperienced in a lot of things due to having to take care of her father but the true joy is going along the journey with her to becoming the person she’s meant to be. I really enjoyed my time with her and found her to be caring and warm, trying to please everyone all the time and eventually learning that it’s not possible. Her google searches had me laughing the whole time. Recommended for those who are willing to put in the work to get the treasure.

This beautiful story about love, loss and family is a must read. Maame, or Maddie is a woman of immigrant parents trying to navigate taking care of her father and his declining health while balancing a career, social life and trying to work on herself. As someone that lost their father recently this was such a moving and beautiful story about a father daughter relationship that I was able to relate to on many levels (and yes through many tears) but made me feel so connected to Maddie and her pain and grief.
I highly recommend this as a read and can't wait to share with family and friends who are looking for a great new book this year!

Maame was an absolutely delightful read with one of my favorite protagonists I have read in a long time.

Maddie is a twenty-something people-pleaser who looks after everyone but herself and is something of a late bloomer socially, due to the fact that she still lives with her somewhat traditional parents in London. Her father has Parkinson's and she takes care of him. This is a coming-of-age story with Maddie experiencing regular twenty-something things like having a roommate, being a young person at her job, all while navigating the complexities and messiness of family. I was rooting for her the entire way through and found myself frustrated at times when I wanted her to put her foot down. I absolutely loved her and saw so much of myself in her.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this! It was fantastic. I loved the narrator for this and found that she brought the words to life wonderfully. It was a strong story with many layers to a young women who is finding herself in the world. It showed her struggles within the community, her work place and even her family. I loved how the whole story ended. It made me cry, it made me smile, and it made me sad. It pulled out so many emotions and was beautifully written.

This was an emotional read about a a young woman in London who is finding herself at work, in her social circle and with family. This book provides an excellent insight into cultural influences on family dynamics and touches on mental health and personal growth.

I enjoyed Maddie’s development throughout this book although I did feel that I didn’t connect with some of her choices which brought me out of the book. I also felt like I would have loved more development with some of the relationships as some of them felt rushed. I really enjoyed the narrator and felt like she really brought the story to life. Overall this was a great read.

3.5 stars

This is about a twenty five year old that is the primary caregiver for her dad. Because of this she has not experienced normal twenty year old activities. Her mother comes back to take care of the dad allowing Mamme to live on her own for the first time. I think a younger age group will like this book. I found the innocent act cute at first but grew bored with it. I was a bit disappointed.

****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

Maame reminded me that every family functions differently. We watch as this young woman cares for her Sick father (physically and financially) in lieu of starting a career and establishing independence. . Her mother and brother cannot be burden to share any responsibility and look to Maame to solve everything.

What a stunning read! The narration in this audiobook gave major contribution to the depth of the story and my love for the character.

I went into this one blind and I found myself really falling for our main character Maddie. She has lived a life that is not only sheltered, but not exactly her own. She is the caretaker and the responsible one even though she is the youngest.

When circumstances allow her to finally leave home and live a life that is all for herself, she is shocked by tragedy and it leaves her wondering if she knows what she is doing at all.

I wondered in the beginning of this book if I was going to ever get past her inability to speak up for herself until I realized that was EXACTLY what the purpose of the book was. We get to be brought along on her journey of self discovery, self forgiveness and her realization of what she wants and what she knows she is worthy of. And it was beautiful!

This book demonstrates the struggles she has with her culture, like her not being Ghanaian enough for Ghanaian family members. It also puts a spotlight on other people’s stereotypes of her Blackness.

I really enjoyed this book and the messages it sent. Maddie’s personal growth was tender, beautiful and incredibly vulnerable. I loved her completely.

Can coming of age stories also be about adults?

Because this what Maame is about. The protagonist, Maddie, is a lovely young woman of the age of 25. She's from Ghana, but lives in London. There she takes care of her sick father while her mother lives back home. She always puts needs of others above her own, not without consequences on her wellbeing. One day the tragedy struck, and she needs to evaluate her life and face rough reality.

I had a rough time with a beginning of the book because of Maddie's personality. I would get angry with her for her choices, but with time she taught me how to approach her with compassion and understanding. Her problems started to look familiar and her way of dealing with it was absolutely admirable. As a black woman living in London she also had to overcome microaggressions at work and in personal relationships. I've come from not liking her to making her one of my favorite protagonist. The story overall seemed slow, but it was a beauty of it. I enjoy the pacing. The one moment that came to me as complete cultural shock was how people who seemed never to be on a receiving end of friendship from Maddie, suddenly appeared in her life when she needed it. I guess, it's a personal experience I never had, and I'm accepting it as it is after all.

The book is wonderfully written from the first-person perspective, and the audiobook was a treat, with a variety of voices. I finished it in two days easy.
Link to the IG Post:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CoF75SpunuB/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

What I loved:
✨Coming-of-Age: Maddie’s journey is messy and heartbreaking, yet her self-awareness and growth offer hope while learning to understand, forgive, and love people who hurt you.
✨Underlying themes: familial obligations, racism, mental health, and grief. Maddie’s mental health journey, while realistically dark and heartbreaking, shows that people want to help. Sometimes those people come from unexpected places in your life. Opening yourself to others is sometimes the most challenging part.
✨Narration: Heather Agyepong for the win! She embodies all of Maddie, from her sheltered introverted personality to her longing to find the “new” Maddie (I found these moments hilarious) to the dark times driven by grief and loneliness. Heather’s range amazed me!

Highly recommend both the book and the audiobook! You cannot go wrong with either.

DNF @ 45%.

I tried to get in to this one, I really did. I know there is such a huge hype around this book but it was so boring! The author certainly hit on those big topics (female protagonist, people of colour, family struggles etc.) but to me that's all it was. "How many big buck words can I use in one book?"

All of the characters I met were extremely unlikable, the protagonist was just complaining and very "woe is me" which I found incredibly annoying, and nothing really happened. Overall, not loving it. I think the only reason I tried so hard to read it was because of the hype and nothing more.

1/5 Stars for me

Thank you for this ARC!!!

Happy pub day to Maame by Jessica George, a sweet and serene slice of life story beautifully narrated by Heather Agyepong.

This is a coming of age story for a late blooming, extremely tender and sympathetic MC named Maddie and also Maame, the definition of which plays heavily into her simultaneously expedited adulthood and latent social development.

You will definitely root for and be proud of her as she steps into her own life fully. Prepare to laugh out loud, punch a pillow, and cheer.

Thank you to St. Martin's for the ARC and MacMillan Audio on NetGalley for the early listening copy.

#maamebook #jessicageorgeauthor #comingofage #sliceoflife #fiction #diverse #stories #January #tbr #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookofthemonth

An unforgettable and deeply moving coming of age story about finding your own way in life.
This is a character development driven story and my goodness does it hit the spot. Maame is filled with authentic characters and predicaments that many may relate to, all while eliciting an array of emotions to the individual reading it . The story explores love, loss, depression and grief all in the form of (including but not limited to): friendships, family, workplace and culture.
One thing I loved about this book - how it provides the comparison of always checking google for everything you need answers to, but no mater what you ask, there are differing opinion all over the place, there is no right answer and honestly it takes you figuring it out for yourself, because everyones experiences are different.

Favourite quote: “I do love you and you must know that, but it is a relief to not worry “

Do yourself a favour and read this book.

Thank you so much Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy and happy pub day!

PLOT: Maddie looks after her father in London who is suffering from Parkinson’s. She is stuck in a job with a horrible boss and is tired of all the microaggressions she faces every day in the office. When her mom comes back from her latest trip to Ghana Maddie takes this time to move out of her family home and begin her own life. Maddie wants to figure out who she is, what she likes, how she should dress, who she should date. She finds a new flat and a new job opportunity and begins saying “yes” to more social engagements. Shortly after moving into her new flat her family is hit with a tragedy that quickly shows their true colors.

REVIEW: I was immediately drawn to this book. It’s an easy read that is relatable to many with the themes of difficult familial relationships and dynamics. Going on the journey with Maddie as she navigates not only what kind of life she wants to lead, but also how she fits into her family and culture is a beautifully heart wrenching journey to witness. Her struggles with her mental health and her people pleasing ways are struggles I too have faced. I just wanted to leap into the pages of this book and hug Maddie so deeply and let her know the journey to healing isn’t linear it’s a spiral. Her love, courage and power inspired me. I cannot praise this book enough.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to read and review this book. At first, I was not extremely sure where the author was going with this book, but, it ended being such a beautiful book that has caused me to have a book hangover. I will say that if you are currently experiencing grief, this may not be the book for you. However, it is beautifully done and I feel that since I was able to connect with the characters, it made me love the book even more. Definitely a book everyone should read.

This was a really compelling debut novel by a fresh British voice. I listened to the audio version, which was fantastic - the reader did a truly great job with the various accents, especially Maddie's Ghanaian mother.

This is a coming of age tale of a late-blooming 25-year-old woman, figuring out how to forge her own way in London while juggling family responsibilities and learning how to date and live on her own. I have been going back and forth on whether the confessional, diary-style writing is a feature or not, but suffice it to say that this reads (and certainly seems, from what I can gather online) very autobiographical. That's not very surprising for a first novel, I suppose. And the author's lived experience shines though on each page, making the characters very fleshed out and well developed.

Overall, I really enjoyed listening to this and would recommend it to readers who like Yaa Gyasi and who wanted "The Other Black Girl" to be better (this is nothing like that book - not a suspense novel! - except that this main character also talks about the racism in the publishing world, but with a much more nuanced and - I think - interesting take).

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

3.5 stars! I had no idea what to expect with this novel and my views on it evolved dramatically while listening to it. It had a very slow start but, after a slew of abandoned audiobooks (I had a tough time with this format this month), I forced myself to stick with it. Our narrator Maddie is a very naive young woman in her mid-20s faced with some tough circumstances and making (or not making) some questionable decisions. Until about the last 20% of this novel, I felt very medium about it…not wholly engaged, but interested just enough to see where it was going. And I’m glad I stuck with it, as I really appreciated the final stretch of character development and found the conclusion quite satisfying (somewhat tidy, but satisfyingly so!).

Thanks to @macmillanaudio and @netgalley for the advanced reader copy of the audiobook!