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.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance reader's copy of this book.

This book is getting all sorts of praise but I DNFed it about a quarter of the way through. I may return to it at some point, but for right now I'm just way too tired of books about twentysomethings getting their lives together. It's not a stage I'm interested in reading about over and over.

Maddie’s life is far from what she expected it to be. Between an overbearing, yet absent, mother, a nightmare boss, and being the primary caretaker for her father, Maddie knows she needs to make changes, but isn’t sure how. When her mom finally returns to England, Maddie jumps at the chance to make changes. Unfortunately, a tragedy strikes and puts all of her hard work at risk.

What I liked most about the book was how it pulled me in and made me feel like I was really part of Maddie’s life. It was heartbreaking, but also funny and awkward. I also loved that it gave a whole picture of her life, instead of just focusing in on a few details.

There were actually very few things that I disliked about Maame. It had some uncomfortable and awkward moments, but it’s really what made the book even better and felt more realistic.

I honestly can’t think of anyone that I wouldn’t recommend this book to. It deals with a number of heavy issues: racism, being a caretaker, family issues, but it also finds a way to incorporate humor throughout it all. If you like novels about friendship and family, this book is definitely for you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press as well as the author for this delightful ARC.
#NetGalley #Maame #JessicaGeorge #St.Martin’sPress
This was such a great read. I also won a hard copy of this ARC from the publisher in a Goodreads Giveaway! So I thank St. Martin’s Press for that as well. I’m so glad to have it.

Maddie Wright is the main caregiver for her father, who has Parkinson’s disease. While her peers are going off to college and living their best lives, she works for a boss that's less than understanding and cares for her ailing father. When her mother returns from Ghana, she leaps for her life to start. Things don’t always go according to plan, however.
Maddie was a wonderful character, whom I wish I could hang out with. She was kind and caring. Her mother is less likable, which makes me like and empathize with Maddie more. Her mother is critical and often absent as was her brother. Very selfish. Maddie feels that her nickname, “Maame”, embodies all of that. It means several things in the Twi language and Maddie feels that she has always been a woman and has never been a child. This sort of embodies the first part of the novel. The rest of the novel details her life actually starting and the triumphs and failures of such.
This novel represents a full range of emotions. I experienced grief, triumph, heartbreak, and exhilaration, to name a few. It’s been awhile since I had to take breaks while reading due to emotional exhaustion. I enjoyed learning about Ghanaian culture and language. I appreciate how truthful this was written.
I do wish some of the characters, other than Maddie, had been more likable. I’m not sure if this would have made Maddie less likable though. Somehow I don’t think so.
Five stars!

I felt for a debut that this book was well written and definitely touched on some interesting issues pertaining to crossing cultural barriers and finding your place in the world. As a coming of age story, it really did have a lovely message and I was rooting for the main character. However, I also found her to be incredibly naive and somewhat annoying. Her mom was also very tiresome. I’m 39 years old, and I feel like if I were a woman in her mid twenties, this book may have resonated more with me.

"Maame" by Jessica George is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel. The story is centered around a young woman named Maame who is grappling with her identity and cultural heritage as she navigates life in both Ghana and the United States.

The characters are vividly drawn and the descriptions of the settings are rich and evocative. The writing style is lyrical and poetic, and I found myself deeply immersed in Maame's journey.

My only criticism is that the pacing felt slow at times, and I found myself wanting the story to move along a bit faster. However, this is a minor quibble in an otherwise engrossing read.

Overall, "Maame" is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that explores themes of identity, belonging, and family. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys character-driven fiction with a strong sense of place.

Thank you netgalley for the e-arc!

A powerful novel that is about family, grief, self growth, guilt, regrets, and starting over! Thoroughly enjoyed the growth of the protagonist. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Maddie is in her mid twenties living in London taking care of her ill father. Even though Maddie is 25, it's a coming of age story as Maddie has been a bit sheltered in her life. Her mom has been absent and her brother not helpful.

She had to navigate so many firsts and I felt for her. I was heartbroken, sometimes I was laughing and other times I was cringing. The book is peppered with many of her internal thoughts which I thought were a great addition to the story.

Definitely worth the hype and a must read for fans of character driven novels