I thought this was beautifully written and great characters but I’m so used to action packed suspense or romantic comedies with a building trajectory that I couldn’t get into this one enough to hold my interest!

I didn't love this book. It seems like one I've read more than once--young woman in her 20s floundering and "coming of age." Deducted a star for the regular google searches for the every decision she made--large or small.

thank you for the arc! it took me a while to read it, but i finally did. maddie acted like a child at times, and was very naive. it irritated me a lot. but i still enjoyed most of the story and would recommend this book.

Thank you Netgalley & Saint Martin Press for the ARC.

I live for books like Maame, this is going to my memorable sad girl books list. Maddie was such a complex and relatable character, and I think having POC characters with her background and life experiences is so important because minority women tend to be pressured even more when it comes to finding our place in society, fitting in, being great, making our families proud, sacrificing ourselves for the well being of others.

I rooted for her from the beginning, I wished she would soon realize and learn that it was okay to feel lost, to understand and make peace with the fact that adulting is hard and having it all figured it out is almost a myth.

Ahhhhhh ~

Anyway! I can’t wait to read whatever Jessica George publishes next.

Maddie (nicknamed “Maame” by her mother) is a twenty-something in London who cares for her father, who has Parkinson’s. Her mother spends most of the year in Ghana and her brother doesn’t help. When her mother decides to come back, this is Maddie’s first opportunity to move out and claim her independence. Maame follows Maddie as she learns about the world outside her home and struggles to find a place in it, while pushing back against her family’s expectations–particularly when tragedy strikes and she is overcome by grief.

Maddie is an endearing character; she’s naive, which could be frustrating to read, but she’s also aware of it. I actually saw hints of autism in her (though I’m no expert and have not seen others mention this), and reading with that lens made her naivete and some of her tendencies more understandable. Whether or not my interpretation is true, Maddie is a character I rooted for, and this book deserves all of its accolades.

Short synopsis: 25 year old Maddie is in charge of Caring for her sick father, because her mom spends most of her time in Ghana. When Mom comes to London to visit Maddie jumps at the chance to move out and begin her adult life.

My thoughts: I loved the term “Maame” and how the book explained it. In Twi it means woman, but has many meanings: a term of endearment, provider, and caregiver are a couple. Ultimately we leave Maddie’s feelings towards it, and the responsibility she felt in relation to the term.

I loved this coming of age story, Maddie is an adult but has never really had the opportunity to make her own choices. There are moments of humor, sadness, and joy. I loved watching her grow, and become her own person despite her familial/cultural obligations.

I especially enjoyed the inside look into the publishing industry and her job as an editors assistant. There’s many insights that I never even considered that we got to see a bit of!

I got a good laugh out of her google history. She’d google anything and everything, seems like something we are all guilty of!

Read if you love:
- Family relationships
- Overcoming unrealistic expectations
- Mental health
- Important themes (racism, micro aggression, sexual assault, depression/grief, familial obligations)

Ma’am’s was a very moving coming of age novel. It was very heartfelt and emotional. I liked the characters and found them to be very relatable. There were some scenes that were unnecessary. Still this is a novel of love, loss, and family. I recommend this for fans of Sally Rooney, Colleen Hoover, and Jojo Moyes!

This story hit home with me. I related to the main character having to take care of her sick, ageing parent while struggling through other life issues.Maddie has a lot going on in her life, but the main factor is taking care of her father. With her mom and brother not in the area, she's the main caretaker for her dad, who has Parkinson's.

What do you do for a parent, and yet live the life you feel you need to live? This is the question this book poses.

This was a wonderful coming of age story! I was really rooting for Maddie and was happy to final see her find her path and voice. He family made me a little mad but it felt like a realistic depiction of the challenges many people face.

Meet Maddie Wright, a 25-year-old Londoner whose childhood nickname “Maame” means woman. She’s been the responsible one in her family for as long as she can remember, and now is the caretaker for her dad, who suffers from Parkinson’s. You’d think her job in theatre might be glamorous but it’s nothing but a slog, and her love life is nothing to write home about either. And don’t get her started on the racism she’s subject to at work, where she’s often the only Black person in the room. So when her mother returns from Ghana, Maddie sees her chance to break free and moves into a flat with two roommates. Life’s looking up until tragedy forces Maddie to reimagine her path going forward and think long and hard about what truly matters in life.

This is a stunning debut by Jessica George. Her lovable and very relatable protagonist Maddie is a young girl who embodies not only the naivete of youth but the often serious responsibility placed on children to care for their family members. Its by turns heartwarming and humorous, sad and yet strikingly realistic and emotive. Highly recommended must-read for anyone who enjoys a poignant and moving portrayal of a young girl’s coming-of-age.

An incredible debut by Jessica George, who brings us a relatable protagonist in Maame, a story about family, grief, and growing up to find your own way. Maame takes us on a journey showing the struggle of loss, love, cultural obligations, and gender expectations, though a coming of age story that is entertaining, moving, and heartbreaking at times. The first part of the novel was a little slow for me, but by the end, I was fully invested in the story. The audiobook is narrated by Heather Agyepong and her voice perfectly brings this book to life!

Jessica George's "Maame" is a fantastic debut novel that I’ve been recommending to all my friends. It’s a coming of age story about Maame, a young Ghanaian woman living in London. Her father has Parkinson’s and she has been his main care taker which has taken up such a large part of her life that she feels she’s missed out on the typical experiences of a young woman. She experiences a range of adventures and emotions as she moves out and tackles life challenges. As a reader, I found myself fully invested in Maame's journey, rooting for her as she faced various obstacles and setbacks.

Overall, "Maame" is a well written and emotionally resonant novel that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a compelling coming of age story.

“𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻.”

Maddie aka Maame is a twenty something loving in London. Her mother out of the country and her brother often otherwise occupied, she takes on the lion’s share of providing care for her father who is ailing with Parkinson’s.

Eager to finally spread her wings, Maddie moves out of her childhood home and vows to make bold choices both in her career and her personal life. But then her father passes away and things are put into a different perspective. After finally having the freedom she thought she truly craved, all Maddie ends up feeling is lost.

A late onset coming of age story laced with racial and familial commentary, Maame is a debut that’s making quite an impression. I enjoyed parts of this novel, but if I’m being honest, I had a hard time finding a consistent tone and even put it down a few times. Maddie’s mother was a particularly frustrating character to read. While I didn’t always love the story, my heart did break a little for all that Maddie had to endure alone.

This is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that explores themes of identity, culture, and family.

The story follows Maddie, an early twenties Ghanaian woman who is trying to find herself after spending most of her adult life taking care of her sick father while her mother spends her time in their home country Ghana.
In the story, she grapples with the challenges of adjusting to moving out of her sick father's home, building a life for herself, and reconciling her African heritage with her Western upbringing.

One of the strongest aspects of this book is the depth and complexity of the characters. Maddie is a deeply relatable protagonist whose struggles and triumphs resonates with every new adult. Her journey is supported by a cast of well-developed secondary characters, including her mother, roommates, best friends, and the love interests she finds along the way.

The writing style is engaging and descriptive, painting a vivid picture of Maddie's world and experiences to the point that I could understand her frustration with her mother and how unsure she acted as a 25 year old young woman who had never lived on her own. The writing style is also humorous, with a keen eye for the intricacies of everyday life. George's portrayal of the challenges Maddie faces in both her personal and professional life is both poignant and uplifting.

Maddie's journey of self-discovery was heartwarming and I found myself rooting for her every step of the way. As a self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it's not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils and rewards of putting her heart on the line. The novel also shines a light on the importance of familial duty, friendship, and the complexities of love

While the book could benefit from a stronger plot and pacing in some parts, the strength of the characters and the depth of the themes make it a highly recommended read. Four stars.

Such a sweet story about a girl and the relationship she has with her dad wrapped in her coming of age story. When her mostly absentee mother returns from Ghana, Maddie finally has the opportunity to move out and figure out adulting along with the relationship she has with her mother & brother. #maame #jessicageorge #reading readinggoals2023 #reading challenge

STUNNING. Maame is an absolute triumph of a coming of age novel. Funny, sweet, heartbreaking, it took me through every emotion and made me feel all the feels. Loved it! Also, that cover!

I didn’t think I would enjoy this book because there are many mixed reviews out there. However, it worked for me. I found the main character to be very relatable, even though she was VERY VERY VERY naive at times and relied on google to help her make the most basic decision.

Like if you have to google should you go to a man’s hours for the first date the answer is NO 😂

The only thing I would change about this book is the ending. I felt like it ended too nicely and the main character didn’t get to confront any of the people she had real issues with.

Also Ben needs to go to hell!

Maame is the nickname given to Maddie by her mother. In her native tongue it means woman and in Maddie’s case it means she was never allowed to be a child. She has always shouldered the burden of taking care of her ill father and his household while her mother leads her own life in another country and her brother pursues his dreams. It was heart wrenching to read her story of finally being allowed to live but still struggling with what she thinks is expected of her. But wonderful to have a character that felt like she was my own child and I wanted her to succeed in everything.

Maame is a novel you will not soon forget. It examines inter-generational conflict, the toll that care-taking creates in an individual and a bi-continent family.

The evolution of these characters, the choices that must be made, and a protagonist who seeks to balance her own life while remaining a character to her father who has Parkinson's disease, make for a thoughtful read.

(4.5) As a firstborn daughter who occasionally (okay, often) feels like she grew up too fast, this book really resonated with me. Twenty-five-year-old Maddie — nicknamed “Maame” (which, among other things, means “woman” in Twi) — feels lost and broken and desperately wants to find happiness, or at least some semblance of it. Maddie cries when chopping up peppers, telling herself, “if sadness is your natural state, what does that say about you?” She’s been weighed down by expectations and her family’s belief that they can all be broken and messy because she’s strong enough to hold everything together and can pick up everyone else’s pieces… with no one considering how that belief might affect her. She Googles things such as “happiest jobs” and seeks out lists on how to be happy, and she says at one point, “…although I didn’t think I’d be rich, I expected to be happy, and the failure to do so has left me gasping for air most of the day.”

Maddie used to love being called a “woman” and being seen as an adult while still in girlhood, but now she thinks she might have grown up too fast and missed out on too much. Her mom only calls her to ask for money, to encourage her (currently nonexistent) search for a husband, to remind her how much things are worse in Ghana, or to spew some Bible talk at her. Her dad has Parkinson’s and requires constant care, which Maddie provides (with the sometimes help of a care aide) while her brother begs off, saying he’s busy or short on money. The “Maame” label, she says, “made me grow up when I should have had more time. It made my dad overlook me when I was a child, my mum leave me behind, and my brother get away with doing the bare minimum. It made me lonely, and it made me sad. It made me responsible and guilty. It made me someone, if given the choice, I wouldn’t want to be.” So when Maddie’s mom returns to London from Ghana for a year, Maddie takes the opportunity to finally move out of her family’s home and to find out who she really is and who she wants to be.

It’s a testament to Jessica George’s writing that she’s able to adeptly portray internal and external conflict and turmoil. And even more impressive is how she’s made Maddie leap off the page — she’s sweet and complicated and sad and kind and is really trying to do her best. Her grief and struggles feel real and familiar. Both the writing and the story are bold, and George doesn’t shy away from talking about the messy and hard topics that permeate everyday life, especially the everyday life of a young, Black woman in London whose life is influenced by her Ghanian culture. There are plenty of rich side characters (although only some of them are lovable) and complex relationships that just make the point that, as much as we wish otherwise, life is hard. Really, really freaking hard. And George tackles that wonderfully in insightful ways and by using wit and heart to tell a moving and compelling story that’s equal parts hopeful and heartbreaking.

I’d say Maddie is suffering from older daughter syndrome — not that I’d know *anything* about that — but she’s the baby of her family, which almost makes all this worse. But her journey toward finding herself and navigating a complicated, sometimes horrible world is a good reminder that it’s never too late to put ourselves first and live the lives we want, not the ones that have been forced upon us.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.