Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for accepting my request to read and review Maame.

Published: 01/31/23

First -- I am disappointed that the author chose to sprinkle profanity throughout the book. That choice kept this as a book in lieu of a beautiful story. Secondly -- This is based on familial traditions of Ghana. The author doesn't elaborate or give any guidance.

So, with the above said, I could relate to parts of Maame' s growing up problems and her fears socializing. I was younger and not suspected of being anything but American, there is a difference. The pressure placed on Maame by her family was heartbreaking, and I did choke back tears. Her mother was the worst at victimization. I would have liked to understand more of the traditions. Maame was stuck between two worlds trying to fit in, and in the meantime she is abused over and over. She does find out she was loved after a death. That really broke my heart.

The book is okay. It was a heavy hitter for my heart and past. 3.5 stars and I'm not rounding up.

4.5 stars. Somewhat of a quarter-life crisis story, Maame tells the story of 25 year old Maddie who lives in London and cares for her ailing father while her mother flits back and forth between Ghana and London. When her mother decides to stay in London for a bit longer than usual, Maddie decides to take this opportunity to move out and discover who she is.
I loved this novel so much; it made me so glad that my twenties are over. Maddie struggles with her job, friendships, family, and relationships, all the while figuring out how her race and culture intersect and also define who she is. This probably would have been five stars for me if it hadn’t felt a tad bit YA at times, but that could just be because I feel so far removed from my twenties.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC!

I loved this one so much, I read it twice back-to-back! I felt so SEEN by the author’s ability to encapsulate the main character’s relationship with her parents. The responsibility of an only daughter within certain cultures can be difficult to understand, but she just GETS IT! Maddie is me and I am Maddie and I’ve never highlighted so many relatable passages in a book before. Touching, funny, smart, and wonderful!!

4.5 stars

I've read a lot of books that left me feeling "meh" so far this year. This is one of the first books of the year that really caught my attention and held it from start to finish. I really enjoyed it!

Maame is about a young woman named Maddie, from a family of Ghanian immigrants living in London. Maddie is coming into adulthood while caring for her father with Parkinson's. Her relationship with her often absent mother is strained and her brother is rarely around. Maddie carries much of the burden of the family and is struggling to become her own person while still holding down the duties of her family.

I really liked Maddie as a character, and I feel like how the reader feels about Maddie will play a large role in how they feel about the book in general. This is Maddie's story. She is naive and uncertain about many things (I loved her constant Google searches because I can relate). But as the story progresses, her character grows a lot, and Maddie learns more about herself and her place in the world.

I always find stories about complicated mother/daughter relationships to be fascinating, especially when there is a multicultural and/or religious element. So I was really interested in the relationship between Maddie and her mom and how that relationship was affected by their personalities, their cultural background and religion. So interesting and the relationship was really well-written in this book!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me a copy of this one!

In a beautiful coming of age story we meet Madeline, the primary caretaker of her father who is suffering with Parkinson's Disease. She still lives at home at the age of 25 because it is important for her to help her family in any way she can. When her mom comes back to London from Ghana, she is encouraged to move out and be own her own and experience life as a young adult. The reader moves through Maddie's life after she moves out of her home through several trials and tribulations, heart breaks and sufferings, and eventual triumph.

This was a beautiful story. The character development of Maddie was exquisite. As a reader, I felt connected to her at all stages, especially those times when she was overcome with grief and working through depression. I felt like the author wrote a very poignant book about how to grow up when everybody else is growing up around you, how life experiences are different for different people, and how culture can affect your lifestyle as well. I found it interesting learning more about her culture, and the relationship that she had with her mother, father and brother. I cried when Maddie cried, I cheered when she had successes, and my heart broke over and over for her again when she was working through some of the circumstances she found herself up against. It was truly a stunning book, one I will not forget for many years to come, and I will be sharing it with my friends and family. I feel honored to be get to read this fantastic debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Maddie is left in a London suburb caring for her ailing dad while her mother visits her native Ghana for a year at a time. James, her brother, travels the world as a roadie for a band. Maddie provides not on the day to day support for her dad but also the financial resources needed by the family. Only twenty-five, she has no life outside of work in a job she hates and as a caregiver. When her mom decides to come home, Maddie moves out. She has been fired but finds in new job in publishing which is a better fit for her love of writing. Living a flat with a pair of girls is a whole new world for Maddie. As she embarks on this new chapter in her life she is met with both successes and failures. This is well written with strong character development. I sometimes wished that there was more to Maddie’s story but overall this was a good read. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This book packs a punch! Maame is the nickname that Maddie's family has given her. It means "mother" and Maddie seems to have found herself taking on that role, despite only being in her 20s. With her mother choosing to spend most of her time in their native Ghana and her brother doing his own thing on the other side of town, Maddie is the main caretaker for her father who has Alzheimer's. When Maddie's mother opts to come back to London for the year, she has the chance to finally move out on her own. and find out who she really is.

What follows is poignant at times, heartbreaking at others. Maddie navigates the trials and tribulations of the dating scene and how far she wants to take that. She learns how to build new friendships with her roommates in the flat she moves into. She works on being her own person while still respecting her Ghanaian roots. And she faces the difficult challenge of being a black woman in a white-oriented workforce. I loved Maddie for her resiliency. She felt like a fully-formed, flawed character that was so beautifully written. Her feelings are real and visceral. Seeing her work through this transitional moment in her life was a true joy and I loved every moment. I highly recommend this well written book if you are looking for a 5 star read.

Maame was an amazing cultural journey that has stayed with me since I finished reading it over a week ago. A story of love, family, generational complexity, and self. One of my favorite reads of the year so far, and probably throughout the year even though it's only February. Do not miss this read!

"I chalk it up to yet another thing schools fail to teach us: how to do your taxes, how to buy a property, and how to tell when you're being taken for a fool." I loved the time I spent inside Maddie's head - she was at turns funny, bitter, heartbreaking and uplifting. At times I grew frustrated with her naivete, but I also celebrated her commitment and love to her dad, and also her mother and brother, regardless of how they'd let her down. It's worth noting that although said mother and brother acknowledged their failings, only the brother appeared to be sincere about making a change in his future. Still, I was so happy for Maddie that she found her peace, esp. with her nickname, "Maame." Wise words, throughout. Highly recommend! It's a @readawithjenna pick for a reason.

P.S. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

The novel "Maame" by Jessica George is about a young woman named Maddie. Maddie feels burdened by her role as a part-time caretaker for her father and her dead-end job. The arrival of her mother prompts Maddie to take steps towards pursuing her own dreams, such as getting a job at a publishing company, finding a new apartment, and dating a White man. The author portrays Maddie as a relatable character with smart and funny inner thoughts, yet her insecurities are amplified by the impact of her skin color in personal and professional interactions.

In the novel, the characters are defined with stark differences. Maddie is a self-sacrificing daughter, which contrasts with her mother and brother who provides little support to her Maddie's father. This be frustrating for the reader, but also lifts the reader to know Maddie is working to live a more independent life.

Although the author could have added more depth to some of the characters, the novel stands out in its ability to highlight the promise and excitement of starting your life and the tension that happens when you make changes in your life. Additionally, it sheds light on the burdens faced by people of color. Overall, the book is both entertaining and informative and leaves the reader eager to see what the author will write next.

This book absolutely floored me. 14 days into January and this will by far be one of my favorite books of the year (this has happened to me the last few years with Black Cake, Fool of Death, and Black Buck). I have never read a book so steeped in grief, love, and joy. About finding yourself amidst massive loss and sadness. Please. Everyone. Read. This.

Favorite quotes:

“How do you know if you’re genuinely happy or if you’re just mostly all right, with sprinkles of laughter and occasional shit storms of sadness? Maybe I’ve only ever been all right.”

“Do you have people in your life who love you with the strength of many?”

This book was not engaging to me. The main character was a whiny, judgmental person and I didn’t connect with her at all. She acted like a teenager, and I could not take her seriously.

I absolutely loved this beautiful, heartfelt, coming of age novel. The main character is one that will start with me for a long time - I absolutely adored her. She’s truly one I was rooting for the entire time and wanted nothing more than to give her a big hug. It’s a beautifully written novel that covered heavy topics in such a delicate and sensitive way. I loved how our MC would randomly google things - it took the serious tone of the book and made it light and fun, as well. Maddie made me think that it really is never too late in life to look for and discover what you need or what you’ve been missing.

Oh this book! It was SOOOOOO good! I loved Maddie. This book had ALL of the feelings. I can’t say too much, or else it will give away plot, that I wasn’t aware of either, and I think it’s important to keep that hidden. The range of feelings that Maddie experiences parallels the range you as a reader will experience. You will go on highs and lows with her. I love that she is not your typical 20 something in so many respects. I loved learning about her heritage. There are parts about her life I hated, but that is what made the book so good. You are supposed to hate it!

Thank you so much to St Martin’s Press for sending me a gifted copy of this book and to Net Galley for sending me an early copy!

Maame
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Format: Kindle eBook, Physical Book, and Audiobook
Date Published: 2/7/23
Author: Jessica George

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This story is a poignant, yet uplifting story of loss, grief, love, and discovering who you are. The story opens with Maddie living at home taking care of her father with Parkinson’s disease as her mother is back and forth between London (home) and Ghana, a year at each. When her mother finally returns home, Maddie ventures out in the world on her own. Finds a flat share with roommates, gets a publishing job, and tries her hand at dating. Not every experience is great for Maddie. The author does such an amazing job at looking in the culture and how that influences daily life, along with family expectations.

The story is narrated by Maddie, from her POV. Maddie is a strong, naive, young woman trying to make her mark on the world. Maddie really struggled with inner conflict, as much of us do, and it just developed another onion on this story. There are a lot of characters as Maddie weighs through the world, and each character plays a part in Maddie’s story. The character balance is perfect. This more of a character driven book than a plot driven book. The characters, especially Maddie’s character were well developed with depth, witty banter, connection, and creatively woven throughout the story. The author’s writing style was complex, brilliant, thought-provoking, poignant, and just very well written.

This story is truly amazing. Such an amazing literary piece. This book brings out emotions in you and takes you on this wonderful emotional rollercoaster. This book could be read by such a diverse amount of readers. I highly, highly recommend reading this book as I do believe it will be one of the top novels for the year.

A wonderful debut novel with a lot of heart and depth and also a bit of humor. Even though Maddie is a bit older at 25, it's still a coming-of-age story as we're taken on Maddie's journey of love, loss, and discovering who she is and who she wants to be.

Wow. I’m not sure that I can do this book any justice with my review. It was such a heartfelt, heartbreaking, insightful book that swept me up in its narrative. This debut novel by Jessica George expertly tackles the topics of racial microaggressions, complex family relationships, grief, faith, sexuality, depression, therapy, and mental health.

Madeline Wright, called “Maame” by her family, is a 25-year-old Ghanaian woman living in London. Taking on the responsibility of caring for her father who has Parkinson’s, Maddie struggles to come to terms with who she is versus who she wants to be, in both her personal and professional life. Older than her years, Maddie doesn’t know how to reconcile her life with her peers, and longs to be free to explore and revel in a carefree life. When her mother returns from Ghana to care for her father, Maddie moves out of her family home and finally gets that chance.

This is a stunning portrayal of a Black woman finding herself and learning to accept and love all of the qualities that make her who she is. Maddie’s inner dialogue is witty and humorous; her thoughts on sexuality, faith, her duties, and her dreams are honest and raw. Readers can’t help but love her character, as she navigates the complicated years of her twenties, facing the struggle of wanting to be young but the inability to do so, because of her family obligations. Her experiences with racial microaggressions in both her personal and professional life call to attention the daily struggles that Black women face. In addition, this novel brings mental health to the forefront, discussing at length such crucial topics as depression and therapy.

Quite simply put, this is a must read book. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy.

I’ve never wanted to give a book character a hug more than I wanted to give one to Maddie. Gosh, this young woman has been through it and she is so thoughtful and caring towards others, I really admired her in this story. As the sole caregiver to her ailing father, her life has been halted the last years as she cares for him and takes on responsibilities that are left by her mother who lives full time in another country. Maddie finally gets an opportunity to move out when her mother returns and begins to experience the real world, which can certainly be harsh. Maddie slowly learns what she is wanting out of her life, but is held back by feelings of guilt and mental health struggles. She seeks out therapy and I think her sessions in this novel were so well written and eye opening. Maddie is a character you want to root for and as this novel navigates racism, familial duty, sexual orientation, love, and pleasure, you see her grow in such a wonderful way. This novel is powerful, relatable, and emotional, I definitely recommend it to others who love a good coming-of-age story with a more mature and thoughtful take.

Maame is instantly likable. I was cheering for Maddie from page 1. She is learning to navigate life, work, relationships and her own feelings. Some really important issues are addressed while Maddie tries to cope with the blows life is dealing her. She makes a promise to herself and she fights to be the person she wants to be. She is not always triumphant but that just makes the story more endearing and relatable. I definitely recommend Maame. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. I truly enjoyed it.

This book was very moving and totally relatable when it comes to family!
First time reading this author's work and after finishing this book, I will check out other books by them.