HAPPY PUBLICATION WEEK TO MAAME BY JESSICA GEORGE!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest feedback.

Where to start? This book is a must-read. Full stop. I will continue talking about it of course but I really could just end it there. The debut novel by Jessica George is a breath of fresh air in the contemporary fiction genre.

Maddie is not exactly where she thought she’d be in life at age 25. While most of her friends are out chasing their dreams, making new connections, and figuring out who they are, she still lives at home so that she can be the caretaker for her father with advanced Parkinson’s disease. Her mother spends most of her time working at her family’s hostel in Ghana, and her older brother is local but refuses to contribute any help towards the care of their father. She feels isolated, overwhelmed, and burned out.

Ever since she can remember, her mother has called her “Maame” meaning woman in Twi. When she was little she loved the nickname, but looking back on her life, she has realized the burden that came with it. Her family expects her to be the responsible one, the one who makes sacrifices for her family, the one who bears the weight of all their family stress and struggles.

Her mother finally moves back home for good and takes over the care of her husband, so Maddie takes the opportunity to move out and figure out what she wants and who she is. All at once she is trying to navigate her career aspirations, dating, sex, and relationships, being on her own, meeting new friends, taking risks, and so much more. Maddie is such a lovable and relatable protagonist and you can’t help but root for her to succeed. The author beautifully develops her character as she steps out into the adult world as a strong Black woman for the first time and fights for the life that she wants and deserves.

When tragedy strikes, Maddie hits rock bottom and must confront her all-consuming grief and guilt. It’s only at this point that she learns to open up, be vulnerable with friends and family, and finally ask for help.

I loved this moment between Maddie and her therapist:
“How do you feel about the name Maame now?”

“Before, I said I hated it, but I don’t think I do. I like the name. It can feel heavy and it won’t be what I call my children if I choose to have any, but it’s really a term of endearment. Well, it’s meant to be, so maybe what I didn’t like was how my family turned it into an excuse. The name Maame put a lot of pressure on me, but it also made my dad feel safe when he must have felt trapped and uncertain. It made my mum’s life a little easier and, ultimately, it taught my brother a lesson. It made me someone I needed to be so I could find out who I want to be. I suppose I owe Maame a great deal.”

This book is absolutely captivating and at times both triumphant and heartbreaking. I was laughing out loud on one page and crying my eyes out on the next. It forces the reader to evaluate their own life and the names they have given themself or given by others. Are these names our entire identity? Do we have a chance to change the way we view ourselves and the direction of our future?

Maame is a 5-star, all-consuming, late coming-of-age story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. Thanks again NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for this incredible read!

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!

I will give all the stars to Maame. I absolutely loved it. It is the story of Maddie, a single woman living in London, trying to find her place in this world - at work, in love, with friendships and with her family. Maddie is such real, honest character filled with self doubt, fear, guilt and grief but also so much resilience, compassion, forgiveness, love and pure humor. I guffawed so many times while reading this book. The humor is dry and sharp. I held my breath as Maddie dealt with racism, misogyny and guilt from her own mother. And I wanted to reach into the pages and hug her as I watched her grow into a strong, self-sufficient and confident woman. I alternated between the audio and the physical book because the British accent of the narrator was amazing but there are texts and google searches and chats mixed in that I also wanted to see. You can’t go wrong with either format.

This was such a beautiful coming of age story! I loved watching Maddie grow through all of her pains, even if she is in her mid twenties. It is a lot of responsibility to take care of a dying father while her mom and brother are away. I loved her Google searches, even though they were heartbreaking, because so many of those searches could/should be questions that we ask true friends. I am glad that she was able to move out of her family's home and start living her life. I would definitely recommend this book to friends.

I don't usually gravitate towards character driven story, but something about Maddie drew me in. She is so clueless in the word, but it's not her fault. I solely blame her mom if you can even call her that! I found myself laughing out loud at some of the topics Maddie googled.

This was a cute coming of age story that touched on everything from love, grief and friendship. I was happy with the ending, but I thought the story was a little lengthy.

MAAME by Jessica George has a beautiful cover, but a troubled protagonist. Twenty-five year-old Maddie Wright is isolated and has to care for her father who has Parkinson's because her older brother is only tangentially involved and their Mother spends a year at a time in Ghana. Maddie also is taken advantage of in her work situations (unjustly fired from one) and personal relationships. Nevertheless, it is hard to build empathy for her immature, stunted character and, for me, the story dragged. It may be more relatable as a new adult coming-of-age story for current twenty-somethings especially since both Kirkus ("Funny, awkward, and sometimes painful") and Publishers Weekly ("pitch-perfect debut") gave it a starred review.

Jessica George’s debut book kept this reader engaged in an emotional story of twenty-five-year-old immigrant, Maame from Ghana, who is trying to cope with life in London. The author uses stream of consciousness for the first part of the story and moves to first person for the second part. Maame has a lot on her plate. She has a full-time job and takes care of her father who is bedridden with Parkinson’s disease. He does have a part-time care giver. Her mother spends more than half of her time in Ghana and her older brother is of no help except an occasional call. I found myself trying to have a conversation with Maame so many times. You will cry, get angry, and laugh as you read Maame’s journey to find herself.

At times, I did think the author did not go deeply enough into the characters and plot that she introduced. Overall, it was a satisfying read. I could definitely see a second book set five years later to see what happens to Maame. My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

Growing up, my grandfather had Parkinson's and, like Maddie, I assisted with his care part-time (during my senior year). I can't even imagine the complexities of doing that daily for years, especially for the person who is supposed to be taking care of you. Often called Maame by her mother, meaning "woman" in Twi, Maddie has been made to grow up far quicker than others her age. As an introvert, she spends most of her time at home with her dad, as her mother leaves for long periods of time supposedly for their family business. Her mother often critiques her for being single at her age (I'm sure a lot of minority children are quite familiar with this tactic) but doesn't really give her the means to go out and change that by coming home. She finally comes back though, allowing Maddie the chance to start her life the "right" way! She moves out, starts investing in friendships again, and begins talking to boys. She finally gets into a field of work that could interest her and starts writing again. I love how she begins to see that it's her own time to figure out who she wants to be after years of sitting on the sidelines taking care of everyone else. Without getting too much into it, despite life knocking her down a good bit along the way, Maddie finally begins to hold her own and take what she deserves! This book was so moving and emotional in the best way. While it was a bit difficult for me personally at times to read at times, the experience was so well-described and thoughtful to what caregivers can go through, especially in the familial way. It was a coming-of-age story without her age really having anything to do with it, but with all the same inspiring changes and growth! Absolutely amazing read and would recommend to anyone.

This book is going to be everywhere - rumored to be a Book of the Month pick, a celebrity book club pick, and already so many readers are predicting this to be a favorite of the year - and deservedly so.

Not to be cliche but I laughed, I cried, I had all the feelings while reading this book. I was rooting for Maddie to find her place in the world.

Debut author, excellent writing and character development - this book is just so good. This is a unique coming of age story because Maddie is already 25 when we meet her. While her mom calls her Maame - meaning mother or woman, Maddie is still very young and inexperienced for her age. The book tackles so many big issues (grief, sex, mental health) with humor and grace. Maddie’s google searches are the best. I highly recommend!

This was definitely an absorbing story and so many frustrations of family, friends and work relationships. Maddie seemed to be used by everyone and she just did what she was expected to do. But there is a limit and her grief once her father passed was it. Honestly there should be an industry of funeral planners like wedding planners because trying to plan a memorial and all the arrangements when you are in a fog of grief and shock is just bizarre.
I loved her friends but the other people that were around her didn't deserve her. That dude she was dating, at the company event gave me a flashback cause I was her to a guy once and it is the worst feeling, iykyk.
Also, the amount of Google searches that she does and the range of answers sounds so accurate.
This was so cathartic at times. The grief, the therapy, finding yourself with positive messages being through it. It's hard to find the light sometimes but there's always a new day.

Wish there were more pages!

Thank you stmartinspress and netgalley for the e-ARC for the honest and voluntary review

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Jessica Goodman for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As an older adult, I just wanted to jump in the book and tell Maddie that everything would be fine, but solving life’s trials is just part of growing up. Living in London should have been exciting for Maddie as a young adult; but, having a mother who spends most of her time back in their hometown of Ghana, a brother who has his own selfish agenda, and a father with Parkinson’s, whom she loves very much. Maddie works an unfulfilling job while home health cares for her father during the day, and then she takes over for the night-not the best life for a girl in her 20s.
Maddie’s mother decides to move back to London for a year or so and Maddie sees her chance to have her own life. Now, the adventures begin: losing a job, finding a job, losing a boyfriend, finding a boyfriend, learning how to live with others, and, most of all, coming to terms with her feelings for her father and discovering what a worthwhile person she can be. Maddie is a strong female character who will inspire other young women who read her story.

This book is INCREDIBLE. The story of Maddie, a young woman living in London on her own for the first time after her mother moves back home to take care of her father (which she has been doing for years), this is somehow both starkly written and emotionally involving. We see that Maddie is flawed, but it only makes us care for her more and want a better life for her. I am truly thrilled to have gotten to read this book before it was released so I can shout it out from the rooftops when it is published. Which I just did!

The weight of the world is on the young shoulders of Maddie Wright, a twenty five year old native Londoner of Ghanaian heritage. Her mother and dad are estranged. Her mom left her family in London and returned to Ghana to run a business. James, Maddie’s brother, is too self centered to contribute his time or money to help out. Maddie needs to earn a living, look after her father who is Ill with Parkinson’s disease and try to make time for friendships and possibly romance. Maddie is known to her family and friends as Maame , a Twi word, meaning “woman” which in and of itself reveals the dilemma at the crux of this story. Is it possible for her to enjoy her youth or is she stuck being a woman with overwhelming responsibilities? Is it obligation or love that drives her actions?
In this perfectly lovely debut novel, the author brings some questions to the reader. Is a child responsible for other family members? Can love be real if it’s unspoken? What defines a real friend? Does google contain the answers to life’s questions?
The narrative has a flow of language that kept me reading into the wee hours. Jessica George ( who is a real life Londoner of Ghanaian descent) is a talented author. I look forward to reading her future books.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The perfect coming of age story for those feeling lost in their mid twenties. A fantastic debut and I can’t wait to see what this author writes in the future!

I honestly cannot say enough good things about this book. Maame falls right in my sweet spot - a relatable family drama that explores the day to day stressors and connections of adult children and their immigrant parents.

Maddie is a twenty-something living in London with her father who has Parkinson’s. With her mother living primarily in Ghana, Maddie is her father’s caretaker while also working full-time. Maddie’s brother also lives in London but consistently dodges any family responsibilities. When Maddie’s mom moves back to London, Maddie moves out on her own to start her own life.

Maame explores the complex dynamics of Maddie’s family and Maddie’s identity within her family and the implications of that identity as Maddie finds her place among friends and in the workplace. Maddie is so likable and caring that you can’t help but root for her as she navigates her new life outside the family home.

Maame has depth and heart and I adored it. If it’s not on your list, it should be.

I know it's early to say this, but I can already promise this will be one of my favorite books of the year.

It's a unique twist on the coming-of-age novel, this time told from the perspective of a sort of weird loner character (I mean that in the most loving way possible) who I spent the entire time rooting for. You'll get to watch her figure out who she is and what she wants out of life -- and what she doesn't want. It's also about family, and setting boundaries, and love, and friendship and so many of the messy things that come with being in your 20s.

Maame is an incredibly fresh, engaging, and powerful novel that delves into the complexities of family, grief, self-growth, guilt, and regrets. It is truly memorable and unique, playing a beautiful melody with the strings of your heart and embracing your soul with a newfound perspective. Through its captivating story, Maame encourages readers to start anew and find solace in the power of resilience. It is a book that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

The character development in this novel was outstanding. When we first meet Maddie, she is on the verge of moving out of the family home where she has grown up and is now caring for her father. Although she has graduated from university, and worked as an underpaid p.a., she is still deeply under the influence of her family and their mores.

A new job, a new apartment, new flatmates and a list of intentions later, Maddie is like a newly hatched chick stumbling around the yard. It was wincingly painful to go shopping with her, as she tried to clothe the "new Maddie." I was increasingly anxious for her as she made bad decisions (aided by googling for internet advice.) But as she dealt with the consequences of her mistakes, and dealt with some really bad things happening to her, she began to find her confidence and her voice.

I highly recommend this debut novel by Jessica George!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had the chance to duel reading and listening to the audio version, narrated by Heather Agyepong. Agyepong gave a voice I never would’ve pictured for the main character. Even after finishing the book weeks ago, I can still hear Agyepong’s narration ranging in my ears. She did a memorable job.

Long story short, it wasn't for me. I almost DNFed the book. It was prolonged initially for me and didn’t start to pick up until after tragedy struck. I want to say it’s because I couldn’t fully connect with the character. If anything, I resonated with Maddie’s brother and his selfish ways.

I did appreciate the conversations and topics about mental health, female sexuality, adult peer pressure, and family expectations. The more and more I read books with these types of issues with open dialog, the more I feel like the world is learning to talk about the elephant in the room freely.

I’m in complete awe of this story (and the fact that it’s a debut novel what!!) 😍

jessica crafts a beautiful characterization of her plot, characters, and realistic portraits of daily emotions of being a Black woman today. the grief subplot was a lot to read, especially from someone who is suffering through grief herself, but she wrote it so effortlessly that I felt completely emerged in the story! and I loved the journey that everyone went on right along with them …

this was the perfect book to open up black history month for me (even though we should be reading black authors all year long!!!)

while the length was a little long for me, I felt so in touch with every single part of the story that I didn’t mind in the long run ☺️ such a beautiful beautiful plot omg I can’t stop saying that

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!!

rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: south african chenin blanc