This is an own voices debut novel, and is a character driven story, focusing on 25 year old Maddie Wright who is called Maame by her Ghanaian mother. The setting of the story is London, England where Maddie lives as the primary caretaker of her father who has Parkinson’s disease. Her mother is compelled to divide her time between London and Ghana which leaves much responsibility on Maddie, for years. As a result, Maddie is immature in her experience with friends, dating, and making independent choices. When her mother returns to London for a longer stretch, it gives Maddie an opportunity to move out of the family home and experience a “new” Maddie, for which she makes a list of dreams and desires.

This book is humorous at times, heart wrenching at others, as Maddie finds her way to independence and figuring herself out. There were a couple of times I was cheering for Maddie, holding my breath to see if she would make and follow through on strong decisions to honor her truth and find her own way.

There are some topics to be aware of such as depression/anxiety/mention of suicide.

I enjoyed this story, and the stunning cover is gorgeous. I look forward to Jessica George’s future work. Thank you to St. Martin’s and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

THIS BOOK! Wow- absolutely fantastic! I was really surprised by this story- I wasn't sure what to expect. The story is relatable, realistic, heartbreaking, funny at times - just overall a great, great read. You really feel for the main character, Maddie, you just can't help but love her. She goes through so much, learns, grows and you certainly experience all the feelings. There are some big topics addressed throughout- grief, racism and social bias, self-development, growing up... I can't believe this is a debut author- but I will definitely be watching for future writings from Jessica George!

Thank you #Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! This is a MUST read for everyone!

I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This is a powerfully written coming-of-age story by a deeply authentic protagonist. I grew weary of the constant googling of questions but otherwise found it very compelling.

Maame is a nickname for Maddie, whose parents are Ghanaian immigrants in London.

Her mother is MIA back in Ghana and Maddie is the sole caretaker of her father with Parkinson’s despite her broths living in close proximity.

Brutally taken advantage of to be caretaker, financial funder, life-giver-upper, Maddie struggles with building her own life in her mid-20s. Then her mother (who tells her to give everything to God constantly) comes whirl-winding back to London and Maddie has her chance .

This is a story of overcoming, of finding your own way, wrestling with guilt and finding the ties that will ultimately bind us.

This book made me feel-I really hated some of the characters-but that was ultimately ok.

Well done.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. I mean...just incredible. It was a really fantastic coming of age story. I loved seeing Maddie come into her own, and felt so much empathy and frustration for her situation and the people around her.. Book of the Year material.

I really enjoyed this novel. I thought the voice was fresh and incredible for a debut novel. The pacing kept me engaged and the character development and growth were top notch.

I was rooting for Maddie the entire time. She is a quirky, lovable and introverted protagonist. So, you spend a lot of the book in Maddie's head, as she processes the events around her. Maddie is dealing with a lot, she has been caring for her ill father, dealing with her absent but overpowering mother, dating, friendships, and understanding herself.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

I loved this book. I loved Maddie. I loved how unique her voice was, although a voice that we could all identify with in our own way - because aren't we all unique. Her growth is wonderful to witness. It highlights the joys and frustrations of life. The parts to celebrate and the difficult parts that you want to hide from. It was realistic, it was heartbreaking and it even made you laugh at times. A truly wonderful book. I loved Maddie's voice. Her perspective on her own life and her inner struggles. A must read!
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

4,5/5

Great debut novel! Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the advanced copy!

Maddie or, as her mother calls her, Maame is a young Black girl struggling through her adult life with an ill father, an absent mother and a self-absorbed brother. She was left in charge for taking care of her father, who suffers from Parkinson's disease while her mother is in Ghana running a hostel that her grandfather left after he passed away. When Maddie's mother finally return to London she leaves her parent's house and finally feels she can start living her own life.

We rejoice, suffer, grief, exasperate, love and disappointed with Maddie, I honestly think that the author express all those feelings in such a way that feels that I went through with her as well. The book encapsulate a specific time frame from adulthood that moment that we actually are no longer teens but we don't see ourselves as adults as well, almost like a rite of passage, and above all, we are presented with the daily racism she suffers, all the microagressions from her flatmates, coworkers and the guys she dates.

I think I'm not expressing properly how I liked this book, ugh! All those scenes about her family, all the pain they inflict on her, that was so emotional, even raw. Anyway, I really recomend this book and a debut! I'll keep an eye for George's next realeses.

MAAME by Jessica George is an emotional and thought-provoking story of family, friendship, grief and love that kept me engrossed from beginning to end. It is told with compassion and humor while addressing many current and relevant themes such as dysfunctional family relationships, racism in the workplace, sexual exploration and finding your true identity. Twenty-five-year-old Maddie Wright is struggling with her life in London. The daughter of Ghanaian immigrants, she has been raised that family comes first, even if hers is dysfunctional. Her mother spends most of her time in Ghana, leaving Maddie as the sole caretaker for her father who has late-stage Parkinson’s Disease. Her brother also lives in London, but he always finds reasons not to help. Even her job, where she has been forced into a low-level administrative role, is a constant source of angst. When her mother comes back to London for a visit, Maddie takes the opportunity to move into a shared flat and start experiencing things most women her age take for granted. But when tragedy strikes, Maddie is left to question everything about her family and her own life. At times both heartbreaking and funny, the reader is drawn into every one of Maddie’s struggles. Her journey to self-discovery is authentic and relatable on so many levels. I found myself engrossed in the story and cheering Maddie on at every turn. I really enjoyed this heart-wrenching, yet uplifting story and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

This book is interesting. While I can't relate to a lot, there was enough that I could relate too and I loved Maddies voice and storytelling enough time stay interested. This is dark and doesn't pretend not to be, but there's just enough hope. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 if you're in for a heavy read, you'll like this.

Maddie [or “Maame” (Ma-Meh)] is a mid-twenties British Ghanaian woman who lives at home, limiting her growth and opportunities to care for her father, who has Parkinson’s disease. Despite living in Ghana for long stretches of time, her mother manages to be overbearing and directive. Maddie just wants to catch up to where she “should” be at her age but depends mainly on Google for advice.

MAAME s a painfully emotional book, but worthwhile as it deals with grief, race, sexuality, and familial guilt. I was uncomfortable reading it - I had so much sympathy for Maddie, but her poor/uninformed decisions (fueled by her isolation) hurt my heart. Maybe I’m too old for “coming of age” stories. Or at least for this age: a woman in her 20s navigating the minefield of modern dating and expectations. I cringed and ached for Maddie but remained hopeful her resilience, wit, and intelligence would see her through.

Thanks, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Jessica George, for the Digital Review Copy of MAAME. US Pub Date: 31 Jan 2023

3.5 STARS

Maddie’s life so far in London has been as the primary caregiver for her very ill father and working at a job that is crushing her soul where she is the only person of color. Maddie’s mother, who should be more responsible, spends a year at a time in Ghana running a family business while her older brother is too busy to help out. When her mother finally returns home, Maddie moves out for the first time to a flatshare, finds a new job after being unfairly fired, and has a list of things she wants to try.

Another first for Maddie is dating because she has not had a boyfriend since high school and now in her mid-twenties, she feels far behind in the dating game. She is new to any kind of adult relationship and so does not know what to expect or how to act. When she suffers a major loss, Maddie not only does not know how to cope, but she is still trying to learn how to live away from home and navigate new responsibilities and challenges. Maddie’s Ghanaian background is often times at odds with living in London especially since her overbearing mother only seems to criticize Maddie and point out her shortcomings. Maddie realizes that sometimes close friends can love you more than family and that it is okay to lean on those people in times of trouble. She also tries to navigate life by looking to Google for answers which is rarely helpful and often ridiculous as one would expect.

Learning to cope with her new world paradigm, Maddie realizes she is tired of being a doormat for her family and that though resistant, needs help with her deep depression. While some parts of this book seem almost morose, there is enough humor to lighten the load and give peeks to a more hopeful future for a young woman who has assumed much more burdens than is usual for her age. She deals not only with grief and loss, but racism, the difficulties of internet dating, and learning to find her voice to ask for what she wants at work and her personal relationships. Even with all the complications she experiences and being a late bloomer, Maddie perseveres realizing that she deserves to live her best life despite all the hardships and learning to live independently.

This was a book that really made me feel all the motions. There are times that it made me laugh, cry, be angry, happy, embarrassed, and uplifted at the end. There are a lot of great messages throughout as well.

Maddie is in her twenties and has focused her life on her dad, who has Parkinson’s. Her mother, whom I dislike, leaves for a year at a time. She leaves Maddie in charge of everything, the bills, her dad’s care, and running the household. Maddie is telling her that she can’t anymore. She’s hit a wall. She’s tired of doing it all and paying for everything on her own. When Maddie’s mom comes back she’s moving out on her own, for the first time.

This is where we go on a coming-of-age journey with Maddie. She’s new to it all and navigating her way and there are a lot of setbacks. She has to go through these growing pains but it makes the story all that real. In real life, there are a lot of things that don’t work out. I was surprised by how many un-likable characters there are in this one. I guess that’s also like real life. Don’t worry, there are many amazing characters that you will love. There are times that the story slowed down and all the google searches and answers threw me off. I know that we all go to google for things but it was a little much.

There are a lot of heartbreaking moments but it makes the end really uplifting. To see where she starts and how she ends up is really inspiring. I loved the fact that there’s some therapy in this book. It really is important to take care of your mental health! Finding your voice can be hard and we need all the help we can get!

Overall, I think this was a really strong debut! There’s a lot of emotion and it has a powerful message. Maddie’s journey isn’t easy but I think it makes it relevant. I’m sure there are a lot of readers that will relate to her story.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press & Netgalley for an e-arc to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. I had a lot of emotions when reading this. Maddie is going through at least a decades worth of coming of age in such a short time period. I laughed, I cried, I yelled and I just want to hug Maddie and be her friend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*****Publishing January 31, 2023*****

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I absolutely loved this book from the characters to the story, it was so well done! I can see why this book is getting lots of attention!

Maddie’s life is complicated, she works full time as a personal assistant in marketing at Covent Garden Theatre in London, while taking care of her father who has Parkinson’s. Her mother lives full time in Ghana running a hotel that her father left to her when he died. Her mother is overbearing and frequently asks for money to be sent. Maddie’s brother no longer lives at home, so its left up to Maddie to take care of her father. When her brother is asked, he can never help financially or with the caring of their father.

Maddie doesn’t like her office jobs, so frequently jumps from job to job. Her back aches from lifting her father and mentally she is not happy. Once her mother plans to move back for 1 year, her mother insists she move out in order to live life and find a husband. Can she find her way or will her life continue to spiral out of control?

This author takes the serious topics of Parkinson’s disease, caregiving, death of a parent, racism, depression, friendships, panic attacks, complicated relationships and weaves it into a meaningful, engaging and entertaining story! A story that keeps you thinking about it even after it’s done! A great book club pick as it will lead to many good discussions!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press , I was provided an ARC of Maame by Jessica George via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Maddie is Ghanian living in Croydon, South London, but her family calls her Maame, which has many meanings in Twi, including woman. She lives with her father who is suffering from Parkinson’s and her mom has returned to Ghana - a familial situation she’d prefer stays in the family. Her current circumstances have left Maame sad and searching for meaning in her life. She works at the Covent Garden Theater, negotiating predominantly white spaces, rife with micro and macro aggressions towards her, which she finds exhausting to deal with. When her mom returns to London, Maddie is ready to start living life to the fullest as a young woman should be doing. But when tragedy strikes, she finds herself at a crossroads, forced to reckon with family duty and living between two cultures. This is a beautifully written and moving novel that explores Maddie coming into her own. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

I adored this book. All the characters were well-developed so that you could understand and empathize with their actions even when you didn't agree with them. I found myself constantly rooting for Maddie to find happiness and contentment.

Jessica George gives us the challenges of family dynamics, social expectations of sexuality, responsibilities as the child of immigrants, racism, imposter syndrome, romance, and friendship in a heartbreaking and powerful coming of age story. She teaches us that growing up happens every year until death through not just Maddie's choices but her brother and parents. Of particular importance is the theme of growing up too fast. Maddie says, "I loved being referred to as a women when I was still a girl. I love being viewed as a grown up before I'd even gotten my period. But now I...." For the first time, Maddie is given the space (and forced) to make her own decisions. Her mother says, "When you see what life is like outside of this house, you will understand and you will wish you had lived sooner." Growing up too fast but under the restrictions of family obligations, Maddie develops depression. The lesson I took away from Maame is being an adult is really hard. Especially when you're taking care of the adults who are meant to take care of you. This review sounds depressing, but there is light at the end. Don't miss Maame. I think we'll be talking about it for a long time.

Awww I really loved this! I related a lot to the main character Maddie as I also am the child of Ghanaian immigrant parents. The balance between independence and family obligation is something very complicated and emotional, especially when factoring in cultural norms/traditions.

Refreshing hearing a coming-of-age story but in your twenties and not in your teens - there were light funny moments but also heavy ones as well. Also, the lowkey frustration/shame of not being fluent in Twi (or whatever your native language is) was relateable!!!

Loved loved loved the ending! felt so seen and this was so enjoyable and moving! thank you so much @stmartinspress!

At 25, Maddie struggles to navigate adult life when all her friends seem to have everything figured out. Her mother spends most of her time in Ghana; her brother is pursuing a music career and is barely present, while Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from Parkinson's. When her mom finally returns to London, Maddie leaps to start "living" finally. She moves into an apartment with roommates, says yes to smoking and drinking, and starts online dating. But when tragedy strikes, Maddie is forced to face her unconventional family, her loneliness, and her messy love life.

Labeled as a coming-of-age story, I didn't expect to ugly-cry while reading this book, and I loved every moment of it. MAAME encompasses the messiness of the mid-20s perfectly with Maddie, a self-deprecating and introverted protagonist. Her struggles with loneliness, friendship, dating, sex, and starting a career are all topics I related to profoundly and wished I'd known when I was younger. I especially appreciated the discussions on sex in MAAME and how George paints a realistic picture of what young women face in modern-day dating, particularly the microaggressions young women of color could encounter when dating white men.

One of the most poignant aspects of MAAME is the relationship between Maddie and her father; both are reserved and tend to bottle their emotions inside. As a result, they lost valuable time communicating with each other. It's a heartbreaking reminder of how we can sometimes let our relationships suffer due to our own struggles. It's a rite of passage for every child to realize that their parents aren't perfect, and MAAME does an excellent job of capturing this moment of realization for Maddie.

There's so much to love in MAAME, and this will likely be my top read of the year. This beautifully written and emotional coming-of-age story will resonate with readers of all ages and make you lol & sob at the same time. For those in their 20s, it's a valuable book to know that they're not alone; for readers who have passed this stage (like me ✌️), MAAME made me realize how far I've come and could go.