Maame started off weak to me- I wasn't sure I liked the voice of the the main character, and I felt like it was going to be a book length polemic. But I was so wrong. By the end I was so delighted to be in Maddie's head with her, and although I am lucky enough to not have experienced such loss, it felt like a beautiful tribute to the realities of grief and also embracing truth and life. This novel has a lot to say about racism and family and big topics, but by being so grounded in a central character who does not always make the right choice but does learn from her errors- well, it was much more than the sum of its parts. This is a really great read and it kept me up way past bedtime on a school night so I could find out where Maame's path leads (and whether she can be a woman as well as a caregiver-mother figure). Five stars!

Being raised in a new country but living by the old country's rules is the story of most immigrant children around the world. Parents try so hard to instill the old world in their children that the children struggle with trying to fit into two worlds instead of one.

In Maame, the author illustrates Maddie's struggle to do the right thing by her father and mother while seeing the the gender roles between her and her brother are not balanced. She experiences racism in the workplace and feels as if she is not enough. Additionally, Maddie struggles with making friendships and having relationships because she doesn't know how to be honest about her feelings due to her mother's insistence that outsiders should never know the family's business.

As a child of immigrants Maddie's story and the expectations of maame resonated with me. I felt seen and acknowledged, and a little less different.

This was such a wonderful debut about a young woman finding herself for the first time. Even though she's twenty-five, I would definitely consider this coming-of-age. Maddie was such a likeable character, so it was super easy to connect to her. I felt like all the ways she reacted felt super realistic as well, and this book did a wonderful job with depicting grief and mental health.

Overall, a great book. Just be warned that it does deal with some heavier topics that include grief and mental health, so you may need to be in the right head space for this one. A definite recommend though, and I look forward to checking out more of Jessica George's work in the future.

Wow. What an incredible debut!!! This novel was everything, awkward, heartfelt and heart-breaking. 5 Stars!!!

With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson's. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.

A beautiful, deeply moving coming of age story to end February and Black History Month with.

Maddie, a 20-something Ghanaian British woman, has been expected to be everything to everyone—especially when she’s committed to taking care of her father who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s. All while her brother is mostly absent and her mom is on the other side of the world in Ghana for most of the year.

That’s how Maame, or ‘woman’ in Twi, operates, as her family affectionally and with expectation calls her. Maddie’s purpose so far in life is to sacrifice for others without any complaints. And that’s left her stunted and naive in the midst of a quarter life crisis where she has yet to really experience the life she wants to live.

But what does Maddie truly want out of life? Independence. Freedom from the weight of her family’s burdens. Navigating friendships, living outside of her family’s home for the first time, familial duty, grief, first loves and unconventional family dynamics all reveals the joy, and guilt, of trying to find one’s own way in life.

I relate to her so much more than Queenie or Luster… but books are here to transport you for a reason right? Even if they rile you up to no end… but this is not about them 😂

MAAME. Ma’am. Maddie. Yes.

I went and bought the hard copy after finishing this!

Thank you so much to the author & publisher for the ARC!

Wow! Without spoiling the story for others, I absolutely loved this book. I instantly fell in love with Maddie. This has to be one of the most relatable books I’ve read lately - Maddie struggles with & learns how to deal with life-altering changes as she grows into being an independent woman. Her career, family, death, relationships, sex, friendships. She tells her story & you can “see” her grow & learn with each experience & how they shape her. I loved this book. I was rooting for Maddie all the way through, & I loved going through all the trials with her.

An excellent debut; really looking forward to more from this author.

Maame is a beautifully-written novel about Maddie Wright, a Ghanaian-British woman who is finally having her "coming-of-age" moment at age 25.

Maddie has always lived quite a sheltered life, with few friends, no real romantic relationships, a job she hates, and acting as the primary caregiver for her father, who has late-stage Parkinson's Disease. With all this weighing on her shoulders, Maddie has never truly lived for herself. When she gets fired from her job, and her mother returns to London from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie finally has the opportunity to experience everything she has been missing out on: a new job in her chosen field of study, romantic relationships, and - most importantly - independence. While things do not go quite as smoothly as she hopes they would, she begins to find her own voice and personal worth while on her journey of growth and self-discovery.

I loved this book so much. Maddie is such a lovable character that you really just want to see her succeed in life, love, everything. As a 1st-gen American-born child of immigrants myself, I really enjoyed how the story explored that feeling of disconnection from two cultures, with no real experience in how to be 100% one or the other. I also appreciated how the story deals with mental health and depression, and how that may impact our daily existence without being something that we even have the capacity to identify within ourselves and acknowledge.

Overall, this was such a fantastic story, with an MC you fall in love with and want the best for. The only reason it was not a 5-star for me was that, as a member of Gen Z, Maddie's naivete sometimes felt a bit forced. But that was my only hangup and it was a teeny, tiny one at that.

Madeline "Maddie" Wright's life is not what she thought it would be in her mid-20s. She's taken on the role of caretaker for her dad, her brother drops in and out to help when he can, and her mother is back in Ghana. She has a job she doesn't like and feels stuck. But when her mom moves back and she gets fired from the job she hates, Maddie decides to start living for herself. But when some of her decisions change the outcome of her life in devastating ways, Maddie questions who is the person she wants to be and is she moving in that direction. A refreshing coming-of-age story about the many emotions of our mid-20s that reminds us all about first love, independence, regret, heartbreak, and friendship.

In Maame, Jessica George introduced us to Maddie, a young woman of Ghanian heritage living in London. She bears the weight of caring for her father while her mother lives half time in Ghana and her brother evades any responsibility. When Maddie finally has the opportunity to start living on her own, she ventures awkwardly into online dating, living with flat mates, and starts a new, hopefully better job in publishing. A family tragedy provides more hurdles for Maddie who leads with her heart as she navigates adulthood. This is a lovely debut from Ms. George.

One of my favorites so far of 2023. I loved Maddie and her story was poignant, heartbreaking and uplifting. Maddie kept her sense of humor even while coping with her struggles with her career and her family. There were times I wanted to scream at Maddie’s family, but I loved Maddie’s relationship with her dad. I think I bonded with Maddie as she cared for her father, but also wanted to have a life that was independent of her family.

Maame was a quick read for me and a lovely, engaging story. I loved the book's London setting. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my copy via NetGalley.

Maddie, in her 20s, has always been the bedrock of her family. She cares for her sick father while her mother spends most of her time in Ghana and her brother is almost entirely absent. She's a self-admitted people pleaser, her job gives her a lot of stress, she doesn't date, and she doesn't feel that she can open up to her friends about what her home life is really like. Her mom coming home pushes Maddie out in the world, forcing Maddie to consider what kind of life she wants for herself for the first time.

I can't believe this is a debut novel! The storytelling here is so fresh and effortless. The way Maddie speaks directly to us, the reader, is reminiscent of young adult novels--I've never seen that in a book geared to adults, and something about it was just so fun. It made me feel like I was Maddie's trusted friend, hearing all her thoughts. That's not to say this felt like a YA novel: it absolutely did not.

This novel deals with mental health, complicated family dynamics, race and racism, navigating professional life, sex. There is so much here< that we experience through Maddie, but it doesn't feel overdone or overworked.

There was a part right in the middle where I felt like it got too predictable, but it was a short part, and despite that, I still found this to be a solid five star read. I loved being alongside Maddie as she came into her own.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press!

A charming and moving story about finding your way when tragedy strikes. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy.

I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick read.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

A well-written story about Maddie who has lived a life of making others happy and doing what others want for her and the consequences of doing that until one day you start living for yourself.

I did end up DNFing this one, but I truly did love the writing of this one. I loved how our expectations on daughters was portrayed on page and how this transcends culture. I ended up DNFing just because it is a heavy novel that was hitting very close for me, and I was not in the headspace to finish it. I definitely would have if I could.

This book is a must-read! This is a beautiful coming-of-age story of a twenty five year old woman of Ghanaian immigrants who has spent her life being the responsible one in her family from a young age. Maddie has been the primary caretaker of her father who suffers from Parkinson's Disease. When she moves out of her father's home, disaster strikes and Maddie must learn to navigate the world she has just begun experiencing while dealing with grief and guilt. I absolutely adored Maddie - the Google searches, the inner monologue - and how she navigated a world she has practically just introduced herself to. While her family lets her down time after time, her friends Nia and Shu remain the support she needs while she deals with the rapid changes in her life. While Maddie seems to be dealing with disaster after disaster, they are a breath of fresh air. I value the frank discussion of depression and seeking therapy - I wish all workplaces were as supportive in that department as Maddie's seem to be. If I could wish for more - it would be more Nia, Shu and Sam. I eagerly anticipate
George's next novel.

I really had no idea what to expect with this. It is a "coming of age" story in many ways as a woman attempts to find herself - but later in life than most. She has been the caretaker for her father but finally is able to move out and take on life as her own person. Her joys and trials are relatable, We get to see Maddie come to terms with her background and heritage. It is uplifting and would make a great bookclub read

In her debut novel, Jessica George delivers a capital-I Important novel that doesn’t read like one. On its surface, it’s as light and as bouncy and entertaining – even when it’s tragic or anxiety-inducing – as Bridget Jones’ Diary or an advanced YA novel. It races along, bristling with excitement and energy even when it’s weighed down with sadness and grief and melancholy. It’s jammed full of great characters, bursting with inner lives, realistic motivations and believable quirks, creating a lavishly fleshed out world and then sucking you in. Maame gives voice to a number of the most pressing contemporary issues currently facing society without ever becoming preachy or falling into agitprop. It’s a stellar debut from an incredibly talented new voice.

Grateful for the opportunity to read this book. Maddie is her father’s caretaker while her absent mother lives in Ghana. I very much enjoyed this book.