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evawhite's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual content and Racism
Minor: Suicide and Terminal illness
abbie_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
Thanks to Libro.fm for my free ALC of Maame! I loved Maddie and this audiobook had such a perfect narrator (Heather Agyepong - I’m gutted she hasn’t narrated anything else yet?!) that I felt so sad to finish it! Both the narration and style of writing made Maame feel like talking with a close friend. Maddie’s experiences with depression closely mirrored my own at times, which was both a gut wrench and a comfort. We both google the most inane things that a lot of people would just grasp through intuition, so I loved that as well. I loved watching Maddie grow as a woman throughout the book, come into herself and stand up for what she deserves.
I wish we had seen more from the side characters, especially her two best friends as they had potential to be incredible but more felt like they were just there to prop Maddie up at times. But at the end of the day, it is Maddie’s story. This book delves into Ghanaian culture & family dynamics, and I loved that towards the end Maddie started to lean more into learning Twi and exploring her heritage. I’m not a religious person at all, but I even appreciated Maddie’s evolving relationship with God. Oh, and I didn’t even mention her work yet - Maame encompasses so much, but to me it never felt forced.
Overall just a bloody good book tackling depression, grief, complicated family relationships, micro-aggressions experienced by Black women in the publishing industry, sex, faith, and so much more. Maddie is very much muddling through her 20s, and it was comforting to be along for the ride!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Moderate: Racism
melodyseestrees's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book catches each and every bitter, poignant moment. There is a lot of guilt on Maddie's shoulders and familial rooted pain. She is the oldest daughter and also a younger sibling so much of the care work for her father falls on her alone, besides the relief worker they have come by occasionally.
The realistic way her grief flows and changes her was refreshing and emotional for the reader. There is a line referencing that how she is now is her normal after her father's passing and it is something that can't just change without hard, intentional self work.
The distance from the other characters makes them feel way more one dimensional but this may be intentional to reflect the distance Maddie has put or maintained between herself and most of the other people in her life. We, as readers, don't get to know much about any of the other characters because Maddie doesn't really know them. This is revealed within the funeral preparations when she is struggling to type up the eulogy.
For me the hardest hitting aspects were the impulse to support everyone else regardless of how the self is doing, the guilt over family connection, the hurt over feeling stuck having to support everyone else, and the isolation one in that situation learns to be okay with- even though it may not be their preferred state otherwise.
The realistic way her grief flows and changes her was refreshing and emotional for the reader. There is a line referencing that how she is now is her normal after her father's passing and it is something that can't just change without hard, intentional self work.
The distance from the other characters makes them feel way more one dimensional but this may be intentional to reflect the distance Maddie has put or maintained between herself and most of the other people in her life. We, as readers, don't get to know much about any of the other characters because Maddie doesn't really know them. This is revealed within the funeral preparations when she is struggling to type up the eulogy.
For me the hardest hitting aspects were the impulse to support everyone else regardless of how the self is doing, the guilt over family connection, the hurt over feeling stuck having to support everyone else, and the isolation one in that situation learns to be okay with- even though it may not be their preferred state otherwise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Minor: Suicide
awhitson's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
bookedbykiki's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What a breath of fresh air! A beautifully, heartbreaking and hopeful experience! The tears and laughter were both appreciated.
Jessica George’s debut novel shares the story of Maddie as she balances family drama, being a caretaker for her ill dad and the corporate world. After finally deciding to move out of her family home, Maddie’s world starts to fall apart, leaving her to pick up the pieces.
This was a beautiful piece by George and was a spectacular debut novel. It felt so personal, I’ve never read a book and felt so seen in so many ways. The complexities of immigration of family, expectations within love and relationship, the life-sucking performance at the office; all of these feel overwhelming and suffocating at times as we experience them through Maddie.
rating: 5/5
genre: fiction, contemporary, literary, emotional, reflective, sad, medium-paced
cw: death, grief, mental illness, racism, sexual content, suicide
Jessica George’s debut novel shares the story of Maddie as she balances family drama, being a caretaker for her ill dad and the corporate world. After finally deciding to move out of her family home, Maddie’s world starts to fall apart, leaving her to pick up the pieces.
This was a beautiful piece by George and was a spectacular debut novel. It felt so personal, I’ve never read a book and felt so seen in so many ways. The complexities of immigration of family, expectations within love and relationship, the life-sucking performance at the office; all of these feel overwhelming and suffocating at times as we experience them through Maddie.
rating: 5/5
genre: fiction, contemporary, literary, emotional, reflective, sad, medium-paced
cw: death, grief, mental illness, racism, sexual content, suicide
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Sexual content
cmhillner's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An enjoyable read but found the tone uneven and odd. The main character is difficult too like at times but always relatable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Racism, and Mental illness
pickashelf's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Racism
Minor: Suicide
theinstabookworm's review
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I had a book hangover while I was reading this and I think that affected my enjoyment level. I liked learning about Ghanian culture and the mental health rep was well done. I feel like this is relatable for anyone in their twenties or entering their 30s and I did see myself in Maddie at certain times.
However, Maddie was also very naive, and although I could relate to an extent, she needed to grow a backbone sooner when it came to her mother and brother taking advantage of her. The use of Google was a bit much and grew tedious after a while. I also felt the pacing of the story was off, as some parts held my attention, while others didn't. The writing also wasn't my favourite. It irks me when characters "talk" to the reader, and this book has a bit of that.
However, Maddie was also very naive, and although I could relate to an extent, she needed to grow a backbone sooner when it came to her mother and brother taking advantage of her. The use of Google was a bit much and grew tedious after a while. I also felt the pacing of the story was off, as some parts held my attention, while others didn't. The writing also wasn't my favourite. It irks me when characters "talk" to the reader, and this book has a bit of that.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Suicide, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Grief
zikeyag's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Listening time: 7hrs 41mins
This was a good read about coming of age as a woman of color. This book covered topics of depression and how black women are always held to this high standard not just in society, but in the household as well. As someone just starting my healing journey myself and attending therapy, I’ve become more aware of how as children we assume the role of the “woman” in the house, whether that’s caring for siblings, helping our parents, which sometimes causes us to be people pleaser or resentful. It was good to see that the FMC went to therapy and was able to process everything and turn it into something positive.
This was a good read about coming of age as a woman of color. This book covered topics of depression and how black women are always held to this high standard not just in society, but in the household as well. As someone just starting my healing journey myself and attending therapy, I’ve become more aware of how as children we assume the role of the “woman” in the house, whether that’s caring for siblings, helping our parents, which sometimes causes us to be people pleaser or resentful. It was good to see that the FMC went to therapy and was able to process everything and turn it into something positive.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, and Grief
natjay95's review
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Mental illness