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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
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
Very enjoyable audiobook about a young British/Ghanaian woman at a critical moment in her mid 20’s. Maame, which means “woman” in Twi, has always shouldered more than her fair share of responsibility for her family. The resulting stress and insecurity about her own life all comes to a head when her beloved father dies, her first forays into living on her own and finding/having a boyfriend along with losing her job, all while her demanding mother returns from Ghana. This novel struck me as sincere and realistic with a dose of humor thrown in when Maame keeps asking Google for all questions and dilemmas she encounters on the difficult path to figure out who she is and wants to be.
It is also very well read/performed.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
inspiring
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
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
emotional
funny
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:
Yes
I devoured this book.
First, I am very much loving this new wave of Black women protagonists who are first generation living between two worlds, the world that exists in their parents’ home (an extension of their ancestral land) and the physical country they exist in, while managing heavy experiences that spur their initial introductions to therapy. These aspects of the book made it clear to me why a lot of people compared this one to “Queenie”, and while the stories are similar in many ways, this is an important story on its own.
Our protagonist Maddie is dealing with a lot to say the least. She is caught between a Ghanaian family that expects too much of her, including an ailing father, and a western world that experts her to move on from living with family. She is dealing with pressure in every direction. These expectations prove to be too much. After her father ultimately passes away, she’s left with dealing with a lot of past hurt and learning about who she is without caring for everyone else. The novel asks: how does Maddie care for herself after she’s done caring for everyone else?
The writing is captivating. The author has a gift for striking a balance between providing so much detail about the characters, their body language, and where they are within a given space, while not saying too much so that the reader can interpret subtleties.
I took one star away because the ending felt rushed. I wanted at least another 50 pages and the ending came too soon. Which again speaks to the how gifted the author is.
First, I am very much loving this new wave of Black women protagonists who are first generation living between two worlds, the world that exists in their parents’ home (an extension of their ancestral land) and the physical country they exist in, while managing heavy experiences that spur their initial introductions to therapy. These aspects of the book made it clear to me why a lot of people compared this one to “Queenie”, and while the stories are similar in many ways, this is an important story on its own.
Our protagonist Maddie is dealing with a lot to say the least. She is caught between a Ghanaian family that expects too much of her, including an ailing father, and a western world that experts her to move on from living with family. She is dealing with pressure in every direction. These expectations prove to be too much. After her father ultimately passes away, she’s left with dealing with a lot of past hurt and learning about who she is without caring for everyone else. The novel asks: how does Maddie care for herself after she’s done caring for everyone else?
The writing is captivating. The author has a gift for striking a balance between providing so much detail about the characters, their body language, and where they are within a given space, while not saying too much so that the reader can interpret subtleties.
I took one star away because the ending felt rushed. I wanted at least another 50 pages and the ending came too soon. Which again speaks to the how gifted the author is.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was just okay for me. I liked the concept of it being a coming of age novel for the mid to late twenties stage of life and dealing with complex relationships but I don't know, I didn't really enjoy it. There were some moments that hit a little TOO close to home (which is great!) but other than that it was meh :/
emotional
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:
Complicated
