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soobooksalot's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
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
5.0
I want to be friends with Maddie Wright from Maame.
Oh sure, she's a fictional character. But she's completely charming and a bit awkward and can't we just all relate a bit there?
I had FOMO when I saw Maame by debut author Jessica George everywhere on Bookstagram. Scooped it up and so glad I did.
Maame is so many things - Maddie's nickname in Twi means "woman". But the book deals with so many elements - the importance of her Ghanaian culture, family struggles and finding her voice. There is much heartbreak, but just as much humour. We're alongside Maddie as she's finding her way as an adult - in her career, through the slow then sudden loss of her father, navigating dating and friendships, and her social identity as a Black woman.
And her Google searches are just the perfect touch.
This is an absolutely gorgeous and relatable novel and it will stick with me for a long time. Definitely recommended.
Oh sure, she's a fictional character. But she's completely charming and a bit awkward and can't we just all relate a bit there?
I had FOMO when I saw Maame by debut author Jessica George everywhere on Bookstagram. Scooped it up and so glad I did.
Maame is so many things - Maddie's nickname in Twi means "woman". But the book deals with so many elements - the importance of her Ghanaian culture, family struggles and finding her voice. There is much heartbreak, but just as much humour. We're alongside Maddie as she's finding her way as an adult - in her career, through the slow then sudden loss of her father, navigating dating and friendships, and her social identity as a Black woman.
And her Google searches are just the perfect touch.
This is an absolutely gorgeous and relatable novel and it will stick with me for a long time. Definitely recommended.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Dementia, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Racism
booksbeyondthebinary's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
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
5.0
If you didn’t pick this for your February BOTM, you’re missing out.
This phenomenal debut by Jessica George is a mid-twenties coming-of-age story featuring Maddie, a 25-year-old Ghanaian woman living in Britain caring for her elderly father who has Parkinson’s when suddenly, her mother returns home and she is able to move out of the house and finally experience things like sex and navigating living with roommates for the first time ever.
This story expertly navigates what it is like to learn how to advocate for yourself. As a recovering people pleaser myself, that aspect of the story really spoke to me.
As someone who was a late bloomer of sorts, I also identified with the camaraderie Maddie has with the wisdom found on Google, making sure to not commit any first date faux-pas by extensively gathering research from anyone who was willing to provide their own experiences. It also made me miss Yahoo Answers. RIP.
This book is about grief, about love, about finding yourself, about learning how to put yourself first, and about understanding without always having all the answers.
Content warnings: death, microaggresions, depression and panic attacks.
This phenomenal debut by Jessica George is a mid-twenties coming-of-age story featuring Maddie, a 25-year-old Ghanaian woman living in Britain caring for her elderly father who has Parkinson’s when suddenly, her mother returns home and she is able to move out of the house and finally experience things like sex and navigating living with roommates for the first time ever.
This story expertly navigates what it is like to learn how to advocate for yourself. As a recovering people pleaser myself, that aspect of the story really spoke to me.
As someone who was a late bloomer of sorts, I also identified with the camaraderie Maddie has with the wisdom found on Google, making sure to not commit any first date faux-pas by extensively gathering research from anyone who was willing to provide their own experiences. It also made me miss Yahoo Answers. RIP.
This book is about grief, about love, about finding yourself, about learning how to put yourself first, and about understanding without always having all the answers.
Content warnings: death, microaggresions, depression and panic attacks.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Racism
readwithchar's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicide, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Biphobia, and Sexual assault
breacommelafromage's review against another edition
dark
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? It's complicated
4.25
This was a really difficult read emotionally, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I think this is one of those books I am going to struggle to write a review for because of how hard it hit me emotionally. But it’s a wonderful exploration and explanation of grief, and grieving lost childhoods when you’ve been forced into responsibility and care giving at such a young age. I related to Maddie more than I think I wanted to, but for better or worse I think I just walked away from the book feeling validated in my own experiences with grief.
I think this is one of those books I am going to struggle to write a review for because of how hard it hit me emotionally. But it’s a wonderful exploration and explanation of grief, and grieving lost childhoods when you’ve been forced into responsibility and care giving at such a young age. I related to Maddie more than I think I wanted to, but for better or worse I think I just walked away from the book feeling validated in my own experiences with grief.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Minor: Suicide
jeannine_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Maame (ma-meh) is Maddie Wright’s nickname since childhood. Maddie is a 25-year old Londoner of Ghanaian background, with a loving but ailing father she lives with in London, a nosy overbearing bitch of a mother who mostly lives in Ghana, and an absent older brother.
This book takes us on Maddie’s coming of age from a girl to a woman. Though she is 25, she is in a way basically 18, because her maturity and social life was nonexistent once she started being her fathers primary carer. He suffers from Parkinson’s.
Maddie’s mother is finally coming to London for a while and insists Maddie move out and live on her own. She seems to have Maddie’s best interests in mind with this request but, we learn in time that it is self serving.
So she finds a room for rent, and it comes with what seems to be two insta-friends as roommates. Maddie’s journey sees her find and then leave unsatisfactory jobs, relationships and friendships. She deals with depression and immense grief. In the end she finds her new normal and it is satisfying to see her doing better.
While all of this is taking place, I liked that the author worked in other challenges of Maddie’s life, particularly dealing with racism, and her trying to learn how to date. I didn’t love all the choices she made, but it is what it is.
This would have been a 5 star for me if not for two things: one, I felt Maddie was initially far more naive /immature than would be humanly possible after spending four years at university and having friends like Shu, Nia, and Avi, who clearly were at an age appropriate maturity level. I would think they would have rubbed off on her a little more. The second is that OTP was way nicer than any employer is irl, like you can’t just continuously leave work without telling anyone so they can cover for you. I needed that workplace to be more realistic.
All in all, though, this is a great novel about a young Ghanaian- British woman finding her feet. I think it would make a good movie. And: beautiful cover !!!!!!!! Wish more covers would try to be pretty.
This book takes us on Maddie’s coming of age from a girl to a woman. Though she is 25, she is in a way basically 18, because her maturity and social life was nonexistent once she started being her fathers primary carer. He suffers from Parkinson’s.
Maddie’s mother is finally coming to London for a while and insists Maddie move out and live on her own. She seems to have Maddie’s best interests in mind with this request but, we learn in time that it is self serving.
So she finds a room for rent, and it comes with what seems to be two insta-friends as roommates. Maddie’s journey sees her find and then leave unsatisfactory jobs, relationships and friendships. She deals with depression and immense grief. In the end she finds her new normal and it is satisfying to see her doing better.
While all of this is taking place, I liked that the author worked in other challenges of Maddie’s life, particularly dealing with racism, and her trying to learn how to date. I didn’t love all the choices she made, but it is what it is.
This would have been a 5 star for me if not for two things: one, I felt Maddie was initially far more naive /immature than would be humanly possible after spending four years at university and having friends like Shu, Nia, and Avi, who clearly were at an age appropriate maturity level. I would think they would have rubbed off on her a little more. The second is that OTP was way nicer than any employer is irl, like you can’t just continuously leave work without telling anyone so they can cover for you. I needed that workplace to be more realistic.
All in all, though, this is a great novel about a young Ghanaian- British woman finding her feet. I think it would make a good movie. And: beautiful cover !!!!!!!! Wish more covers would try to be pretty.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Mental illness and Racism
whatmadsreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, Sexual content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Infidelity, Racism, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Panic attacks/disorders
erinmjustice's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Abandonment
Minor: Vomit
cee_ceon's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
slow-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
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Sexual content, Abandonment, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Lesbophobia, Racism, and Biphobia
jenmcreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
This book was fantastic (and the audio is excellently narrated)! I went in fairly blind and ended up listening to the whole audiobook in one day. Maddie is such a well written character, and manages to balance her anxieties, her naivete, and her intelligence so realistically. I loved the ruminations on grief, challenging family dynamics, parentification, delayed adulthood, and modern dating, among other themes. This one is sticking in my mind for sure. I look forward to reading more from Jessica George I hope!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Colonisation, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content and Biphobia
amobrien's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.5
Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.
What an absolutely incredible read! Maame is an amazing, well-balanced, and incredibly relatable coming-of-age about becoming the woman you want to be. It follows Maddie, a mid-twenties young woman who never puts herself first, and covers family expectations, mental health, caregiving, and learning to navigate life. If you've ever felt lost in life, Maame is the perfect read for you!
What an absolutely incredible read! Maame is an amazing, well-balanced, and incredibly relatable coming-of-age about becoming the woman you want to be. It follows Maddie, a mid-twenties young woman who never puts herself first, and covers family expectations, mental health, caregiving, and learning to navigate life. If you've ever felt lost in life, Maame is the perfect read for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Mental illness and Sexual content