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coffeekitaab's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
A heartfelt and deeply moving book on the joy and guilt of finding your own way in life. Jessica George writes from the heart. The tone of writing felt conversational, every character was sketched out so beautifully; some problematic and more complicated than others and yet necessary to the narrative to make you aware of the very real issues Maddie deals with on the daily. For a child singlehandedly caring for an ailing parent (her mother and brother shun their responsibility), then working and/or having a partner where there is passive microaggressions when it comes to her race, lack or assumption of consent, toxicity, so many themes in this book and there is a sensitivity and nuance with which George makes clear that none of this is OK. Maddie's best friends are the light in her life. A true support system who have her back and let her know she is loved. I enjoyed watching Maddie learn and grow in this book. She is a beautifully flawed human being. . I could read Maame over and over again. An easy 5 star for me. Thank you Netgalley and @HodderBooks and @HodderPublicity for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
javafenn's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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 did not want to put this book down! My heart felt so much for Maddy, nicknamed Maame by her overbearing but well meaning mother. She is 25 navigating a very unsheltered world following her unsheltered life when an unexpected expected event occurs rocking her entire world. You feel all her curiosity and all of her grief. You can comprehend all her mid 20’s questions about life and how much she is unsure of herself. This book was so beautifully written and not focused on just the trauma of being a Black woman while also acknowledging life as a Black woman in todays age. I will definitely be buying the print version and reading again. Oh and the narrator was awesome!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Moderate: Chronic illness, Medical content, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Biphobia, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Suicide, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
emilysbookishlife's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide
carlysimone's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, and Abandonment
katiemack's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I put this one off for a while because I knew it would be heart-wrenching, and it is. At twenty-five years old, Maddie is not only the primary caretaker for her father, who has Parkinson's disease, but also has no support from her mother or older brother, both of whom are conspicuously absent at inconvenient times (her mother in Ghana and her brother in...various places) and contribute nothing financially. On top of this, she loses her job for an infuriating reason.
Through Maddie, Jessica George explores the themes of racism, sexism, and abuse in an occasionally funny but often devastating way; I wanted to both hug Maddie and scream at her to remove herself from dangerous situations. While a little slow at times, the way George structures Maddie's days feels organic; her development is believable, which makes what she experiences all the more frustrating. If you're worried about this feeling like a depressing slog, don't be; the ending is incredibly satisfying.
I put this one off for a while because I knew it would be heart-wrenching, and it is. At twenty-five years old, Maddie is not only the primary caretaker for her father, who has Parkinson's disease, but also has no support from her mother or older brother, both of whom are conspicuously absent at inconvenient times (her mother in Ghana and her brother in...various places) and contribute nothing financially. On top of this, she loses her job for an infuriating reason.
Through Maddie, Jessica George explores the themes of racism, sexism, and abuse in an occasionally funny but often devastating way; I wanted to both hug Maddie and scream at her to remove herself from dangerous situations. While a little slow at times, the way George structures Maddie's days feels organic; her development is believable, which makes what she experiences all the more frustrating. If you're worried about this feeling like a depressing slog, don't be; the ending is incredibly satisfying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Sexual assault
amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, and Alcohol
2treads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
“It made me grow up,” I answer. “It made me grow up when I should have had more time. It made my dad overlook me when I was a child, my mum leave me behind, and my brother get away with doing the bare minimum. It made me lonely and it made me sad. It made me responsible and guilty. It made me someone, if given the choice, I wouldn’t want to be.”
— Maddie on being called Maame
George's novel was so addictively enjoyable, even as the themes get deeper and more affecting. The obligatory existence of Maddie as daughter/caretaker, her reserved and naive character, and the slow way she blossoms as the story goes on.
I love her core friends who leave an impression even though they aren't on the page for long. Her mother is infuriating and the way she handles and handled her relationship with her children and husband had my teeth on edge.
But with compassion, George takes us into Maddie's life, her insecurities, her struggle with acknowledging the stress and weight of being the foundation for her father and the lack of support from her mother and brother. What drew me into this story was the premise of family and how obligation can become an unwelcome and almost physical millstone. As a person of Afro-Caribbean descent, this exists in my world as well and the familial dynamics were all too real for me.
With humour, moments of self-doubt and questioning, and vulnerability, George relays a story that is heartfelt and shows how familial expectation and pressure can manifest in quieting a voice and affecting mental health; but also leaving room for accessing support, speaking up for oneself, and finding a relationship where you feel safe.
— Maddie on being called Maame
George's novel was so addictively enjoyable, even as the themes get deeper and more affecting. The obligatory existence of Maddie as daughter/caretaker, her reserved and naive character, and the slow way she blossoms as the story goes on.
I love her core friends who leave an impression even though they aren't on the page for long. Her mother is infuriating and the way she handles and handled her relationship with her children and husband had my teeth on edge.
But with compassion, George takes us into Maddie's life, her insecurities, her struggle with acknowledging the stress and weight of being the foundation for her father and the lack of support from her mother and brother. What drew me into this story was the premise of family and how obligation can become an unwelcome and almost physical millstone. As a person of Afro-Caribbean descent, this exists in my world as well and the familial dynamics were all too real for me.
With humour, moments of self-doubt and questioning, and vulnerability, George relays a story that is heartfelt and shows how familial expectation and pressure can manifest in quieting a voice and affecting mental health; but also leaving room for accessing support, speaking up for oneself, and finding a relationship where you feel safe.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
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, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Vomit
emmas_bookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
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
Wow, what an incredibly stunning debut from Jessica George. Family dynamics, racism, cultural assimilation, mental health - all of these are explored on the page as we follow Maddie through the trials of losing her Dad, living on her own for the first time, changing jobs, and pulling herself out of a hole she hadn’t realized she had fallen into. I already know this is going to be one of my favorite books of 2023 and I highly recommend you add it to your reading list!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, and Abandonment
noladawnreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Abandonment