A review by colleen_lacey
Maame by Jessica George

3.0

This was a heartfelt exploration of family, responsibility, and self-discovery through the eyes of Maddie, a young woman trying to find her place in the world while balancing the care of her father with Parkinson’s. At times, I felt a strong connection to Maddie—her emotions, challenges, and journey felt genuine and interesting. However, as the story progressed, I found myself gradually checking out of the plot. The pacing became uneven and I wished the plot and descriptive moments had been more consistently engaging so I could have stayed closer to Maddie throughout. Instead, the more the story drifted and switched around, the harder it became to care deeply about different moments in her story. It still provides a thoughtful glimpse into cultural identity, personal growth, a sense of feeling “behind”, and family values. It’s a solid debut with moments of emotional depth, but it could have benefited from more engaging pacing to keep readers fully invested in the book’s themes.