nelliecubed 's review for:

Maame by Jessica George

3.5

emotional medium-paced

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MAAME by Jessica George is a novel set in London featuring characters with Ghanaian heritage. 

Maddie is a 20-something Black woman living in London. Her mother spends months or years in Ghana, so Maddie takes care of her father who has Parkinson's Disease. After being fired from a job at a theater, she takes an administrative position for a publishing company. 

Maddie has the opportunity to move out when her mother returns to England. She finds a new apartment and starts dating. When her father dies on his birthday, Maddie is consumed by guilt. 

Her new job is challenging as the bosses fail to acknowledge her contributions to the team. She has a fight with her roommates. She has a string of bad relationships. Her brother takes her for granted. Her bond with her mother is frayed. She feels like it's just all a bit too much. 

But as she grieves, she begins to understand her work environment and she starts dating someone who respects what she does and the pressures she feels with her family. She finally has discussions with her mother and brother about her role in the family. 

I've heard it said that your 20's are a defining decade, and this book illustrates how much there is to learn about oneself, family, careers, friendship, and romance.