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A review by kayaj
Maame by Jessica George
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Maame is a book I was terrified of reading. Simply put, I rarely ever reach for literary fiction. I find the highs to be about halfway up a mountaintop, while the lows are the Grand Canyon. However, occasionally one literary fiction book comes along and hits every emotion on the spectrum in the best of ways. In case you haven’t caught on yet, Maame was that book for me.
We follow Maddie, a woman whose mother spends most of her time in Ghana, leaving Maddie the only person to care for her dad with Parkinson’s disease. When her mother finally returns home, Maddie jumps at the chance to move out into the great wide world of London, England, and take risks like she wasn’t able to before.
This story is tragic and joyful, relatable and clever. It deals with racism and family, being torn between cultures and worlds. Maddie’s family is Ghanian, and so many of the white people she’s around fail to understand that part of her. George writes with raw honesty, and Maddie is a character that you desperately want to root for. You’re cheering her on as she experiences the new, and you’re heartbroken by the things she’s heartbroken by. Now that’s powerful writing.
If you’re like me and worried that you’ll be bored, don’t be. Every event has a purpose and that is to flesh out Maddie’s character arc. And guess what? It works. I truly am surprised with how invested I ended up being in this little story full of big thoughts. Also, I cried so there’s that.
Overall, this is a standout debut for 2023! A huge thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
We follow Maddie, a woman whose mother spends most of her time in Ghana, leaving Maddie the only person to care for her dad with Parkinson’s disease. When her mother finally returns home, Maddie jumps at the chance to move out into the great wide world of London, England, and take risks like she wasn’t able to before.
This story is tragic and joyful, relatable and clever. It deals with racism and family, being torn between cultures and worlds. Maddie’s family is Ghanian, and so many of the white people she’s around fail to understand that part of her. George writes with raw honesty, and Maddie is a character that you desperately want to root for. You’re cheering her on as she experiences the new, and you’re heartbroken by the things she’s heartbroken by. Now that’s powerful writing.
If you’re like me and worried that you’ll be bored, don’t be. Every event has a purpose and that is to flesh out Maddie’s character arc. And guess what? It works. I truly am surprised with how invested I ended up being in this little story full of big thoughts. Also, I cried so there’s that.
Overall, this is a standout debut for 2023! A huge thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!