A review by sgrizzle
Maame by Jessica George

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

“I ask if you think you’re well-loved because it’s easy to conflate being well-liked with being well-loved. There’s often a misconception that to be well-loved, the love has to come from multiple sources, when truthfully, one or two people can love you with the strength of ten. Do you have people in your life who love you with the strength of many?”

I was thrilled to get an eARC of Maame from the publishers and Netgalley, and truly enjoyed reading this coming of age story. Maddie, a 25 year old British-Ghanaian woman, deals with family issues, grief, jobs, creativity, friendships, dating, and mental health, and not all well (mostly not). What really leapt out to me here was the strong characterization. By the end of the first chapter, you KNOW clearly who Maddie is. Her voice, and those of the secondary characters, especially her mother, are vibrant. It definitely deals with heavy topics in an intimate and careful way, and her moments of bravery felt really earned. To hear that this is Jessica George’s debut is exciting because she’s got a bright future in storytelling!
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