A review by carriepond
Maame by Jessica George

emotional funny 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? It's complicated

5.0

Jessica George's Maame is a lovely debut novel about grief, family, identity, and growing up. At the opening of the novel, Maddie, age 25 and of Ghanaian descent, is lonely. Maddie's family nickname, Maame, means "woman" in Twi, and is meant to praise her reliability and responsibility. And responsible she is-- since graduating from college, Maddie has been the primary caretaker for her father, whose Parkinson's has become increasingly debilitating. Her mom travels back and forth to Ghana for long periods of time to manage her father's business, calling Maddie to ask for money or remind her that she needs to find a husband but not to provide the support Maddie so desperately needs. Although her brother lives in London, he often flakes on familial obligations, knowing Maddie is taking care of everything. With her mom set to return to London to take over her caretaking responsibilities, Maddie moves out of her parents' house and starts dating for the first time since college. Maddie soon encounters unexpected bumps in the road-- losing her job and facing unimaginable tragedy-- which cause her to question who she is to herself and to the people she loves.

I really loved this novel. It deals with so many heavy topics-- mental illness, grief, casual racism, loneliness, identity, sex, and family obligations-- while also feeling sweet, full of heart, and funny. I truly loved Maddie; she is a character for whom I was immediately rooting. This book is genuine and earnest and a top-notch read for anyone who likes coming-of-age novels. I loved Maddie and I loved Maame.
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