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A review by jeannine_
Maame by Jessica George
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Maame (ma-meh) is Maddie Wright’s nickname since childhood. Maddie is a 25-year old Londoner of Ghanaian background, with a loving but ailing father she lives with in London, a nosy overbearing bitch of a mother who mostly lives in Ghana, and an absent older brother.
This book takes us on Maddie’s coming of age from a girl to a woman. Though she is 25, she is in a way basically 18, because her maturity and social life was nonexistent once she started being her fathers primary carer. He suffers from Parkinson’s.
Maddie’s mother is finally coming to London for a while and insists Maddie move out and live on her own. She seems to have Maddie’s best interests in mind with this request but, we learn in time that it is self serving.
So she finds a room for rent, and it comes with what seems to be two insta-friends as roommates. Maddie’s journey sees her find and then leave unsatisfactory jobs, relationships and friendships. She deals with depression and immense grief. In the end she finds her new normal and it is satisfying to see her doing better.
While all of this is taking place, I liked that the author worked in other challenges of Maddie’s life, particularly dealing with racism, and her trying to learn how to date. I didn’t love all the choices she made, but it is what it is.
This would have been a 5 star for me if not for two things: one, I felt Maddie was initially far more naive /immature than would be humanly possible after spending four years at university and having friends like Shu, Nia, and Avi, who clearly were at an age appropriate maturity level. I would think they would have rubbed off on her a little more. The second is that OTP was way nicer than any employer is irl, like you can’t just continuously leave work without telling anyone so they can cover for you. I needed that workplace to be more realistic.
All in all, though, this is a great novel about a young Ghanaian- British woman finding her feet. I think it would make a good movie. And: beautiful cover !!!!!!!! Wish more covers would try to be pretty.
This book takes us on Maddie’s coming of age from a girl to a woman. Though she is 25, she is in a way basically 18, because her maturity and social life was nonexistent once she started being her fathers primary carer. He suffers from Parkinson’s.
Maddie’s mother is finally coming to London for a while and insists Maddie move out and live on her own. She seems to have Maddie’s best interests in mind with this request but, we learn in time that it is self serving.
So she finds a room for rent, and it comes with what seems to be two insta-friends as roommates. Maddie’s journey sees her find and then leave unsatisfactory jobs, relationships and friendships. She deals with depression and immense grief. In the end she finds her new normal and it is satisfying to see her doing better.
While all of this is taking place, I liked that the author worked in other challenges of Maddie’s life, particularly dealing with racism, and her trying to learn how to date. I didn’t love all the choices she made, but it is what it is.
This would have been a 5 star for me if not for two things: one, I felt Maddie was initially far more naive /immature than would be humanly possible after spending four years at university and having friends like Shu, Nia, and Avi, who clearly were at an age appropriate maturity level. I would think they would have rubbed off on her a little more. The second is that OTP was way nicer than any employer is irl, like you can’t just continuously leave work without telling anyone so they can cover for you. I needed that workplace to be more realistic.
All in all, though, this is a great novel about a young Ghanaian- British woman finding her feet. I think it would make a good movie. And: beautiful cover !!!!!!!! Wish more covers would try to be pretty.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Mental illness and Racism