I purchased this book for my own personal collection. I borrowed the audiobook from the library.
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan Audio
Published: January 31, 2023
Summary:
Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman.
It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.
When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it’s not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils—and rewards—of putting her heart on the line.
Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Jessica George’s Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures―and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong.
My thoughts:
I love discovering debut novels and this one by Jessica George was such a little gem. It was powerful, emotional and even a little funny at times and I’m so glad I took a chance on it!
Families are complicated…that’s just the way there are and I think that’s why I love reading about them. This coming of age story shows the pressures that Maddie, or Maame as she’s called by her family, is put under by her family – having to care for her father who has Parkinson’s while her mother is in another country taking care of the family business. Maddie longs to find herself, discover all the firsts in her life.
I loved the way this story was told. We are privy to Maddie’s inner dialog and I think this was so necessary to really understand all that she was feeling and going through. I loved the way we not only get to experience Maddie going through many of her first milestones and the challenges that she faces, but throughout the book, we are exposed to the Ghana culture.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Maddie is such an endearing character and you cannot help but root for her along the way. I loved this one and will be eager to see what Jessica George writes next!
Audio thoughts:
This was a delight to listen to. The narrator, Heather Agyepong, did an amazing job bringing this story to life. She Her characterization of Maame was perfect.
