Maddie is the sole carer for her father who has Parkinson’s disease while her mother lives in Ghana and rarely visits. Her brother also doesn’t help and makes multiple excuses not to do anything. From the outset you can feel how much responsibility Maddie has being a carer at only 25 and how very difficult and trying things are for her.
I really liked this book although it made me feel very emotional at times. There were unlikeable characters, especially the mother, who were written very well. Maddies mum was always critical of her which was awful to read considering what she is coping with every day. Her brother is also selfish and not at all supportive
I felt such warmth for the main character, she is a selfless person who likes to please others and comes across as so lovely and caring
I really felt close to the main character through this book and could feel all her feelings, there’s a very strong theme of isolation throughout the story as well as Maddie wanting to be a normal young person and have fun but having caring responsibilities
She is also the only black person in her university so we follow her navigating this plus her friendships and relationships
Her mum comes back from Ghana and wants Maddie to move out and be independent for a while. This is the beginning of a period of growth and self development for her and what a journey it is full of love, loss, growth and regret
I loved the narration and writing style in this book, it felt so fresh and relevant while the writing was mature and sophisticated
I felt all the emotions while reading this which is when I know I’ve loved a book but it was also an uplifting read

Thanks to NetGalley and the Hodder & Stoughton Audio for providing me with an Audio Arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed how emotive and authentic the narration of this audiobook was! Maame is a Jessica George’s debut novel about a young British-Ghanian woman’s search for identity. It’s also about parent-children relationships, familial duty and pressure, culture and the second generation immigrant experience & love and loss and grief and it captures all of those things in such a genuine way.

The main character felt real, earnest and realistically imperfect. The bildungsroman story perfectly encapsulated how life can feel overwhelming and too big and how you can feel so behind and Other, especially in your mid-twenties and as a black woman in predominantly white spaces, which were all things I could relate to.

I tend to prefer third person over first person POVs but the use of first person really worked for me with this novel.

I’m very much looking forward to reading more of Jessica George’s work in the future, she’s definitely one to watch.

Five big fat whopping stars from me! Ahhhhh I just bloody loved Maddie so so much 💖 She is such an endearing, loveable yet vulnerable protagonist - trying to navigate her way through life and all of the shit that it keeps throwing at her.

Maame delves deep into many complex topics such as grief, racism, sexuality and mental health , so yeah.. pretty deep, but honestly, it's such a brilliant read. I will add that I listened to this as an audiobook and HIGHLYYYY recommend as the narration was just incredibly on point 👌🏼

If you loved Queenie, Yinka Where is your Husband, Thirty Things I Love About Myself then stop what you are doing and go get this added to your TBR! 🫶🏼

I have seen a lot of hype for this book and was delighted to get the opportunity to listen to this one, wonderfully narrated by Heather Agyepong, I would listen to any audiobook she narrates. A joy to listen to.

In Twi, Maame means woman, this is what 25 year old Maddie is called by her mostly absent mother. Maddie lives at home and is a Carer to her father. Since graduating, she is working in admin and looking after her Dad when not working. All her friends are moving on in life, living in the city and enjoying success in their careers and relationships and Maddie is a bit stuck. When her mother returns from Ghana, Maddie gets the opportunity to put herself first for once and the book details Maddie navigating all the change that is about to occur in her life.

I really liked this. When reading the opening chapters I initially felt the book felt like coming of age books set in London, I had read before and then I got to know Maddie's character and I no longer felt like that. She is a wonderful character and drawn with such empathy and authenticity. The book very much character driven not plot driven as Maddie navigates her friendships, work life, relationships, family dynamics, obligation, mental health, grief and hope. I loved her and was rooting for her.

This was an emotional read and there are some difficult topics that the author deals with compassionately, it was the humour though that really shines in this book. My only criticism is I would enjoyed this book more if there was more lightness in the pages because the author has the ability to write humour and I find this rarer than the ability to write emotion. I loved Maddie's google searches and there are some genuine laugh out loud moments within, I wish there had of been more.

A great character, a good story and a heart warming read. I think this book will be huge, wishing the author every success with it, I look forward to whatever she writes next.

This story was a breath of fresh air to listen to. The narrator executed Maddie’s personality really well in a conversational tone, making the listener feel like Maddie’s diary. I literally laughed out loud at the reference to ‘the WhatsApp’ which I am all-too-familiar with 😂
I also found the references to African pentecostal churches and contemporary churches humorously accurate.

As humorous as the story was the more delicate themes such as grief, identity and microaggressions were reflected well in a way that wasn’t cliché yet emotive. Maddie’s character was likeable and I was rooting for her from beginning to end.

Overall, this was a great debut novel and fantastically written by Jessica George. I wasn’t left hoping that there was more… in a good way! This is a testament to how well the story came together from beginning to end.

Really enjoyed this book, Maddie goes through a lot in the book and the journey to find herself can be painful at times but I really enjoyed the ride.

It is sexually explicit in some places but done in a very tasteful way and true to the character and her experiences.

This book felt like one of two things; either that someone found the Ghanian version of me or while I was listening to it on the commute imaging I was on the phone to one of my girlfriends listening to their trials and tribulations of the week. Long story short, it was relatable to this 28-year-old. I wanted to laugh and cry with the MC Maddie. The narrative was constructed so that you feel what she is feeling - the uncertainty of becoming a woman, the grief and self-doubt of losing loved ones, friends, and partners, and the big life opportunities and milestones we should be hitting before we turn 30. Another layer that Jessica George intertwines is how all of these are navigated with the added context of growing up as a young British Ghanian woman and dealing with racism and making her space in traditionally white places. It would have been nice to see more of what she enjoyed about her culture rather than just the negative aspects that were weighing down on her.

The only things I wish would be different is if the MC wasn't so naive and that perhaps the craft had been a little more polished as the tone is quite casual and conversational that can be too simple sometimes but as this is a first novel I think Jessica George did well.

I would reread this book again and I would recommend it to my friends.

wow! this is such a beautiful book, story, everything. i didn’t think i would be so amazed by this novel considering it’s not one of my favorite genres but omg i will get out of my comfort zone more often because if this is the kind of gems i find, it’s so worth my time! it’s not a happy book but i would considering a hopeful one. maddie’s growth is phenomenal, she discovers so much about herself and just thinking about who she was at the beginning and the person she ends up being at the end is so impressive. if you’re looking for a new book, please consider this one.

Maame navigates friendships, dating, relationships, family secrets/issues, mental illness and being a carer through the eyes of a 25-year-old first-generation Ghanaian woman living in London and wow. I absolutely loved reading it.

Maame follows the life of Maddie, a firstborn and first-generation Ghanaian daughter living in London. She's 25 years old and is a carer for her father who has Parkinson's. After realising her obligation to fulfil the role of Maame (a woman) since she was young, she decides to start living the life she wants. Maddie experiences moving out for the first time, having flatmates, dating, new friendships, and relationships.

Maddie's journey is compelling, and you can't help but root for her. As Maame is written from Maddie's perspective, we see her going through all the motions and trying to figure out life. I love how relatable Maddie's journey is too. From microaggressions at the workplace to dating as a Black woman and having flatmates that you initially thought would be your friends for life, Maddie's story truly reflects the experiences of many firstborn and first-generation African British daughters.


While reading Maddie's journey, there were so many situations where I just thought "when will she get a break?" She's working at a job where she gets treated awfully, she is a carer for her dad, she has a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana and expects Maddie to deal with all the family financial issues and a brother who lives in the same city but doesn't reach out to help her. Maddie's family dynamics definitely hit close to home at some points and I could totally relate to how she was feeling. Because she feels like she needs to uphold the role of Maame for her family, she acts as if everything is fine despite the negative consequences to her mental health.

Maddie does come across as too naive at times, but I think her naivety comes from her barely having a social life, being raised religious and being told by her mother to keep family business and issues within the family. She Googles everything whenever something is pressing on her mind and her internal monologue genuinely made me laugh at times.

Although Maddie goes through some ups and way more downs, I love the relationship she was with her closest friends, especially Xu. Xu reminds me of those friends who you grew up with but have no idea about their personal life and vice versa. Despite Xu not knowing anything about Maddie's family issues and always being busy, she is still there for Maddie which I think is very sweet.

Overall, Maame is an impressive debut by Jessica George and a coming-of-age story that I know many people, especially firstborn and first-generation African British daughters, can relate to.

Highly recommend this amazing audiobook! You won't want to stop listening! Maddie the main character is faced with some really tough choices at a young age. She never really gets to go through childhood/teen years. She spends a lot of her time caring for her sick dad with Parkinson’s. Her mother splits her time between London and Ghana. She is very hard and critical of Maddie. She calls her Maame which has several meanings in Twi but mostly means woman- the responsible one. The connection between her daughter and mom is hard one to listen too. She is very critical of Maddie and it is heartbreaking. Her brother does not have time for anyone else. Maddie spends all her time caring for others and less on herself. After 8 years of helping her father her mother returns and Maddie now can go out on her own. She creates a life goals list to start to begin her life. She moves into a new apartment with some flat mates and starts a new job at a publishing company. As Maddie explores her new freedoms there are new friendships, dating, relationships, jobs, roommates, and many more life’s ups and downs Maddie explores her new life’s goals. Such an emotional coming of age story. It’s beautifully written and will stick with me for a long time. Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Post-adolescent 'coming of age': family guilt, first relationships and getting to grips with life.

A mingling of issues for Maddie. A typical life of love life, work life and family life problems, with this young woman carrying burdens and emotional weight that gradually becomes unpicked.

Though many of us won't be able to say we understand what it's like to be a carer, we can look on with sympathy and worry as Maddie rushes from work to home to care for her Parkinson's-afflicted Ghanaian father. His daughter is 25, still living a home, a virgin, and left to care for her dad alone. Her brother is off enjoying life and occasionally sending money. Her mum is back in Ghana running a family care home, sending inspirational Bible quotes to keep her daughter on track. Maddie hates her admin job, hasn't had a date since she was at school and is clearly not coping well with her load.

I could really empathise with Maddie, a woman who worries about other people and puts herself second. Who feels awkward and unlovable and unable to push herself out of the rut she's in.

We follow Maddie as she attempts to make changes after being (unfairly) fired from a job, as she tries dating (yes you can imagine the contemporary hell this becomes), considers moving out, and constantly looks up the answers to all life's questions on Google.

This is one urban new adult with a lot of weight to bear as family tragedy and guilt also strike, and we also get a case study in grief.

It's very well played as an audiobook, Maddie's voice is clear in our heads as we are let into her thoughts and her overwhelming life. As this independent young women grapples with who she is and wants to be alongside everything else, the narrator brings vulnerability and charm to a person I wish I knew, she's wonderful. She's also inspirational, a good person trying to do right by others and not putting herself up there.

Loved the character, there are also some good minor players (Maddie's mum isn't as 'likeable' but I'm sure will strike some chords with readers) and I loved how so many different issues didn't overwhelm the story. Confidently handled.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

𝐀 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐛𝐞: contemporary, own voices, womanhood, grief, black female mc, family, sexuality, friendship, living with racism, millennial

I really enjoyed Maame. It was what I was waiting for and it took me through a story that I loved living in. This is a fresh book that doesn't shy away from any issue. I like to think I'm a pretty woke D&I ally, but the whole layer of being a black girl dating a white guy complex this book addresses had never crossed my mind and I'm so glad I got to learn about it through the great fictional female friends that Maddie has.

I wouldn't call this a romance in the traditional sense, but I would relate the ending a little in the way everything just ended all a bit too "happily ever after" unbelievable for me. Although I know a lot of people like this, so if this is you, no excuse not to pick up Maame.

I liked how Maddie's relationship with her mother develops throughout the book, once again I don't know if it's all just a bit too good to be true looking back, but I appreciated it a lot and it gave me a lot of warmth at the end.

Although I have mentioned a lot of rose tinted glasses moments, I do actually appreciate how real this book was in other aspects. How not every woman in their 20s is gonna be best friends just because they move in together, and how the first man you think you want isn't always gonna be perfect.

Overall, the majority of this book felt very real, and I really loved being in Maddie's world. Would recommend.

At the start of every year I always seem to find a book that takes me back to a familiar place and reminisce about my family and our rich heritage. Maame has done just that.
As a british born Ghanaian I could identify a beautiful story about love, duty, respect and tradition through the relationship between Maame and her father. Not only that but the author so beautifully brought the audiobook to life through the narrators Ghanaian accent - which brought back fond memories and smiles of mine own.
This book shares traditions of the past through the concept of ‘marrying well’ as well as looking at how talking about feelings of guilt and sadness are explored in a more modern way through therapy. All in the backdrop of a group of friends, discovering new friend and relationships and the journey of healing.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and it’s a bonus to listen to it as an audiobook.

Jessica George's Maame is a stunning debut novel that captures the story of Maddie, a 25 year old, who has been the steadfast center of her disparate family for far too long. At times laugh out loud funny as well as heartbreakingly sad, Maame takes the reader through a tumultuous period of time in Maddie's life, a time when she is figuring out who she is and who she wants to be.

This is a book about family, devotion, growth, and self-realisation. The book is so well written and emotionally charged.

The audiobook is a splendid. The narrator is perfect, her voice so engaging as Maddie and bringing the other characters to life in such a distinct manner--particularly Maddie's mom, who is both on page and in Maddie's thoughts.

Highly recommend this audiobook. I read the digital book as well but this narration breathed even more life into the characters and story.

Maame is Jessica George’s debut novel based in london. It is about Maddie aka Maame who is a 25 year old British Ghanaian who is navigating through life!
Her father has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and is the primary caregiver while her mother shuttles between Ghana and London.

Maddie grows as a character when she decides to leave the nest and branch out. Navigating work, family and dating this book delves into the expectations and realities of growing up in an African household, mental health and grief!

I appreciate the way the book had funny moments but really explored how people have been brought up to ‘get over’ the pressures of life rather than dealing with it.

The characters were developed well and the writing in general was very well done.

Thank you NetGally for the advanced copy.

The definition of healing.

(Special mention to Heather Agyepong who was an incredible narrator, we really felt immersed in Maddie's story).

Maddie is a British Ghanaian woman who tries to navigates between two cultures while finding her true self. This story will sure resonates in a lot of immigrant's children: to me, it has.
It hard to find who you are when everybody has their own definition of who you are. To her parents, Maddie is Maame: which means in most central african countries woman, but mostly mother. It

In reality, this word (which also finds its equivalent in West Africa, that's why it resonated in me) is heavy with meaning and covers much more than that. I felt the weight of its responsibility.

Maddie's journey is really interesting to follow because it is not linear and very realistic. We will walk with her throughout several key milestones of her life and therefore, we will necessarily follow her evolution which is also far from being a long quiet river.

This book is the discovery of oneself, of others, the confrontation of the potential self with the self perceived by others. I can only recommend it!

5 🌟

Here it is - my first five star review of 2023! 📚💕

This novel is the beautiful, heart-wrenching story of Maddie, a 25-year-old in London, who is torn between the different choices she must face in her life. She watches over her father, who has advanced Parkinson’s, and hasn’t fully lived life on her own terms.

However, her mother moves back from Ghana and tells her to move out and start living her life. She decides to start trying some “firsts” - including pushing forward in her career, drinking, trying online dating, and losing her virginity.

Maddie is such a beautiful character and her arc throughout this novel really stood out to me. Also, I really love how “Maame” tackles mental health issues and stigmas. It is uncomfortable, but so worth diving into.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me an ARC of this novel!

I flew through this one, what an incredible debut!

This book follows Maddie, a 25-year-old Ghanaian-British woman living in South London, along a journey of forging an identity beyond the self-sacrificial role hoisted upon her by the high expectations and heavy obligations her family has for her. Her father suffers from Parkinson’s, and given her mother and brother have refused to pull their weight and care for him, she has become his carer and deferred any opportunity to strike out on her own, making her dad her sole focus. She hasn’t been able to define what she wants or who she is, as the role others need her to fulfil has taken up all her time and mental capacity. The book picks up at the point where she decides to move out and test her boundaries to figure out who she is. Along the journey, the story encounters themes of mental health, trauma, racism, and immigrant culture, and tells them with rawness and astuteness. Maddie is relatable and so easy to root for, and the story is compelling, vivid and beautifully told. A fantastic read transposed brilliantly into audio. thanks to Heather Agyepong's narration, I would highly recommend it.

“There is a right way, a preferred way, for each individual, to love and be loved by someone but there isn't only one way. I believe the difficulty of life has much to do with understanding and then navigating how the people you love both express and receive love themselves. It cannot be your responsibility, your burden, to reshape people into someone you'd like them to be. Ultimately, you must either accept a person for who they are, how they behave, how they express themselves emotionally, and find a healthy way to live with them, or let them go entirely. Either way, you must release vourself from that responsibility.'”

This book was definitely one of my most anticipated releases for 2023 and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I really liked the ease of the writing style of this one and the way it allowed us to get both the more likeable and less likeable characters. This book covers so much and at the heart of the story is the navigation of a dysfunctional family dynamic and it’s impacts on identity. I liked the balance of Maddie trying to find herself personally and trying to navigate being an ethnic minority professionally and the mistreatment that she faced. I loved the development of her character throughout and how she overcame each challenge with lessons learnt and more maturity. Cultural expectations and their impact was also extremely well explored in this one particularly around mental health and the role of a woman. Overall a really excellent debut!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

There is so much to say about this book. I am struggling to put my thoughts into words because this story is so beautiful, ugly, heartwarming, sad, as well as, eye opening and important.

Maddie, a young British Ghanaian woman, carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. Not only does she care for her sick father but also the financial burdens of the family. Her mother, who lives part time in Ghana, part time in England, and her brother who travels all over the world for work, do not provide the emotional, nor financial, assistance to help out. This is a heavy burden on Maddie who is trying to find her place in the world, both in her job and in her relationships.

Unfortunately Maddie not only needs to deal with the harsh treatment of the outwardly but also inwardly. Throughout the story Maddie comes to the realization she suffers from depression. Her low mood and low sense of self lead her to be in relationships where she is treated so poorly and disrespectfully that she believes all relationships to be this way, including those with her family. Maddie has no voice, or rather, no positive voice supporting her, until she does.

This is a powerful book. The reader has the opportunity to learn about culture, mental health, love, loss and hope. Even the story behind the title Maame is interesting and complex. Jessica George has written such a beautiful and passionate story you don’t want it to end. The characters are well developed and intriguing. I found myself invested in Maddie, wanting to see her be successful and happy. Also the narration by Heather Apyepong was engaging, soothing, and enhanced the characters. I am incredibly thankful to Hodder & Stoughton Audio, NetGalley and Jessica George for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review. I can’t recommend it enough!