Maame by Jessica George
.ePUB, 320 pages
Expected Publication: 31 Jan 2023
By: St. Martin's Press
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About The Book:
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.
My Review:
I don’t know what will happen when Mum returns to Ghana,
but I have a year at least, a year to find out what all the fuss is about.
What I liked about this book was how much I loved the main character Maddie. Her internal dialogue shows a mature young woman who is wise beyond her years in so many ways and immature for her age in so many others. She is also unabashedly human and oh-so-funny. She has two good friends who have her back and are wonderful side characters. I loved how fierce they were and how they helped and stood up for Maddie.
This is impeccable storytelling, in every sense of the word, with themes of family dynamics, sexuality, race, feminism, and growing as a person as well as up. I hated Maddie's mom, and on a smaller scale her brother, with a passion. Her mother was absent, condescending, and just plain rude. Although she has her reasons, to me they just weren't good enough and came across as excuses.
I enjoyed so much about this wonderfully written, heartfelt, and captivating story. I really loved being on Maddie's journey. What a wonderful debut. I can't wait to see what Ms. George comes up with next!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
#NetGalley
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