Maame: The unique, unfiltered, unforgettable must-read debut of 2023
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By Jessica George
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1 review
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Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi, but in my case, it means woman.
What to say on a first date?
Back pain in your mid-20s normal?
Is it bad to cry at work?
% of young people who are also carers?
Meet Maddie Wright.
She wants to wear a bright yellow suit.
She wants to date men who her mother wouldn’t like.
She wants to stand up to her boss – once and for all.
She wants to know why her father can’t tell her he loves her.
She wants to stop Googling every life choice she makes.
But will the world let her?
This is a story of heartbreak, friendship, and breaking the rules – it’s a book that will leave you feeling braver than you were when you started.
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Reviews
Maame is a wonderful coming-of-age novel that really turns the genre on its head. Maddie has been forced to 'grow-up' and take on adult responsibilities too soon, without any of the freedom and fun (not to mention challenges) that people typically experience as they enter adulthood. She moves out for the first time, reinvents herself, begins dating, and makes friends. But at the same time she must navigate daily, micro-aggressions, along with grief, guilt, difficult and toxic relationships.
Maddie is incredibly easy to relate to. Jessica George brings her to life not only through the narrative voice but Maddie's text interactions with her friends and hilarious but highly relatable Google searches. The novel captures so perfectly what it is like to navigate life as a woman in your 20s, and it also really made me think about the experiences of young Black women, particularly in the workplace and in dating.
Maddie's story is a rollercoaster - it's deeply touching but always has an element of hope. George doesn't hold back with the difficulties Maddie faces, but they never weigh the novel down. Maame is a beautiful and incredibly engaging book about finding your way in life. I can't wait to see what George does next.
