Wonderfully funny yet packing a definite emotional punch, George's luminous debut about a modern woman desperately trying to break free from the shackles of her Ghanian parents' expectations is perfect reading for fans of Bonnie Garmus and Candice Carty-Williams.
Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi, but in my case, it means woman.
Meet Maddie. All her life, she's been told who she is. To her Ghanaian parents, she's Maame: the one who takes care of the family. Her mum's stand-in. The primary carer for her father, who suffers from Parkinson's. She's the responsible sister, the quiet friend. The one who keeps the peace - and the secrets.
It's time for her to speak up.
Maddie knows what kind of woman she wants to be. One who wears a bright yellow suit, dates men who definitely aren't on her mum's list of prospective husbands, and stands up to her boss's microaggressions. Someone who doesn't have to google all her life choices. Who demands a seat at the table. But will it take losing everything to find her voice?
Unique, unfiltered and unforgettable, Maame is a deeply moving, achingly funny debut about finally finding where you belong.
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 9781529395570
Number of pages: 400
Weight: 620 g
Dimensions: 238 x 164 x 38 mm
'One of the must-reads of the year' - Sunday Times
Tender and compelling from the word go, Maame is one of the year's most anticipated books . . . Very funny and utterly readable, this is one for your reading lists' - Stylist
Jessica George's Maame has a warmer, frothier take on family matters. The book follows 20-something British Ghanaian Maddie, who has spent years as a carer for her father and the breadwinner for her family, as she breaks free of doing what's expected of her - Vogue
A poignant and heart-warming coming of age story - Red Magazine
A must-read for 2023 - Belfast Telegraph
This sparkling and poignant coming-of-age novel is going to be huge - Fabulous, Sun on Sunday
A funny coming-of-age novel. When Maddie Wright is presented with the opportunity to leave her traditional Ghanaian home to become the type of woman she has always dreamt of being, she leaps into her new life. However, tragedy then strikes, leaving Maddie forced to consider what she's sacrificing - Huffington Post UK
Maame will have you laughing, crying, and rooting for the protagonist the whole way - Pop Sugar
George's novel is a deeply moving one, packed with heart and sparkling prose - Harper's Bazaar
Moving, funny, poignant and completely unforgettable, you'll love this beautiful coming of age tale about a young woman on a journey to discover the real her' - My Weekly
George has fashioned an appealing hero here: You can't help but root for Maddie's emancipation. Funny, awkward, and sometimes painful, her blossoming is a real delight to witness. A fresh, often funny, always poignant take on the coming-of-age novel - Kirkus starred review
George illustrates the complexities of navigating two cultures and rising from the pressure of other people's expectations beautifully. This is a clever and deeply moving debut - Booklist
A pitch-perfect debut...The work's ample magnetism resides in the savvy portrayal of Maddie as a complicated, sharp, and vulnerable person who is trying to figure out adulthood. Readers will revel in this. - Publishers Weekly
An exciting and emotionally charged debut... Every word is a gem. You will fall in love with Maddie's character as she sets out to find her way in the world via nightmare bosses, passive-aggressive flatmates, questionable men and online dating. A really heart-warming tale of redemption and self-discovery - The i paper
It's impossible not to champion Maddie from the start of this fantastic debut... A truly remarkable debut. Powerful, poignant and downright heart-breaking in parts - My Weekly
Jessica George's first novel is a compassionate portrait of a young woman caught between cultures, and a moving look at how grief can undo you. Maddie is a charming mix of innocence and world-weariness; you end up rooting for her to find her place in the world - Times
An accomplished debut from a talented writer - Prima
Warm and heartfelt, this tender coming-of-age novel will have you rooting for her through it all. - Marie Claire
This coming-of-age story is witty, poignant and inspiring - Elle
Pick of the Week: We root for her through triumphs and tears in this funny tale - The Sun
A moving, funny story about finally finding out where you truly belong - Cosmopolitan
The hot debut - Grazia
A resonant and engaging debut from Jessica George, we absolutely loved Maddie's mature voice as she deals with challenges at this potent time in her life - Magic Book Club
A coming of age tale with a perfectly imperfect protagonist, Maame holds a mirror up to the lives of Black British women anxiously treading the tightrope of our twenties, with little to lean on and much to learn - AZ Magazine
Irresistibly charming, this story of a later bloomer shows us that we all find our stride in life when we are meant to, even if it's not when the rest of the world expects us to. Maame left me with a huge smile and a full heart! - Mikki Brammer
This book will make you laugh and cry but you'll be rooting for Maame all the way - Stylist
If you are going to fall in love with a character in 2023 let it be Maame.
We follow Maddie’s journey which is full of tenderness, humour and pure heart-breaking emotion. She navigates family troubles, flat share,...
More
I finished reading Maame a few days ago and it instantly became one of my favourite books!
It's sort of a coming-of-age story but the protagonist is a late-bloomer. We meet Maddie when she's 25 and...
More
An enchanting debut, and can already tell this will be a read of 2023.
Maddie's life is complicated- she googles nearly everything and has many life changes in a short space of time. Her family life is...
More
Please sign in to write a review
Would you like to proceed to the App store to download the Waterstones App?
