Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Maame by Jessica George

198 reviews

miahenry's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really loved Maame, the book and the young woman. 

Maame, the character, is so rich, her struggles are relatable even though her circumstances are specific and she is so young. I usually have a hard time relating to stories of twentysomething’s coming-of-age, but Maame’s honesty and confusion made me look back on my younger self with compassion. Also, since she had to grow up so fast, it felt like she was both very young and very old, which made me want to just hug her. I also felt very protective of her, as maybe I would myself.

The writing style makes this a swift, but not an easy read.  Maame narrates her life in a way that is both distant and self-aware. It includes text message exchanges that help us get to know other characters and her google searches for (often conflicting) guidance on her problems, the results of which were hilarious and sad and real. 

All of the characters were well drawn and complex enough. We see Maame navigate friendship, romance, and family relationships the way we all have to at some point, with messy boundaries and later learning who to keep and who to let go. 

Maame’s role as a caregiver elevates the quality of this read because I feel like the emotions and sense of responsibility tied to this part of her identity is handled with such beautiful and respectful nuance. 

Also after really rooting for Maame for most of the book, I found the final chapters deeply satisfying. This is a strong work of literary fiction that I deeply enjoyed, an impressive debut novel I highly recommend. It’s really a 4.5. 
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lisettemarie's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective sad

4.75

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emstewart23's review against another edition

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5.0

Wow what an emotional read. I really enjoyed this and am glad to have read it after having it on my radar for a while. The experiences of this character were so raw and realistic without feeling forced, and she beautifully weaved humor and emotion. This definitely is more character driven than I usually read and I really enjoyed following her development. The audio was really enjoyable. Definitely check trigger warnings prior to reading. Great read!
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karlymarcy's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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luciavioleta's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

While this book had a very intriguing plot with many loveable and well-rounded characters, the writing voice wasn't my cup of tea. I still really enjoyed it though and was totally rooting for Maddie! 

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randeerebecca's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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samanthabryan34's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A coming-of-age story that follows Maddie as she navigates the grief that comes with losing a loved one, while touching on topics of racism, Ghanaian culture, and mental health. I did like it, especially because of how it stems from the author’s own life experiences, but I don’t think any part of it really stands out to give it more than three stars.
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mybestfriendisabook's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

felt for the MC in the overthinking especially surrounding dating omg! on being the daughter of the family, perhaps the eldest, caring for a dying parent, grief, and doing new things in your 20s like working, moving out, dating, going out, and friendships. i was rooting for her!
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lucymbriggs's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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aftereliza's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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