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martapsalvado's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Medical content, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Suicide, and Alcohol
jourdanicus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Maddie as a character is naive in a way that toed the line of believability for me sometimes, esp cially for a gen Z/millennial with the lived experience of being Black in a colonial country. However, the way the themes of racism, misogyny, and sexuality were included is perfect for readers who might be newer to those topics and interested in diversifying their reading.
I did find Maddie relatable in a lot of ways too. The characters and the story were sweet without being saccharine. The plot was a little slow to build, but the second half/third was worth it.
For better or worse, the real life experiences of the author really came through in the story, and I think this book is a well-executed answer to the prompt of "write what you know."
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Dementia
Minor: Biphobia, Drug use, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Medical content, and Alcohol
nanirump's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Moderate: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Classism
aksmith92's review against another edition
- 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
The setup: This book follows Maddie Wright, also known as Maame, to her Ghanaian mother. We meet Maddie when she is living with and taking care of her father, who unfortunately was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's. He needs full-time care, and Maddie seems to be the only one stepping up to help. Even though her parents are technically married, Maddie's mother is off in Ghana helping her family's business, and her brother lives a somewhat lavish lifestyle in the music industry. Maddie is working at a local theater that is very uninspiring and is taking care of her dad. Because of this, she realized she had forgotten to grow up. So, when her mother makes her way back to London for her usual visits, Maddie decides that it is time to reinvent herself and become the 25-year-old woman that she actually is. She moves out and tries to make a life for herself.
We witness Maddie navigate a career, friendships, relationships, grief, and mental illness. The story follows her in an almost coming-of-age story, even though she is already "grown up." She spends a lot of time Googling things and trying to be something she is not, which we can all relate to as we grow up. Maame intertwines family ties, dating, and meeting new people, all while threading it to her father's illness and what it means to be maame (woman).
What I loved: Everything! This novel showcased storytelling at its finest. Maddie seems to be a soft, fragile character, but we learn just how resilient she could be. I loved learning about Maddie and then watching her go through the stages of life quite quickly. Maame just hits with fantastic character development. I felt like I was standing by Maddie's side, watching her go through happiness, adventures, and grief. As someone who most certainly didn't come from a Ghanaian family, I also thoroughly enjoyed learning a bit about the culture and understanding some of the nuances of family in Ghana. Her unique situation and complicated relationship with her family members were incredible to read about. I just really loved how we watched Maddie go from sad to happy to depressed to not sure. It was highly relatable yet still nuanced. I also loved her friendships with Nia and Shu and messy conversations with her mother.
Anything not so good? Nothing for me. I loved this for the storytelling, learning about a culture, and someone's unique situation. I would imagine that some folks might think this errs on the side of YA because we are watching a 25-year-old live her life for the first time, but I think that whole "coming of age" thing was done well. I've also seen some folks say that they didn't love all the Google searches in the narrative, but I loved them and found them funny and quirky. I laughed out loud at some of them and then Maddie's response to the responses. However, to each their own.
Overall, I just had such a good time with this book; it made me feel all the feels. Getting to know Maddie, her friends, and her family along the way was an absolute delight. I'm looking forward to reading more from Jessica George.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, and Medical content
murve's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Biphobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Sexual harassment
beetandbaguette's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
kimveach's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism
kayladaila's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Biphobia, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol
thirdeyeangel23's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Biphobia, Racism, and Gaslighting
bella_cavicchi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Biphobia, Drug use, and Alcohol