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A review by helenecats
Maame by Jessica George
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? It's complicated
5.0
What was the last character you got attached to or wish you could meet in real life? For me, it was Maame, the daughter of Ghanaian immigrants, living in London. Jessica George portrayed her with her flaws - naivete; trying to people please; overreliance on Google for the big questions - and qualities: caring, kind, smart, funny, patient.
I think this book managed to do what The Other Black Girl didn't. It is an honest account of a young Black woman navigating white spaces in London, especially the publishing industry.
Reading about her dating life was also heartbreaking and funny at once. I appreciated the inclusion of queer characters, even though it could have been explored a bit more… But after all, this is Maame's story, which I suspect is autobiographical in some aspects.
This book made me smile, laugh, cry in public, and think. It tackled various themes such as family, friendship, love, discrimination, grief, mental health, and finding your path at work. I think this will firmly be in my top 5 books of 2023. I can't believe this is a debut novel!
Thank you NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. At time of writing I can see that the average rating of this book on NetGalley is 5 stars. This is rare.
TL; DR: Go read it! Then come back to discuss it with me 😊
I think this book managed to do what The Other Black Girl didn't. It is an honest account of a young Black woman navigating white spaces in London, especially the publishing industry.
Reading about her dating life was also heartbreaking and funny at once. I appreciated the inclusion of queer characters, even though it could have been explored a bit more… But after all, this is Maame's story, which I suspect is autobiographical in some aspects.
This book made me smile, laugh, cry in public, and think. It tackled various themes such as family, friendship, love, discrimination, grief, mental health, and finding your path at work. I think this will firmly be in my top 5 books of 2023. I can't believe this is a debut novel!
Thank you NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. At time of writing I can see that the average rating of this book on NetGalley is 5 stars. This is rare.
TL; DR: Go read it! Then come back to discuss it with me 😊