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A review by bklassen
Maame by Jessica George
emotional
hopeful
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
I will admit, the first 50 pages or so did not grip me, and I thought it was going to be a rather formulaic chick lit style book with the tried and true plot points of a late bloomer coming into her own. There’s nothing wrong with those books, something I think I should make abundantly clear. However, I sometimes find myself looking for something deeper, something that resonates and makes me feel something.
Thankfully, Maame more than delivered. There is so much packed in this book: life as a black woman living in a predominantly white society, dating as a black woman, grief, trauma, people pleasing, dating mishaps, boundaries, feeling both isolated from and by your culture, relationships (friends, family, romantic, roommates, etc), and more.
This book is less of a romance novel and more of Maddie (called Maame by her family) figuring out who she is, what she wants, and how to get it. At the beginning of the book, Maddie almost doesn’t feel like a full character, but you later come to realize that it’s because she has hidden so much of herself away to make life easier for everyone else. Eventually, the true Maddie emerges as she experiences a series of firsts to varying degrees of success. I especially loved the inclusion of therapy and Maddie’s emerging personality as she wades through her experiences that made her lock away her true thoughts and feelings.
Absolutely incredible and highly worth the read, especially if any of this resonates with you!
Thankfully, Maame more than delivered. There is so much packed in this book: life as a black woman living in a predominantly white society, dating as a black woman, grief, trauma, people pleasing, dating mishaps, boundaries, feeling both isolated from and by your culture, relationships (friends, family, romantic, roommates, etc), and more.
This book is less of a romance novel and more of Maddie (called Maame by her family) figuring out who she is, what she wants, and how to get it. At the beginning of the book, Maddie almost doesn’t feel like a full character, but you later come to realize that it’s because she has hidden so much of herself away to make life easier for everyone else. Eventually, the true Maddie emerges as she experiences a series of firsts to varying degrees of success. I especially loved the inclusion of therapy and Maddie’s emerging personality as she wades through her experiences that made her lock away her true thoughts and feelings.
Absolutely incredible and highly worth the read, especially if any of this resonates with you!