Maame

‘Maame' means woman in Twi, a nickname given to protagonist Maddie by her Ghanaian family, and one that's all too true as from a young age she is the primary caregiver to a father with Parkinson's. This coming of age novel juggles plenty of themes as 25 year old Maddie moves out from home and deals with the ways in which she was forced to grow up too quickly while in other ways, she is (seemingly) falling behind.

Race, sexuality, depression, family conflict and guilt are all deftly handled in this charming novel, and the tenderness that Jessica George feels towards Maddie is clearly felt on every page, and by extension is felt by the reader. Leastways, it certainly worked on me.

My main issue with this is that Maddie's conflicts are all external. Her own issues are derived from the way in which the world and people around her behave, rather than any precise character flaws she possesses. For example, one moment in which she has an emotional outburst to flatmates, which becomes a main point of contention in their respective relationships, is somewhat dampened by the fact that this outburst... is clearly understandable once things simmer down. It's a moment of upset and high emotion, sure, but in context it's also all external pressure. Much of the novel seemed to me to operate in this way, and in that sense it all seemed to wrap up too neatly and tidily.

Nevertheless this is a debut novel that shows such compassion and warmth, and certainly recommended for people who enjoy coming of age stories. I'm very aware that what is an issue for me, will certainly be a pro for others!