In her debut novel Maame, Jessica George does a fantastic job at bringing readers an insightful look into the inner workings of a Ghanaian family separated by time, borders, and beliefs.

Madeleine “Maddie” Wright is the twenty-five-year-old daughter of Ghanaian immigrants living in London. She’s her father’s primary caretaker, who is in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease. Her brother provides little to no financial assistance. Her mother spends alternate years running a hostel in Ghana, returning every other year or so to give some relief.

At the book’s opening, Maddie finds herself at a dead-end administrative job. Her mom’s return to London puts Maddie on a new path. She suggests to Maddie that she move out and begin a life on her own.

Maddie embarks on a search for a new flat that fits her budget. Shortly after she signs the lease, she’s fired from her job. Maddie panics, applying to as many editorial assistant jobs as possible.

Maddie is unsure of herself. She is a young woman burdened by familial responsibility from a young age, encouraged by her mother to keep her struggles to herself. Her childhood nickname “Maame” means woman, or the responsible one, in Twi. The nickname came with its own burdens, enabling her family to pile on responsibility and project their troubles without regard for the long-term effects on her psyche.

Maddie spirals out of control when tragedy strikes. It seems like her whole life up to this point rested on her ability to hold it all together – the pressure, the stress, the worries – and it all crumbles down around her in the tragedy’s aftermath.

With the support of her friends, a new workplace, and a therapist, Maddie works through her panic attacks and self-doubt to create opportunities for herself that she never believed she deserved. By the end of the book, readers will find that Maddie finds her place in the world.

In her debut novel Maame, Jessica George does a fantastic job at bringing readers an insightful look into the inner workings of a Ghanaian family separated by time, borders, and beliefs.

Madeleine “Maddie” Wright is the twenty-five-year-old daughter of Ghanaian immigrants living in London. She’s her father’s primary caretaker, who is in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease. Her brother provides little to no financial assistance. Her mother spends alternate years running a hostel in Ghana, returning every other year or so to give some relief.

At the book’s opening, Maddie finds herself at a dead-end administrative job. Her mom’s return to London puts Maddie on a new path. She suggests to Maddie that she move out and begin a life on her own.

Maddie embarks on a search for a new flat that fits her budget. Shortly after she signs the lease, she’s fired from her job. Maddie panics, applying to as many editorial assistant jobs as possible.

Maddie is unsure of herself. She is a young woman burdened by familial responsibility from a young age, encouraged by her mother to keep her struggles to herself. Her childhood nickname “Maame” means woman, or the responsible one, in Twi. The nickname came with its own burdens, enabling her family to pile on responsibility and project their troubles without regard for the long-term effects on her psyche.

Maddie spirals out of control when tragedy strikes. It seems like her whole life up to this point rested on her ability to hold it all together – the pressure, the stress, the worries – and it all crumbles down around her in the tragedy’s aftermath.

With the support of her friends, a new workplace, and a therapist, Maddie works through her panic attacks and self-doubt to create opportunities for herself that she never believed she deserved. By the end of the book, readers will find that Maddie finds her place in the world.