Title: Maame by Jessica George
Book Beginnings quote: 
Additional quotes: Maame quotes on Goodreads
Summary:
It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.
When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it's not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils—and rewards—of putting her heart on the line.
Review: Before going to sleep last night I pondered which book I'd review for the Friday memes. Maame by Jessica George came to mind since I recently finished it on our big adventure holiday and haven't reviewed it yet. Then I stopped and wondered to myself: What was the book about? I couldn't remember much about it beyond the barest of outlines. Today I had to spend a little time refreshing my memory. That is not a good sign that I couldn't remember details having listened to it so recently. Then I remembered that I probably fell asleep as I listened to the audiobook and may have missed a whole hour midbook. Ha! Take my review with a grain of salt for that reason.
Maddie is a British-Ghanaian woman who has been left to care for her father with severe Parkinson's disease, while her mother lives abroad a year at a time, and a brother who can't be bothered to help. Her dating life is non-existent. She is lonely since her responsibilities at home keep her from having a social life. Then her mother returns from Ghana and she moves out to a shared home with two other women and suddenly she has to make social decisions she hasn't confronted before including where she stands on dating, sex, and alcohol use. Unfortunately she discovers that freedom isn't all what is best for her. She is often the only Black woman in the room and finds herself in situations where she learns that just because a white man dates a Black woman doesn't keep him from being a racist.
Maame is a very NOW story about how we live in a world of mixed messages. Our families share their values, but sometimes those values seem to squelch dreams or are only fair to males not females. Maame wanted friends and so she participated in activities that left her feeling less and less like herself.
In the end, she finds herself standing up for herself and what she wants in work, at home, and in her social life. By the end of the book we feel proud of the growth that Maddie makes in her own life.
As I was looking for quotes from Maame, I had to look on-line since I don't have a physical copy. I was blown away by the nature and quality of the quotes. Clearly I missed a lot of thoughtful dialogue listening to the book (when I was asleep.) Take a look at those quotes on the link I've provided above.
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