Maame

Maame is a contemporary fiction novel written by debut novelist Jessica George and published by St. Martin’s Press in 2023. It tells the coming-of-age story of a young woman named Maddie who navigates career struggles, family drama, multicultural identity, and her own desires. Inspired by George’s own life as a Ghanaian British woman and a former editor in the publishing world, Maame incorporates contemporary cultural and romantic tropes to tell the story of a woman who is on the road to liberating her true self. Maame is a New York Times bestseller and a selection for the Read With Jenna Book Club.

This guide utilizes the Martin’s Press Amazon Kindle edition (2023).

Content Warning: This novel discusses and depicts mental health issues such as depression and panic attacks, as well as racism. It also includes a brief mention of suicide in Chapter 42.

Plot Summary

Maddie Wright is 25 years old. She works as a personal assistant at a theater and lives with her father so she can take care of him as he has Parkinson’s disease. Her brother, James, has his own life, and their mother is in Ghana running a business. Maddie is responsible for her family financially and emotionally.