Maame

I enjoyed this book. Maddie is an earnest, funny narrator (we're not supposed to quote from ARCs, but there are many examples I could cite - you'll know what I mean if you read it!). She struck me as both younger and older than 25 at different moments during the story: she's fairly guileless and naive, but shouldering some serious responsibility.

While she loves her dad, who is sick with Parkinson's, she's increasingly tired of being the only one living at home and contributing to his care.

Many of Maddie's early actions are (IMO) frustratingly passive to the point that they strained credulity, but Maame is a story of her growth and evolution. While I do think this book is predictable, I don't think that's necessarily the point - to paraphrase a cliche, it's all about the journey, not so much the destination.

Overall, I think this is a solid debut, and I look forward to reading more by Jessica George.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC.