The author touches on a lot of heavy topics but it also felt like Maddie just went through it all. At 25 and the primary carer for her frail father, it was hard to believe she could be so naive. With her Mother partly living in Ghana, Maddie turns to Google for absolutely every question in her life. I understand a reason for this could be that Maddie was conditioned by her Mother to never talk to others about personal matters, so this was Maddie's way of seeking that connection. It was funny at first but then got a bit silly when she would rely on it for the most mundane questions and things a 25 yr old woman living in a modern world should know.

I can't go without saying how much I despised her mother The nagging and unrelenting pressure she put on Maddie to "find a husband" is archaic and came across as a means of securing financial support for herself rather than for her daughter's well being and happiness. Though, I connected with Maddie being the youngest & left to support everyone else, I must say the light shone on Ghanaian culture depicted by mostly Maddie's mother, didn't seem like a positive one.

I do think Maame is a great coming-of-age story that would suit the YA genre a bit more. Overall, I was touched and pulled in different directions with this book. The struggles of a young woman giving up her life to aid her ailing father while processing the reality of a "part-time mother was beautifully written and truly felt.

But, what confused me the most was how Maddie seemed to have evolved rather quickly the moment she moved out of home. It just felt a bit disingenuous.

In saying that though, I know a few of the ladies in my bookclub have rated Maame 5 stars, so not only will there be a lot to talk about when we catch up, but there is every chance you will love and experience this book differently to me.

*Thank you to the team at @hachetteaus for this #gifted copy