Mamme

A Today Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club Pick A February Indie Next Pick

"George paints in bold, bright strokes [and] lets dark moments commingle with light ones. George shows the details and scope of life with such confidence and joie de vivre, it's easy to forget she's a first time novelist. By the end of Maame, Maddie still has questions and she's still curious, but she knows how to find what she needs in the real world. If that's not a modern hero's journey, I don't know what is." - The New York Times

"The voice of Maame is singular and interesting raw and new. On one page I was crying, yet on another page, I laughed hysterically." - Jenna Bush Hager, Today

"By turns tender and comic, this portrait of a young woman's journey to self understanding is triumphant." - People

"Her fresh, vulnerable voice speaks directly to readers, without hiding behind glibness or easy self assurance. George writes with a natural cadence that keeps the story engaging, her characters multidimensional, each of them deeply believable....Readers will be drawn into the peaks and troughs with this intrepid protagonist, feeling a sense of connection to and trust in her character. Maame isn't always an easy story to read, but it is always told with grace and compassion. As Maddie breaks through layers of family secrecy, it's a pleasure to watch her navigate the challenges of growth and growing up, to address what it means to be an adult and to live a full life." - The Washington Post

"George has fashioned an appealing hero here: You can't help but root for Maddie's emancipation. Funny, awkward, and sometimes painful, her blossoming is a real delight to witness. A fresh, often funny, always poignant take on the coming of age novel." - Kirkus (starred review)

"A pitch perfect debut The work's ample magnetism resides in the savvy portrayal of Maddie as a complicated, sharp, and vulnerable person who is trying to figure out adulthood. Readers will revel in this." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This evocative and, at times, gloriously messy coming of age story tackles enormous contemporary topics and issues Maame's clear, sharp eyed, detail focused, honest voice provides a consistent, compelling thread throughout the narrative... A thought provoking and enjoyable debut." - The Boston Globe

"Maame is a compelling, deeply moving novel anchored by George's charming, honest, and strikingly original voice." - Shondaland

"A vivacious debut." - Elle