Maame

THE debut of 2023. A blisteringly funny, heartbreaking novel about twenty-something British Ghanaian Maddie as she grapples with identity, love, loss, and becoming the woman she wants to be - for fans of Chewing Gum, Such a Fun Age and Queenie.

A blisteringly funny, heartbreaking coming-of-age debut about identity, love, loss, and becoming the woman you want to be.

'Lively, funny, poignant . . . Prepare to fall in love with Maddie. I did!'
BONNIE GARMUS, Sunday Times bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

'Utterly charming and deeply moving . . . Maddie's journey will resonate with anyone who's had to grow up - or who's still trying to'
CELESTE NG, New York Times bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere

'I loved every page of this beautiful, heartwarming, empowering book. An exceptional debut from an incredibly exciting new talent'
BETH O'LEARY, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Flatshare

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Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi, but in my case, it means woman.

Meet Maddie Wright.

All her life, she's been told who she is. To her Ghanaian parents, she's Maame: the one who takes care of the family. Her mum's stand-in. The primary carer for her father, who suffers from Parkinson's. The one who keeps the peace - and the secrets.

It's time for her to speak up.

When she finally gets the chance to leave home, Maddie is determined to become the kind of woman she wants to be. One who wears a bright yellow suit, dates men who definitely aren't on her mum's list of prospective husbands, and stands up to her boss's microaggressions. Someone who doesn't have to google all her life choices.

But when tragedy strikes, Maddie is forced to face the risks - and rewards - of putting her heart on the line.

But will it take losing everything to find her voice?

As blisteringly funny and achingly relatable as its heroine, MAAME is an unforgettable coming-of-age story about finally finding where you belong.