Maame

Meet Madeleine Wright.  She's the central character in Jessica George's novel Maame (#1,119).  Maddie is twenty-five, works at a dead end job she hates, but can't afford to give up, and still lives in central London with her father.  She longs to be free to live her own life, but Maddie is responsible enough to know she can't step away.  Her dad has Parkinson's and she's his main caretaker.  Her older brother isn't around much, except to ask her for money, and their mother lives mainly in Ghana, taking care of family property there.  To add another layer to Maddie's issues, she's usually the only black person in her workplaces, so she can never be sure if the snubs directed at her are normal for lower echelon workers, or if it's related to race.  To say her family is dysfunctional is a mild understatement!  Her mother, when she arrives from Ghana, tries to take over everything - her father's care, Maddie's bank account and her love life.

The day she is fired from her job starts a chain of events that change Maddie's outlook on life as she moves out into an apartment with roommates, begins dating (after eight years!), finds a new job and with it begins to sense what her future could hold.

Maddie is so clearly the underdog of her own story that she immediately has you rooting for her.  You'll recognize yourself in many of the cringe-worthy situations she finds herself in, but that makes her oh so relatable.  Keep a tissue handy while you read Maame, but know that there's a light at the end of the tunnel.  A very satisfying read, and highly recommended.