Jessica George

 Jessica George

Many diverse writers with Black ethnicity create stories that relate to their experiences dealing with topics such as racism, prejudice, poverty, and other traumatic events in one's life. Jessica George, a new and talented writer, created stories that are based on events she has experienced in her life, relating to the struggles of being a Black woman in society. 

Jessica George (3) 

Author Biography

Born in London, Jessica George was raised by her Ghanaian parents. She started her writing career at Sheffield University, where she majored in English Literature. At the time, George wasn't thrilled about having a degree in English Literature, but felt that her degree would mean she could get a job anywhere. She began writing during her free time because it was something she always enjoyed doing in school. Her interest in writing turned into something that would spark a successful start to her career. In 2021, George began writing a novel that would soon be talked about across the world. After being rejected 5 times by publishers, George thought she would never reach success with her novel. Simon states, "George had gotten so used to hearing no that by the time he sent out her sixth novel, Maame, her expectations were basically nonexistent" (4). George's novel, Maame, became incredibly dear to her own heart. Simon states, "George, the British daughter of Ghanaian immigrants herself, based some of Maddie's life on her own experiences as a 25 year old, specially the overwhelming responsibility of caring for her ailing father" (4). George is very open about the struggles she dealt with as a young adult, such as taking care of her father with Parkinson's disease. This experience was very emotional to George, which is why she incorporated her father-daughter relationship into her character's father-daughter dynamic. Being born to Ghanaian parents, she incorporated her own struggles that dealt with the reality of having immigrant parents. After having many doubts about this novel, George quickly rose to fame. This novel sparked the opinions of many people, while making it on the bestseller lists of North America. George's novel, Maame, has made her into a billionaire. Her success paves the way for other writers who have gone through challenging times, while shining an importance on the experiences a person of color has dealt with. 

Maame

Becoming a bestseller, it's no secret that George's novel, Maame, inspired many people. The novel highlights a 25 year old who was born to Ghanaian parents while living in London. She deals with problems related to having immigrant parents, sex life, and mental health issues. The main character, Maddie, has dreams of fulfilling a successful career, but struggles with being the primary caregiver of her father with Parkinson's disease. While fully taking care of her father, Maddie's mother hops between London and Ghana to visit family. Maddie struggles with a loss of identity after being pulled in different directions from work, family life, and her own love life. Strick states, "Maddie's struggles with her family are interspersed with relatable scenes from flatmate nights out of painful sexual encounters, which is perhaps what makes Maame so real" (5). The novel also highlights the issue of being the only black person in a predominantly white setting, which is something George has struggled with in her life. 

Maame by Jessica George (2)

Literary Reviews of Maame

With Maame becoming so popular to the modern-day society, it is safe to say that the reviews were very well written. Many people were satisfied with the writing techniques George used for the novel because it showed the struggles she dealt with through the main character. According to Egan in The New York Times, "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" (2). Many people were impressed with George's ability to write her first novel at an expert's level. The maturity shown throughout her writing was something that did not get overlooked. According to the Washington Post, "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" (1). This review highlights the real-life struggles that George's character has gone through, and how being a young adult during those times calls for self love. 

Personal Reflection

When researching Jessica George for the first time, I was interested in getting to know more about her story. From looking into her background, I was impressed at the level of maturity she displayed at a young age. Being only 18 years old, I can't imagine the struggles George dealt with during a time when you are just starting to figure out your life, and what you want for yourself. The comparisons between George and Maame's main character, Maddie, were very intriguing. The father-daughter dynamic that George and Maddie both struggled with was heartbreaking. I believe she incorporated that element into her story to show the significance of how caring for someone else can affect your own mental health. With George being a diverse writer, she highlighted the racial inequalities that still exist today, as well as the struggles of being the only Black person in a room full of white people. Many people often think that racism does not exist in today's society, but George conveyed the discrimination that still exists in the modern world. I was fascinated to learn that, although being rejected 5 times, she became a billionaire in the span of 2 years. George's background story shows that failure only leads to success. Her story has inspired myself, as well as many others. 

Works Cited

(1) Abu-Jaber, Diana. “Maame by Jessica George Book Review - The Washington Post.” In “Maame,” a Dependable Daughter Finally Gets to Live Her Own Life, 8 Feb. 2023, www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/02/08/maame-book-club-review/. 

(2) Egan, Elisabeth. “A Quarter-Life Crisis Handled with Grace and Guts.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Jan. 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/01/29/books/review/maame-jessica-george.html. 

(3) “Jessica George: Authors: Macmillan.” Macmillan Publishers, us.macmillan.com/author/jessicageorge. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024. 

(4) Simon, Rachel. “In ‘Maame,’ Author Jessica George Is Embracing Her Voice.” Shondaland, 7 Feb. 2023, www.shondaland.com/inspire/books/a42778947/in-maame-author-jessica-george-is-embracing-her-voice/. 

(5) Strick, Katie. “Millionaire at 26: How Jessica George’s Novel Maame Became the Hottest Debut of 2023.” Evening Standard, Evening Standard, 13 Feb. 2023, www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/jessica-george-author-millionaire-new-novel-maame-b1058577.html.