Lisa Genova is definitely the author to read when reading a book about mental health issues. In this book, Maddy is a 19 year old who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It is a heart-gripping yet informative read. I got such insight into this disorder that would have helped me years ago when I had a 17 year old student wh0 confided a lot in me about her disorder. Her mom wasn't in her life and she really felt drawn to me. My point is, so much of what happened to Maddy, spending thousands of dollars on a whim, sleeping around, going off meds and feeling fine and more happened with my ex-student and I believe this book would help loved ones understand someone living with this disorder.

One comment that really hit me was saying that people are said to be "manic" or "she's bipolar" rather than she HAS bipolar; yet, nobody says things such as "she's cancer" which made sense to me because the disorder doesn't define who a person is.

I highly recommend reading this book, especially if you are someone living with or who cares about a person who has this disorder. I also think it's good book to read if you're living with bipolar disorder,

Lisa Genova’s heart-wrenching masterpiece More or Less Maddy is the must-read book of the year. This is the story of a college student whose emotions- and actions- begin to spiral out of control. Her lows are all-consuming and her highs are manic. When Maddy starts to struggle, she can barely get out of bed and drag herself into the shower. But when Maddy is flying high, she truly believes that she is writing Taylor Swift’s authorized biography and creating Netflix’s next big comedy special.

After a deeply traumatic episode, Maddy is hospitalized and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This news shocks Maddy and her family to their core. Her family loves her but they don’t know how to help her without making her feel like she’s in prison. Maddy desperately wants to pursue her dream of performing stand-up comedy but she can’t go anywhere without her mother’s constant surveillance. Everyone thinks that Maddy’s comedic aspirations are an indication that she’s becoming manic again, but what they don’t understand is that she’s funny…. REALLY funny. She’s also a talented performer but every time it seems like she’s about to get her lucky break, one obstacle or another jumps in her path and derails Maddy’s plans.

I have never had my heart broken and put back together so many times in the course of one book. Lisa Genova has created an unforgettable portrait of a resilient young woman who tries -and fails- and tries again to battle the mental illness that is working so hard to destroy her wellbeing.

I’m so grateful to NetGalley for this ARC of More or Less Maddy.

This book offers a deeply authentic portrayal of mental health struggles, providing readers with a fresh perspective on the experiences of someone diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Lisa Genova masterfully draws you into Maddy’s world, capturing her journey as she navigates the challenges of coping with her diagnosis while striving to lead a normal life despite the weight of stigma.

As usual, Lisa Genova hits it out of the park. There are so many people who are living Bi-Polar and this book is a must read for those who love them and are trying to understand what that means. Her writing style brings you right into the head of someone who is experiencing manic episodes. Even though it's fiction, it is so well-researched, that it really helps the reader understand.

I’ve long been a fan of Lisa Genova’s books and her newest novel, More or Less Maddy, is my favorite read of the year so far.

Genova uses this latest novel to examine bi-polar disorder. It centers on Maggie, a young college student whose boyfriend has broken up with her and who is realizing she doesn’t want to follow the traditional path her family expects. What she does want is to be a stand up comedian. What first looks like a simple case of the blues soon morphs and devolves to a deep depression and later into full blown manic psychosis. All Maggie knows is that she feels great! She is accomplishing so much- working on her Netflix comedy special to writing a book about Taylor Swift. Surely Taylor will be thrilled. She obviously needs to go see her. Taylor would expect it. And clothes- she needs new clothes. Her mother will understand the $30,000 she charged on the credit card.

What Genova does so effectively here is make you seem like you are in Maddy’s mind. Her rapid thoughts that jump from one place to another. Her lethargy, as she sinks into a depression so deep she borders on catatonic, the reader experiences Maddy’s descent on a visceral level. The reader also comes to love and care and root deeply for Maddy. And yes, this is heavy subject matter, but it also has some levity and a sense of humor, because Maddy is funny! She has a unique perspective and the genius of her comedic gift shines through. If only she can get a hold on this disease. I loved this book. It made me laugh and cry and feel. Lisa Genova has done it again. Thank you to @netgalley and @gallerybooks for this arc.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maddy Banks is a young college student who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is set on having a normal life as a stand up comic. This book is full of laughs, but a lot of other emotions as she and her family learn to deal and manage her diagnosis. This is a great read for anyone, especially those who are affected or have been affected by mental illness in their friends and family.

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More or Less Maddy is an amazing read. Maddy is a college student and is struggling following a recent break up with her boyfriend. When Maddy goes to the student health center she gets an anti depressant and before you know it, Maddy is launched into a manic period.
The novel follows Maddy and her family during their journey to understand bipolar. The shame, denial and finally acceptance on behalf of Maddy and her family is real.
This is an emotional read. I loved the book!

Lisa Genova knows how to pull a reader right in, but I always learn something when I read her books! It was a roller coaster ride as any diagnosis would be. The emotions were high and my empathy was off the charts for Maddy! I loved this book. I flew through it. Thank you NetGalley, I loved this one!

Lisa Genova always has a heroine that is strong but has a flaw. Maddy is no different and offers insight to bipolar conditions and triggers Maddy Banks is just like any other stressed-out freshman at NYU. Between schoolwork, exams, navigating life in the city, and a recent breakup, it’s normal to be feeling overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that she’s always felt like the odd one out in her picture-perfect Connecticut family. But Maddy’s latest low is devastatingly low, and she goes on an antidepressant. She begins to feel good, dazzling in fact, and she soon spirals high into a wild and terrifying mania that culminates in a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
As she struggles to find her way in this new reality, navigating the complex effects bipolar has on her identity, her relationships, and her life dreams, Maddy will have to figure out how to manage being both too much and not enough.

There is no one who writes about the mental challenges of one’s own health decline the way Lisa Genova does.

“I don’t think anybody should feel bad if they get diagnosed with a mental illness because it’s just information about you that helps you know how to take better care of yourself.” —Taylor Tomlinson

Captivated by her writing years ago with Still Alice, I knew I needed to read More or Less Maddy as soon as it released. And I did. I was mesmerized, heartbroken, and taken along for the harrowing journey of finding out your entire life is no longer what it seemed.

In her newest release, Lisa has us follow Maddy as she experiences some low lows and some high highs, only to his rock bottom and eventually learn that she has a new diagnosis: bipolar disorder.

Being inside the head of someone going through this struggle is enlightening. It’s a mix of seeing how detrimental it can be to one’s life while also noting how subtle—and also how swift—the swings of the disorder can come and go. How some triggers can be part of daily life while others are a true tell.

As someone who was diagnosed far too young with a life-altering chronic illness, the following quote has stuck with me since the moment I read it:

“She’s barely a real person, not old enough to legally buy beer or rent a car. Only a toe into adulthood, her frontal lobe not fully developed, she still thinks of herself as a kid, still calls herself a girl, and imagines it’ll be years before she could ever comfortably refer to herself as a woman. She’s still forming, deciding who she is. She hasn’t even declared a major. She hasn’t chosen anything yet. But this chose her. Without her consent, like an arranged marriage, till death do they part. She wants an annulment, a divorce, an open window onto a fire escape, a new doctor, a time machine. Some way out of this.”

If you’ve never read a book by Lisa Genova, you’re missing out. I’ve always loved reading as an escape, but also as a way to learn about other human experiences—and no one does it better than Lisa.

“Life isn’t always what it seems.”

Lisa Genova’s More or Less Maddy is a deeply moving and insightful novel that masterfully explores mental health, with a particular focus on bipolar disorder. Maddy experiences the highs and lows characteristic of the condition, but with the unwavering support of her family, she learns to navigate its challenges. Embracing stand-up comedy as an outlet, she discovers a powerful way to express herself and strive toward becoming the best version of herself. Genova’s storytelling is both heartfelt and authentic, offering a compelling and hopeful portrait of resilience and self-acceptance.

More or Less Maddy is a novel by a New York Times best-selling author featuring a protagonist who has bipolar disorder. For context, I'm a mental health writer and editor, and I read it for an assignment.

The fact that a popular novelist (Lisa Genova, PhD) decided to compassionately, respectfully tell the story of someone with bipolar disorder makes More or Less Maddy a meaningful work right out of the gate. After all, that kind of exposure will surely increase understanding and awareness of an often misunderstood mental health condition. And I absolutely recommend the book on those terms. Reading about Maddy, an NYU student with big dreams of being a stand-up comic, will have people rooting for her despite the difficult situations she finds herself in thanks to her psychiatric diagnosis

But also, frankly, I just enjoyed it. Maybe that seems odd to say when the story takes place during what are undoubtedly some of the fictional Maddy’s most challenging years. But the storytelling is great, the pacing quick, and the stand-up comedy legitimately funny.

Plus, Dr. Genova is a neuroscientist, and it shows. If you couldn’t tell from the novel’s high level of detail, the long list of acknowledgments will clue you in: This is a researcher’s novel, which is totally my jam. If you like learning things alongside your storytelling, I think you’ll like More or Less Maddy, too.

Recommended for those interested in mental health issues, coming-of-age stories, and the life of stand-up comedians.

Full review coming soon in my blog: https://emilypgerickson.com/blog/.

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

Have you read any of Lisa Genova's books? She is a neuroscientist and an author. She has such a great understanding of the brain and how it functions and not only how it can go awry, but how it FEELS and what HAPPENS to a person when their brain or brain chemistry works differently. She's an auto-buy author for me and I will read every book she writes.

More or Less Maddy is about a 20 year old college student who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The book shows her life before, it takes you through experiences of mania so you can feel and think what she feels and thinks. It breaks your heart how this girl reacts to being told this will be her life. You FEEL how she FEELS when she's doing good and goes off meds. The book is written in third person and as a mom, I related so much to her mom even as I understood how she felt overprotected.

If you know someone with bipolar disorder or depression, please read this book. If you want to understand more about bipolar disorder or depression, read this book. If you just want to understand people better, read this book.

This book had me captivated. I wanted to stop a number of times because the main character frustrated me so much. There were points where I just hated her. And I was glad she was not in my own life, because I could not deal with the situations she put herself and her family in. And the up and down roller coaster drove me crazy. I seriously just wanted to scream at her through the phone a number of times as I listened to the audiobook. But it is accurate and it is so well written. It reminded me of someone I know that I suspect is bi-polar. It was scary how much it reminded me of her.

Thank you to Gallery Books for a gifted Net Galley copy

Lisa Genova is one of the most amazing authors I have ever read. She has a way of writing her books that all center around neurological orders and now bi-polar disorder that you feel like you are right there in the story. More or Less Maddy is the story of a college age girl that is diagnosed with bi-polar disorder her freshman year in college. Her father had suffered from the same disorder and I learned that this diagnosis can be passed to your children. I learned so much from living with this for the rest of your life, trying to get medication levels just right and consist routine. I hope this one becomes a movie, Like Still Alice. It only January and I think I just read the best book of the year!

No one can pull you into a mind disorder quite like Lisa Genova. (And I have read all of her books!) She truly helps the reader understand all the trauma this diagnosis can do to a person and their family!

This story had me on a roller coaster, as I am sure this diagnosis would. I felt so sorry and hopeful for Maddy all at the same time. From the side effects, to the missteps, to the family drama…my heart broke. Then she would start to get better and I was her ever present champion. I wanted her to chase her dream and succeed. And what a process this was! I swear…I was cringing in places!

Need a unique tale that has you crying and cheering for Maddy all in the same paragraph…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This was another great novel by Lisa Genova. Maddy Banks struggles to find her identity and a way to live outside of her bipolar diagnosis. Throughout the pages the reader is shown trademarks of this disorder and the impact it has on both the diagnosed and their family and friends. The author skillfully illuminates the flight into mania and its subsequent slump into depression as we follow along with Maddy’s life. It is very informative and also inspiring as it helps the reader better understand the diagnosis and the struggles of those impacted by bipolar disorder. Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout for the ARC. This is my honest review.

A look into Maddy's life as a 19 year old diagnosed with bipolar disorder her freshman year at NYU. The first chapter draws you into her story as she lives with confusion and despair. She contemplates suicide and is placed in the hospital for a few days. When she is put on antidepressants, she, like many others, hopes her life will be normal. She experiences highs and lows after a maniac episode, and realizes this is the card she has been dealt with and how she can live with this diagnosis. Her humor holds your attention. Her mind plays tricks on her, such as Taylor Swift wants her to write her biography and Netflix wants her on one of their comedian episodes.
Coming from one of the extravagant Connecticut suburbs, her family sees her as odd. When she displayed her interest as a comedian, they did not see her wit and humor in life.
Mental illness is hard to analyze its effects on someone for those who have not experienced it, but the author does an extraordinary job capturing it with humor, yet the heart wrenching details are powerful. I longed for her life to be normal because as an emotional bystander it was hard to read.
There are so many laugh out loud moments too. Her wit and humor carries you through her darkness as you are compelled to finish.
Well-written!! I'm wondering if this will be one of the top books for this year!
Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The story centers on Maddy, a college student, whose life is increasingly shaped by her experiences with manic episodes and depression. Through Maddy's eyes, the reader witnesses the intense highs and devastating lows of bipolar disorder, and the struggles that come with managing it—mentally, emotionally, and physically. Maddy’s voice feels authentic and compelling, with her thoughts and feelings providing a raw window into the disorder’s impact on relationships, academics, and self-perception. It’s a book that doesn’t sugarcoat the experience, but instead, invites readers into Maddy’s world, making her journey both heart-wrenching and relatable.

Lisa Genova's books aren't my "typical" kind of read, but I was drawn to More or Less Maddy. I couldn't put it down. It’s an exploration of mental health, resilience, and what it means to fight for a sense of normalcy while dealing with something so unpredictable and overwhelming.

Incredible book!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the opportunity to read More or Less Maddy.

Beyond just having a great story, I learned so much about living with bipolar disorder from this book. The author wrote Maddy’s character in such a nuanced way, and was so incredibly descriptive in both her manic and depressive episodes that I felt like I was experiencing it with her. It took time for Maddy and her family to come to terms with her diagnosis, and all of their emotions and reactions were so real. I felt like I could’ve been reading a memoir of someone living with bipolar disorder, yet with the benefit of a third person POV. I highly recommend if you care know more about bipolar or other mental illnesses.