More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova follows Maddy Banks, a college freshman, as she navigates the pressures of school, family dynamics, and life in New York City. Struggling with dizzying emotional highs and lows, Maddy discovers a passion for stand-up comedy just as her mental health spirals, leading to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Through challenges and self-discovery, Maddy learns to balance her new identity and pursue a path that feels authentically hers.

Lisa Genova has been a favorite author of mine ever since I read Every Note Played with my local book club. Her ability to weave her deep knowledge of neurological conditions into compelling and accessible narratives is unmatched. With More or Less Maddy, she has created one of the most poignant and insightful portrayals of mental illness I’ve ever encountered. Maddy’s journey through the highs of mania and the depths of depression is both heart-wrenching and inspiring, and I couldn’t help but root for her every step of the way. Her dream of becoming a stand-up comedian adds a unique layer of humor and resilience to a story that tackles such a serious subject.

This book was a deeply emotional and eye-opening experience for me. It illuminated the complexities of living with bipolar disorder in a way I had never fully understood before. Genova masterfully captures not only Maddy’s struggles but also the impact on her family, making the story feel raw and authentic. Whether you live with bipolar disorder, know someone who does, or simply want to gain a greater understanding of it, More or Less Maddy is a must-read. It’s powerful, educational, and impossible to put down—you won’t be disappointed.

Thank you Gallery Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Lisa Genova is a high ranking author for me because her book, Still Alice, is in the top five of my all time favorite reads. The knowledge she has and the amount of research she does really shows when she is writing about mental health. She has a way of taking the reader into the minds of her main characters and helps them experience the same ups and downs that the main characters do.

More or Less Maddy is no different in this case. Maddy learns she has bipolar disorder after going through several manic episodes. Her perspective is written so beautifully as the reader truly feels the struggles and depressive moments that she goes through. The only reason I am giving this one four stars instead of five is because the comedy idea seems forced into the plot. It does not flow with everything else. That aside, it is worth the read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lisa Genova, and Gallery Books for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy of More or Less Maddy in the return of an honest review.

I still have goosebumps over the book and movie Still Alice by this same author. If you've never read/seen it, it is a detailed account of a female professor that develops Alzheimers. In that same vein, this book is an in depth journey of a young woman as she discovers that she's bipolar while away at college.

This book was intense and so well-written. The reader is along for the ride as Maddy experiences manic and depressive episodes and how to navigate her new world where she's lost friends, disappointed her family, and just wants to live her life without someone watching her like a child. Also as a mom, I really felt for her mother and her fear for her child's safety and future.

The only element that didn't work for me as much was Maddy's journey to want to become a stand up comic. I really think the book could have stood alone as just the story of a college student struggling with a new mental illness without throwing in stand up comedy.

Once again Lisa Genova has done it. She has drawn readers into the world of a person whose brain is working differently, this time the world of Maddy who is diagnosed with a bipolar disorder, to experience how their brain works. It is messy and terrifying and enlightening to experience the world the way that Maddy does. The story is so well written that I felt like I was standing next to Maddyr and experiencing the world with her. For all of the challenges Maddy faced the story left me feeling hopeful. I highly recommend this book.

Wow! This is why we shouldn’t make ‘Best Of’ lists before the year is officially over, because this one has absolutely snagged a spot in my top 5!

From beginning to end, this book was captivating, and truly made me feel like I was in Maddy’s brain, despite the book being written in third person. At so many points throughout, I felt simultaneously heartbroken, frustrated, sympathetic, and hopeful, which is a testament to how powerful this story and its writing are. Everything about this book felt so tangible. I appreciated how the subject matter was handled with such sensitivity without having to sacrifice showing the realities of the disorder.

My sister has bipolar disorder, and Maddy’s story really made me feel like I can better understand the ways her brain operates. (To say it has not been an easy road would be an understatement.) I binged this in 24 hours, and I can pretty much guarantee you’ll do the same!

Five enthusiastic stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Amazing look inside the mind of a young person suffering from bipolar disorder, and how it affects the people around her. Once again, Genova combines her medical knowledge, extensive research, and writing talent to produce a character afflicted with a common disease, and use her to educate readers. A sequel taking place in 20 years, to show how the condition continued to affect Maddy, would work well.

Reading a Lisa Genova novel is an "interactive" experience. You don't just view words on a page, you feel what the characters feel, hear what they hear, and see what they see. It's like stepping into the story and looking out into the world instead of looking in as you do with other books. This extraordinary skill comes from Miss Genova's combined experience as a neuroscientist and accomplished author. In More or Less Maddy she tackles bipolar disorder-a neurological condition characterized by extreme highs and devastating lows. When Maddy is in a "manic" stage we feel her unrelenting need to go, do, solve, spend, analyze, and when she is in the depressed stage it's like we crawled into bed with her and refuse to come out. Bipolar disorder is a roller coaster ride that has no end. What More or Less Maddy does so well is explore bipolar disorder from the perspective of the patient, but also from her friends and family who never know when the next cycle of mania or depression will arrive. Like the disease, More or Less Maddy is a trip through both extremes, along with the cautionary periods when Maddy feels like her "old self." It is both heartbreaking and hopeful, and like her other novels dealing with neurological diseases (Still Alice, Every Note Played) you'll learn about an illness you may not have known much about. It's Lisa Genova's ability to humanize these disorders and bring them to life that makes her novels so profound.

Genova never shies away from tough topics. In this, Maddy is beautifully written and you become invested in her life. Through her, you get a glimpse of what it’s like living with bipolar disorder. Mental health isn’t addressed enough and props to Genova for giving us reads that spur the discussion.
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Definitely recommend adding this to your 2025 TBR!

The book starts with a manic tone that Lisa Genova aimed to create. She wants us inside Maddy’s head. Maddy is out of control. Chapter 2 takes the reader 18 months prior so we can see what got us to where we first met Maddy in a Las Vegas hotel room. Then progress through the highs and lows with Maddy and her family. There are tidbits of what brought on the diagnosis, but as the author relates, there could be many reasons.

Genova, with her professional background, takes the reader on both a fictionalized, as well as a medical journey. What is most disheartening is that medical professionals still don’t know how to treat this disorder and they still don’t know how most of the drugs that are prescribed work since research has shown that antidepressants are no more effective than placebos in treating depression. As long as the placebo has an active component, something that will give you a headache or an upset stomach, it will trick your body into thinking it must be good for you. Yet, they continue to throw medications at those fighting for their mental health, but it appears to only be “just throwing spaghetti at the wall and calling what sticks medicine.” Medical Science is a fascinating thing.

In the author’s notes, she displays how this book can educate, humanize, demystify, destigmatize, and engender empathy. And I wholeheartedly agree since this book shines a light on a disorder with onset typically occurring in the later teen and early twenties, that affects 6 million people, slightly more than those that are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and is the sixth leading cause of disability worldwide and is the tenth leading cause of death in the US, all while hiding in plain sight.

On its own, Maddy's story is fascinating but the research and education that Lisa Genova has shared is invaluable.

Lisa Genova takes us inside the world of Maddy Banks, a 19-year-old college student who is struggling to deal with a bad breakup while adapting to college. When she is diagnosed with bipolar disorder following her first manic episode, it sends her and her family reeling.

The characters in this novel have such remarkable depth! Genova's insight, compassion, and amazing writing skills once again put me fully into the story. I felt as if I was emotionally experiencing the roller-coaster ride of Maddy's highs and lows and their impact on those who love her. The book is so raw and real that I had to put it down a few times and debated whether to finish it. I'm so very glad I did! It is a beautifully written, powerful, poignant, and important read about mental health and taught me a lot about bipolar disorder.

I won't soon forget this book or its characters. It deserves far more than a 5-star rating. Read this book!

My thanks to Gallery/Scout Press for permitting me to access a DRC of the novel via NetGalley. Publication is January 14, 2025. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

I’m a huge fan of Lisa Genova so was excited to get my hands on this book. I’ve read all but 1 of her books and they’ve all been 4 or 5 star reads for me. This one fell a little short as a 3.5 star read though. It just didn’t pull me in as much as her other books and I wasn’t able to connect with the characters in general. I thought the storyline was good, character development of Maddy was good, and as a bonus I learned a little about bipolar disorder. Although not my favorite Lisa Genova book, I still recommend it. It’s a good story and might help you understand more of what those struggling with mental health challenges are going through.

Because I received an ARC, I’m not sure if there will be trigger warnings in the final print so please know there is a section discussing ways of committing suicide. If that would be a trigger for someone, I wouldn’t recommend it to them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the complimentary copy of this book. As always, the opinions expressed within this review are completely my own.

I've read a number of Lisa Genova's books and I'm always impressed with how she portrays the experience of mental illness and related conditions, both from the perspective of the focal person and loved ones and caregivers. More or Less Maddy is no exception. The book centers on college student Maddy, providing an accurate picture of the time when bipolar disorder is often first diagnosed. The emergence of the disorder and it's identification were depicted in vivid detail, as was the the bouncing between control on meds and the desire to get off of them. The addition of stand-up comedy to the plot was an interesting choice (mostly worked for me, I think?). The ending wasn't entirely satisfying, but living with mental illness rarely is, and I think it was an accurate picture of typical progression. In all, this book worked very well in terms of promoting an understanding of the experience of bipoloar and perhaps a bit less well in terms of the story itself.

Maddy lives in CT with her family; she doesn't feel like she fits in at the country club like the rest of the family (mom, step-dad and siblings). When she heads off to NYU she is overwhelmed and goes on medication prescribed by the school's health center. Soon she spirals into mania and is hospitalized with bipolar disorder. Her family is supportive and very worried about her; she feels they are overprotective. Maddy just wants to be 'normal'.
This taught me so much about bipolar disorder; what it feels like to be the person with the diagnosis and also to love someone with this disorder. Like Lisa Genova's other books, I couldn't put this down. It was an intense read that I couldn't put down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you @gallerybooks & @netgalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Maddy Banks is a typical stressed freshman at NYU, grappling with the pressures of academics, parental expectations, and a recent breakup. She begins taking antidepressants, which initially lifts her spirits and makes her feel euphoric. However, this newfound high quickly spirals into a frightening mania, leading to a hospitalization and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, ultimately leaving Maddy to confront a new reality.

MY THOUGHTS: This compelling coming-of-age story follows Maddy as she learns to cope with her diagnosis while navigating issues of self-esteem, managing friendships, dealing with family drama, and ultimately discovering her place in the world. The author does a great job detailing family relationships as Maddy’s diagnosis seems to affect each person differently. I can’t say I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and crude humor of the comedy clubs, but Maddy handled things well and ultimately makes the best decisions for herself as she enters adulthood. Lovers of family drama will enjoy this story which is all the buzz with my friends @bookloversthebuzz.

Maddy is a student at NYU when she is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Genova does an excellent job of showing the effects of this disorder on Maddy and her family. I am sure this will be widely read, liked, and discussed. However, as far as the actual writing is concerned, it's not great and left me wanting more.

Very insightful book of a young woman, Maddy, coming to terms with being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. At times, I found myself becoming distressed and uncomfortable when Maddy would enter her manic phase. Lisa Genova does an excellent job of portraying Maddy during both her depression and manic phases and the fears Maddy faces coping with the disease along with the family struggles.

More or Less Maddyby Lisa Genova. A difficult book to read at times with all the emotional upheaval and trauma Well researched and informative book on bipolar disorder, a mental health illness that is not readily discussed. Maddy’s mania/manic state was described so vividly that the reader has a greater perspective and an increased level of empathy for Maddy. Would like to have had more insight into Maddy's family feelings and struggles with her manic state.

Thank you to Lisa Genova, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

More or Less Maddy is a beautifully well done and powerful story about a young g woman diagnosed with bipolar. It’s done in a compelling and modern way that makes it a very relevant and important read. It will certainly make you more empathetic to the challenges of mental illness. I will definitely be selling this book to customers.

I had a feeling this book would end up being something I’ll cherish and I was right!

I have a special place in my heart for working with those that have mental illness. I’m a social worker and have worked closely with patients that have Bipolar Disorder type 1 and type 2.

Genova does an amazing job portraying Bipolar. I was so connected to the story and she does a phenomenal job of being right there with the main character.

Genova uses her beautiful words to embrace her readers into the world of mental illness through compassion and love.


Highly recommend!

4.5/5 stars!!

Maddy is just starting college. Her first year she struggles to connect with others and stay on top of her school work. Her second year starts the same, when she goes to the campus health center to get an extension on an assignment, she gets both that and an antidepressant, launching her into mania.

Initially I found Maddy harder to connect with - likely because the book is written in third person. Once the story got moving, I didn’t feel that way anymore. I just wanted to know how Maddie was going to move forward. It was both hard to see and really helpful to see bipolar disorder from the inside.

This is the second book I’ve read by Lisa Genova. I didn’t realize until the end of the book that she’s a neuroscientist. I really appreciate the way she digs into common health conditions and helps us see them from the perspective of the person with the health condition.

**Side note: Maddy has the support of a family who is pretty well off. Her experiences and the help she receives are probably not the norm, especially if someone goes without a diagnosis and their behavior is just interpreted as irresponsible.