Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.

I've long been a fan of Lisa Genova, and was excited to read this one. A deep dive into bipolar disorder, this was a hard read. As the reader, you're an outsider looking in and to some degree know how things can go, so it is a tense read, but an important first-person (albeit fictionalized) glance at the challenges of this disorder. It's an important read, and worth the discomfort it may cause some readers.

I love Lisa Genova and will read any book she writes. Like all of her other books, this was so well-researched. I thought it was a very quick read (finishing in less than 2 days). I look forward to recommending this book to library customers. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

I received a temporary digital copy of More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova from NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

After being dumped by her high-school sweetheart right before leaving for college, Maddy Banks finds her freshmen year at NYU challenging and barley completes the year with decent grades. Now in sophomore year, she is trying to find what interests her and stumbles upon a comedy club. There, she realizes that comedy could be her future, but a manic episode leads her straight to a bi-polar disorder diagnosis. Her new future looks nothing like what her or her family expected for her. The Banks family have to navigate their new normal with a lot of challenges along the way.

I love Lisa Genova and her writing as she so clearly creates characters that truly embody their diagnosis. More or Less Maddy does not fall short of this; I was continuously feeling as if I was struggling alongside her. Another great novel by Genova that I recommend reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm always looking for books on mental health and I knew this would be a good one since it's written by Lisa Genova.
I know quite a bit about bipolar disorder from my psychology degree and having a close friend who has bipolar. Genova really hit the mark as far as showing the symptoms and how quickly a person can cycle and how the medication treatment is often stopped by patients when they "feel better". There was a bit more language in this than I'd expect but it did portray the character.

Incredibly well written as all of Lisa Genova's work but it was honestly too painful for me to read. Way too real. I identified more with the mother and my heart broke at how to try to help this girl. But I could not finish as I found it too upsetting.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Maddy is in a deep dark depression after her relationship ends. But surely that’s normal, right? When her mind starts to fill with racing thoughts about Netflix comedy specials and potentially ghostwriting Taylor Swift’s memoir, things get out of control fast and she ends up with a diagnosis of bipolar. Family drama ensues, rinse, repeat. I really enjoyed reading this but found it very tedious at the same time…which I think may have been the point? When struggling with diagnoses and medications, it’s typical for people to fall back into unhealthy habits, thinking they don’t need medication, etc, so I think that was what the repetitiveness of these storylines tried to convey.

I know we were meant to root against the mother, and while I didn’t agree with how she spoke about her daughter’s diagnosis, I could definitely see how difficult it would be watching your child struggle with this. While I have enjoyed some of Genova’s other works more, this seemed highly realistic and was a fast and compelling read.