"She's agreed to the part about getting out of bed, but the word quickly has her hung up, defeated at the starting line." Author Lisa Genova doesn't have bipolar disorder, so this book isn't written from a perspective of lived expertise. As such it feels like it's written at arm's length from what it's like to live with bipolar disorder. I do think it might be liked by family members and colleagues of people diagosed with bipolar disorder, because it does set out to explain some of the ways the chronic disease might have the person thinking and acting, and the impacts treatment are likely to have: "It seems she can aspired to be in control of either her moods or her hands but not both." However whether More or Less Maddy will resonate with people who actually have this mental illness remains to be seen.

In terms of the writing, there's often a passive voice and a lot of telling rather than showing: "everything in her feels slowed down, as if someone has reached into her brain and turned the master dial three clicks to the left." Probably the best bit of the book for realism is Maddy's first hospitalisation for bipolar, where she struggles in the grips of mania to understand what is happening: "since when does an exorbitant shopping spree land a person in a mental hospital?" You get a little bit of why people with the disorder break off contact, as they come back to a more even keel and feel shame and embarrassment about "that insane middle-of-the-night-scorched-earth rambling text tirade" they sent you. I guess if it helps people not look at their loved one with so much "wary watchfulness" the book is a good thing. I personally preferred, and found the Anne Buist series about Natalie Walker much more realistic and 'humanising': these books show people with bipolar can be bada*s and sexy and fun too.

I discovered Lisa’s books with Still Alice and enjoyed the way she educates about complex neurological conditions in a thought provoking and engaging way. She really has a way of humanizing these conditions. When I saw that her lastest offering was covering bipolar disease I was keen to see how she tackled loving with mental illness. I also had a personal connection as around 5 years ago, a colleague who had never disclosed her bipolar diagnosis died by suicide. As an attempt to both process my grief and gain understanding I ended up reading a lot of non-fiction and fiction books on bipolar disease.

More or Less Maddy is the journey of Maddy as she learns of her diagnosis and then adjusts to life after it. We meet her as she’s preparing to start college, she’s a typical teenager- working at Starbucks, a Taylor Swift fan and with her on again off again boyfriend. She’s struggling with her classes, the freshman fifteen and ‘PMS’. We then see her experience her first experience of feeling depressed which she bravely goes to treat. The medication she takes for that then triggers her first manic episode. Lisa really gives you a great insight into the highs and lows Maddy felt. You could feel the lack of motivation and struggle to get through the day and her mania was exhausting to read. We then see her learn of her diagnosis, see herstart medication, deal with the side effects before feeling good again and stopping them before coming to understand she has a new normal to live with. I enjoyed seeing how different family members dealt with the diagnoses, particularly her sister’s support. Her mother’s response by trying to hide it from people and being overbearing was frustrating at times but I could understand where she was coming from. I liked that her psychiatrist advocated for her to be independent and addressed the stigma but comparing it other chronic conditions.

Intertwined with this was Maddie navigating the world of stand up comedy. This first manifested as part of her manic episode but soon became a genuine interest. I enjoyed seeing the behind the scenes of this industry and how Maddy had to work hard at it and convince her family it was something she wanted to pursue and not part of her mania. Lisa’s author notes indicated her desire to provide an understanding of what it’s like to live with bipolar to help open conversation, understanding and social change. She’s definitely nailed it and I highly recommend it.