More or Less Maddy: A Novel

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did Lisa Genova’s writing techniques make Maddy’s story believable and realistic?

2. Were you satisfied with the ending to the book? Why or why not?

3. Did More or Less Maddy change your perspective of bipolar disorder? In what ways?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. How did you feel when Maddy reached her lowest emotional point or during her recovery? Did this rollercoaster journey remind you of something you have seen or experienced in your own life?

2. Describe a time in your life when you could not or would not meet someone else’s expectations, and what this experience taught you about yourself or the world.

3. Have you ever found a way to turn a negative experience into something positive for yourself or others? Describe the experience of doing so.

4. Have you ever felt stifled by someone else’s efforts to protect or care for you, as Maddy feel stifled by her mother’s well-meaning but controlling behavior? How did you address this conflict?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How does literature like More or Less Maddy help foster a more understanding, inclusive, and supportive world for people with mental health conditions?

2. How might Maddy’s story have unfolded differently if she were born in another time? What does her treatment reveal about present-day attitudes toward mental illness?

3. What happens to people in the real world who have a mental illness but do not have the same family and health supports as Maddy did? What do you think can be done to improve treatment and the quality of life for people with conditions like bipolar or other mental health conditions?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the close third-person point of view offer a window into Maddy’s inner life? Why do you think Genova chose this point of view over Maddy’s first-person point of view?

2. How do different characters embody different aspects of the theme The Importance of Support in Managing Mental Health? How do these different forms of support work in tandem?

3. How does the music or persona of Taylor Swift serve as a motif in the novel? Does Swift represent different things for Maddy and for the reader?

4. How does Maddy’s mother shift from an antagonist to a supportive secondary character? What events trigger her redemption?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Bring an object that represents your “doorway” to happiness, and tell the story of your object for the group.

2. Imagine how this story might be different if it were written about a man with bipolar rather than a woman.

2. If you were Maddy’s mother, what would you have done differently? Or do you empathize with her approach to Maddy’s mental health?

4. Create a list or chart that depicts Maddy’s strengths and how she wields these strengths to find her place in the world.

5. Have you ever been a superfan like Maddy is of Taylor Swift? Bring a photograph or piece of memorabilia that best represents your superfan side.