From the author of Still Alice, neuroscientist Lisa Genova paints a story about a young woman with bipolar disorder trying to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian. Maddy has always felt like she doesn't quite belong in her perfect Connecticut family. While a freshman at NYU, a stressed-out Maddy begins swinging from deep depression to wild mania and is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Now Maddy must come to terms with her diagnosis and the complex effects it causes on her relationships. 

Lisa Genova paints an intimate look at bipolar disorder and the effects on a young woman's relationships. I found myself getting more and more uncomfortable as the book went on, watching Maddy's mania phases spiral her out of control and then careen her into a deep depression. However, by its very nature, bipolar disorder would be an uncomfortable diagnosis requiring a difficult journey to find the correct balance. Genova humanized bipolar disorder in a way that hit me to the core and will stay with me for a while.