Billed as part memoir, part “user’s manual,” Cheney chronicles the everyday struggles of living with bipolar disorder. The book is broken up into different sections like “System Overview”, “Maintenance,” and “Troubleshooting,” that define the mental disorder and explore what it is like to live the different aspects of it. Within these sections, she presents anecdotes of her life, like what she has been told her manic stage is like, her struggles to find the right medication, how the disorder affects those around her etc.

While Cheney says the book is to help those who live with bipolar or who love someone who has it, I also found the book compelling in its portrayal of the everyday experience of bipolar disorder. It is heartbreaking to read what she has been through but simultaneously uplifting when you think about how far she has come. This is not Cheney’s first book on bipolar; Manic, her first memoir, was a NYT bestseller. Modern Madness is a very digestible look at mental illness and the way that those with a mental illness are treated in society.

TW galore but the biggest ones: attempted suicide; suicide ideation; vivid depictions of mania and major depression

Thanks to HachetteGo for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!