I was so excited to be be given the opportunity of reading this, my first Lionel Shriver book. Unfortunately I just didn’t get it, which I’m so sad about, as I wanted to like it so much.

I was very excited to read this book. I greatly admire Shriver's writing style. However, I knew within a few chapters that this book was not for me. The writing is slick, cerebral, intellectual. This is a book that felt like the intellectual inspiration behind it might detract from the story itself. I am absolutely sure that this book will find a delighted audience. I think people who like books that are possibly more Franzen than Franzen!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Such a great book that has the messiness I’d come to expect from a book with that cover!! All the characters were well developed, and I couldn’t put this book down

Mania is the sixteenth novel by prize-winning, best-selling American author, Lionel Shriver. Anyone who thinks that political correctness is sometimes carried a bit too far, who considers that sensitivity measures occasionally tend towards overkill, who sees all children in a race or competition awarded a prize and wonder how they will cope in the real world, those readers will likely enjoy Lionel Shriver’s latest offering.

She gives us USA in ALT-2011, where “smart” is a dirty word, and calling someone “dumb” or something “stupid” will bring you to the attention of the Mental Parity Champion. Because now, even the intelligentsia have to agree that “Human brains are all the same; Wisdom is the preserve not of the few but of the multitude” and some “display merely a difference in processing”

Thirty-nine-year-old English teacher at Voltaire University, Pennsylvania, Pearson Converse has been called to her son’s school when precociously intelligent eleven-year-old Darwin has made a comment of the wrong sort, something that sees him in danger of suspension.

In discussion later with her partner, Wade and her best friend Emory Ruth, an afternoon arts program radio host, both urge her to accept this new situation, if temporarily, because “Maybe it’s a passing fad, and it’ll all blow over. But in the meantime, we have to make it to the other side of this thing in one piece.”

Having been raised in a Jehovah’s Witness family until Emory’s parents rescued her, compliance goes against the grain: all Pearson’s life, reactive defiance has been her go-to, believing “I’ve long trusted that the incendiary resentment I pooled in childhood would propel me all the way through to an acrimonious old age.” Pearson refuses “to be bullied into embracing a ludicrous paradigm that flies in the face of what I’ve observed about other people my whole life.”

But Emory explains how she has had to cultivate scrupulous verbal habits in order not to jeopardise her career. Pearson, too, has had to modify the way she teaches in an environment where students are no longer graded, don’t need to sit qualifying examinations, and constantly monitor Pearson’s performance to check it aligns with Intellectual egalitarianism principles.

Years on, Pearson feels things have only become worse: banned are chess, Rubik’s cubes, any number of movies, TV shows and books in which comedy is at the expense of the mentally stigmatized, IQ tests, and words deemed inflammatory. A sense of mischief sees her setting her students a text that threatens her job, bringing her to the attention of the Department of Cognitive Equality.

A mandatory six-week class in Cerebral Acceptance and Semantic Sensitivity results. Usage of words is thoroughly discussed: “The “dimmer switch” was now the “knob that raises or lowers brightness”—though once again Timmy kicked himself, because “bright” was also forbidden, so he amended hastily, “Or maybe the ‘knob that raises or lowers how seeable everything’”

Pearson’s two eldest children were fathered by an anonymous genius level IQ sperm donor, while her youngest, Lucy, is the daughter of her arborist husband. Darwin and Zanzibar are smart enough to learn despite the school’s shortcomings, but young Lucy gains only a militant adherence to Mental Parity ideals. When Pearson personally tries to teach her to read, she falls foul of the Mental Parity movement and the family comes under a very real threat from the Pennsylvania Child Protection Services.

Meanwhile, Emory has advanced her career with opinion pieces that sound like genuine advocacy of Mental Parity principles, but surely this is a convincing act, and not her real belief? After a thirty-year friendship, Pearson avoids listening to them so as not to endanger their valued relationship.

But soon enough, “The people who suck at stuff get to do it, and the people who excel at stuff are annoying and show up the sucky people and have to be squelched”. The pendulum has swung too far the other direction, and reverse discrimination was ensuring that droves of highly skilled employees were out on their ears. Eventually, there’s a final straw, and Pearson’s meltdown is glorious.

Published in April 2024, parts of the story have proved quite prescient with regards the US election in November 2024, and its aftermath. Even as the reader laughs out loud at just how ridiculous things get in Shriver’s USA, they will be nervously looking over their shoulders at how the majority of the country voted, and who is being appointed to positions of power.

Shriver skilfully applies her insight, her talent for argument and her succinct prose to this interesting topic. Provocative and utterly brilliant!!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins UK.

Lionel Shriver takes her readers on a tumultuous journey through the mind of Adam, a manic-depressive genius. This book is much like a literary rollercoaster, offering an exhilarating blend of humour, insight, and emotional depth.
Adam is a brilliant yet deeply troubled writer. Shriver's portrayal of him is, in my opinion, nothing short of masterful, as she captures the duality of his character as he oscillates between moments of euphoric creativity and crushing despair. This complex and contradictory protagonist kept me both fascinated and occasionally frustrated, perfectly embodying the chaotic nature of his mental illness.
Shriver's writing shines with sharp wit and a daring approach that often skirts the edges of good taste. There are moments that are equally hilarious and disturbing, constantly keeping us on our toes.
I can see how some might find the novel's over-the-top elements a bit overwhelming, there's no denying its entertainment value. Shriver's ability to blend humour with poignant commentary on mental health makes Mania a thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page.
For those seeking a book that challenges conventions while delivering laughs and tears in equal measure, Mania will not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

I usually love Shriver's work but I found this novel different to her usual and not to my taste. Unfortunately I DNF'd it.

I liked Mania by Lionel Shriver. It takes equality to an extreme, where everyone is treated the same -regardless of their IQ. So far, so good. No-one can be called stupid, less-than, clever or intelligent. Children report their parents for using the ‘S’ word, and are expelled from school if they use it themselves.

Pearson, the lead character, endangers her job because of her opinions, and her best friend Emory, a radio presenter, quickly learns what she needs to say to keep herself.

This is faintly ridiculous, I will admit. Especially when exams are banned and anyone can become a doctor - resulting in the near deaths of countless patients because of incompetence.

Shriver has taken the idea of “wokeness” (I really hate this word - being a decent person has been made into something awful) and made it as extreme as you can possibly make it! It’s ridiculous, but why not! There are a lot of things that we thought were extreme in the past, and someone went there. This book highlights that possibility.

Mania made me think about what the world would look like if those with extreme views were given free reign.
Very thought provoking!

This is a really great read, witty and thought provoking.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This book seems like a scary dystopian possibility in the not-too-distant future! Pearson has three children – her third and final daughter being the produce of a love match, whereas her first and second appear to be almost designer babies, as she selected a sperm donor carefully to try and ensure the intellectual abilities of her children were guaranteed and their future looked secure. However, Pearson quickly finds herself living in a world where intellect is not valued by the majority; in fact, it is criminal to use intellect (or the lack of it!) in any way against the citizens of the country. Suddenly, schools cannot test or rank children in any way and Pearson’s values become a crime against humanity.
Pearson quickly finds herself in a minority, even losing close friendships because of this shift in public values. Pearson is a difficult character to like or even admire; life treats her very harshly, but she is determined and unable to compromise at any point – though when she totally loses her cool, it is quite impressive!
This was a thought-provoking read, as always, from Lionel Shriver, and, at times, a little too close to the truth of modern life to be comfortable!

I found this novel fascinating, the way it reflects what is happening in our society but by taking a different idea and route was really clever but also entertaining. I did find it a little heavy handed at times and struggled to understand the way the main character was so stubborn at times but ultimately I did enjoy this one and am glad I read it. It's definitely a book that gives you something to think about.

Not sure what I was expecting with this one, but it was EVERYTHING!

Equal parts terrifying and hilarious, this is the new dystopia. I'd like to say it pertains more to America and it's decline, but really as an Australian I think you could draw parallels here too. I loved it, it was powerful, superbly written and i think it is supremely important as basically every country hurtles towards more and more extreme culture wars.

Lionel Shriver has written a satire about an alternative reality in which civilisation is wilting under the grip of the Mental Parity movement, where there is no such thing as stupidity or intelligence, but 'alternative processing'. Comedies and books are cancelled, presidents are fired and science progress is halted. An interesting and dark satire.

An alternative view of the United States - rewriting recent history.

I enjoyed this book, and found it disturbingly plausible. In the US, the recognition of different intellectual abilities has been banned. Everyone's brain is anatomically the same, therefore everyone has the same intelligence. A few people resist this decree, but most are sucked into the philosophy - Shriver creates an environment where it is entirely believable that people will follow the line without question, using her model to explain historical episodes where nations have blindly followed government policy, such as Nazism.

One woman cannot understand how so many of her acquaintances, and even family and friends are taken in by this, and fights against it, then has to deal with the consequences. But at what cost?

A good read.

I started reading this and i cracked a smile or two straight away but then I thought, I can’t do this. It’s going to be a whole book bashing my head in about how stupid so much of society has become. And much of that I’ll agree with but still I can’t do it. So I stopped. Shriver is so smart and so deliberately trying to be the opposite of everything she doesn’t like, it just becomes a heavy handed lecture. So I’m out.

Mania, the latest work from Lionel Shriver, recounts the tale of two friends: Pearson, an English professor. and Emory, a journalist residing in an alternate reality vision of America where mental parity has taken over. The movement promotes the idea that all human brains are equal. This has resulted in the prohibition of tests, the exclusion of intelligent individuals, and the censorship of media featuring gifted characters. Pearson and Emory privately mock the system, with one of them taking it too far and risking everything.
The book's tone is a captivating blend of hilarity, deadpan delivery, scathing critique and a frighteningly believable portrayal of the world.
Shriver's adept use of humour and satire captures the reader's attention and adds depth to the narrative.
I was excited to read "Mania" after having read Shrivers's highly acclaimed novel "Let's Talk About Kevin," which won her the 2005 Orange Prize for Fiction. I was not disappointed and I believe her fans will be equally pleased with the effort she has put into this novel.


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I am a big fan of dystopian novels, and this author is new to me… and this was a total win! Clever and witty. This was relatable and a real fun read.

Big fan of this author and big fan of dystopian novels so this is a great combo for me.

Clever and funny-a premise you could see playing out in real life makes it relatable and I really enjoyed it.

Mania is Lionel Shriver's latest dystopian satire but this ain't their first rodeo. The Mandibles was a dystopian satire set in America's near future. Whereas Mania is a dystopian satire set in an alternate history of America's recent past. I'm not sure if you'd get shot for calling them science-fiction. But the intent is more polemical than plot-driven. Shriver presents a skewed vision of the world as social commentary.

Mania is set in an alternate timeline in the early 2000's. America has become a well-meaning madhouse. Political correctness taken to a ridiculous extreme. The Mental Parity movement has swept the nation. They've outlawed the idea of intellectual difference with comical but disastrous consequences. Everyone is the same so you're not allowed to point out all the ways that they're not. Superior intelligence is offensive. Words like smart are off the menu. In short: You're not allowed to call anyone stupid.

Pearson is a beleaguered college instructor who disagrees with this ideology. Most of the people around her have chosen to go along with the movement or at least keep their head down. She's expected to conform and feels stuck in the middle. She faces pressure at work on the one hand and at home from her family on the other.

The story turns on her struggle to live as an intellectual in a world surrounded by idiots. Or at least that's how she feels about it behind closed doors. I promise not to get too deep into spoiler territory. But she rebels and must face the consequences. Her defiance puts her job, relationships, and family all at risk. Tension mounts between her and her best friend, Emory, who is charming but lacks scruples. Emory has chosen to embrace the Mental Parity movement for personal gain.

Mania is a biting satire but sometimes its bark is worse than its bite. It's a sign of the times that we live in, no doubt, but I didn't enjoy Mania as much as I'd hoped. It delivers punchlines aplenty but they feel a little on-the-nose. I wanted it to hit much harder than it did. I'm not saying the novel pulls its punches. Far from it. I'm saying they don't always land.

Don't get me wrong, I love Lionel Shriver. I've admired their work for years. I've even attended book festivals and literary events to hear them speak. You should definitely read this book. If you enjoy their fiction you will lap it up. It's full of the wit and wisdom that you'd expect.

I guess it's hard to laugh when the world around you has started to seem like a bad joke.

I had an interesting relationship with this book while reading it, as it elicited a very strong emotional response from me. I think any literature that can provoke as strong an emotion as Mania did for me is to be applauded. Speaking honestly, Mania is a harrowing, uncomfortable read that is as mortifying as it is razor sharp. It is a scathing piece of social commentary that examines the difference between a society that is fair, and one that is equal. Did I enjoy reading it? I’m not too sure - I think so?

In the world Shriver has created, the Mental Parity (MP) movement has swept to power in the United States, and enforced an equal society where no-one is ‘stupid’, and all people are of equal intelligence. All tests and quizzes are outlawed, and people can be employed in whatever profession they choose, free from the discrimination of qualifications they previously had to have for those positions. In this new age, you are not allowed to demonstrate any kind of skill or talent in a field, as that would imply that others are not as capable as you, in this ‘all-equal’ society. The nightmare world created here made me really angry as I was reading it, such is the believability for how this society has formed - the policies are certainly misguided, but the logic behind it is just understandable enough that you really believe this could have happened in the story.

Mania is held together by the effect on its lead characters as the years progress under the regime. Lead character Pearson starts as a very outspoken critic of the MP movement, but has to bite her tongue in more and more situations for fear of losing her job or her family breaking apart. It becomes increasingly less clear as the book progresses who genuinely agrees with the values of MP, and who is simply toeing the line in order to get by. Characters noticeably start speaking slower at times to avoid saying a newly offensive word by mistake; the shrinking of vocabulary as a means of controlling a populus bears striking resemblance to Orwell’s 1984, a reference that I’m sure was intentional. The biggest effect on characters is most definitely in the family’s children, who start losing all sense of individuality amongst their peers - the idea that nobody can be wrong, or better than one another, completely dismantles the concept of school and education in the novel.

As a heads up to prospective readers, there is a large flashback segment near the start of the novel that delves into Pearson’s childhood that I wasn’t particularly a fan of. The reasoning behind its inclusion early on became apparent later on in the novel, but for me it gave the start of the book pacing issues with a disjointed feel. I wonder what the effect would have been on the story if this big flashback was broken up into smaller snippets dotted throughout the novel.

This is by no means an easy read, and I can’t in good conscience give a book 5 stars without truly knowing if I enjoyed it, but it’s a fantastic and smart piece of social commentary. I’d recommend Mania to fans of modern dystopias and social politics - brace yourself!

This is a dystopian novel about what would happen if you could not call anyone stupid! Beginning in 2011, the story tracks the movement of what is called Mental Parity and the implications, taken to extremes, of what can happen when society legislates that all people are equal in intelligence.

The narrator, Pearson Converse, does take the opposing view and is unable to hold her opinions in check. The consequences are dire for her and for her family. She loses her job, friends and family as she is oppressed and punished by the new orthodoxy.

Along the way, the book is darkly funny in places and features some interesting characters who, unlike Pearson, are capable of embracing absurd notions without missing a beat.

Pearson is not Lionel Shriver but you quickly come to suspect that Lionel Shriver thinks that a lot of people are stupid. She also thinks that mass vaccination against Covid is stupid, that lockdowns were a kind of stupid con and she was sympathetic to the UK leaving the stupid European Union. This kind of right-wing libertarianism constantly surfaces in the novel and can sometimes seem dogmatic as the dystopian theme is carried to its limits. It becomes slightly ponderous when she imagines how even a word like ‘turkey’ has to be replaced. This starts to sound like Lionel Shriver after a few drinks among friends at a dinner party and it’s not always attractive!

Some people will love it for the sarcasm, the conceit and the cleverness. Others will think that it isn’t appropriate in the 21st-century to call anyone stupid or to badge them as intellectually incapable and, if society is now a little kinder, then that is no bad thing – but, possibly, Lionel Shriver would not agree!