It’s over twenty years since Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk About Kevin was published. A novel that went stratospheric, thanks to its twist ending, and unflinching look at the terror and pain caused by mass shootings. I remember being blown away by the book and thinking, “I must read more by this author.” Yet, life and books being what they are, Mania is only the second Shriver book I have read.
This was my book club’s choice for July, and I must say that if you’re looking for a thought-provoking read that’s sure to spark lots of discussion, then Mania could well be the book for you. It’s been the most heavily discussed book we’ve read in a while.
What Is Mania?
Mania has a simple premise at its heart. In Mania‘s America, it has become illegal to discriminate based on intelligence. Everyone is equally clever, and to call somebody stupid or an idiot is hate speech.
Railing against this in her memoir is Pearson, a teacher who values intelligence over everything (so much so that she chose her IVF babies to have a father with an IQ above 140). This was before the “last great civil rights” war was won. Measuring IQ now would be beyond the pale.
Alongside Pearson, we see the rise of her childhood friend, Emory. Emory, as the novel opens, is a small player in the TV presenter game, yet the more she praises the Mental Parity legislation, the higher her star rises. Whilst Pearson knows Emory doesn’t really believe that everybody is equally intelligent, she must watch while Emory asserts the fact on national television. This begins the fracture in their relationship.
As we traverse the book, we watch the US traverse absurdity. Qualifications are no longer needed to be a doctor, Pearson’s teaching syllabus is “decleverized,” Osama Bin Laden escapes because of mistakes in the operation to kill him. Barack Obama has to resign after his first term because he is too articulate, giving way to Joe Biden, and perhaps most horrific for GeekDad readers, Benedict Cumberbatch has to distance himself from the role of Sherlock, because it elevates the idea of intelligence.
Pearson struggles with her new reality, especially when the new rules about how she can interact with her children bite hard. Things worsen further when her husband is forced to recruit ill-qualified people into his tree surgery business. Can Pearson navigate a path through the absurdity? Will America (and the rest of the world) rise from this madness, or is the prospect of meritocracy dead and buried?
Why Read Mania?
This is an imperfect book, but one I am very glad I read. Shriver has become something of a persona non grata these days, facing cancellation for some of her more libertarian views. This book feels like a rage against that, and sometimes strays dangerously towards becoming a relentless diatribe. Nevertheless, Shriver is an excellent writer, and beneath the anger is an astute examination of “wokeness” and the extremes of cancellation. I guess the main point of the book is that the world is a bleaker place if we only see in black and white.
Looking from my side of the pond, it feels like perhaps real-world events have somewhat overwhelmed Mania. The book was published before the 2024 US election, and the political correctness pendulum appears to be swinging heavily in the other direction right now.
Nevertheless, Shriver’s central point remains. A world where people who hold different ideas from you are demonised is an unstable one. Mania also examines the malleability of celebrity persona and the courting of populism. Emory’s journey is intrinsically linked to that of Pearson’s, and while it sits behind Mania’s central story, Emory’s reading and exploitation of the media landscape arguably delivers a more important lesson than Pearson’s warnings about simplified fealties to complex ideas.
A flawed gem this is a novel that will likely make you cross, probably make you laugh, and definitely make you think. One to read and discuss with good friends!
If you would like to pick up a copy of Mania, you can do so here in the US and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here.
I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
Fonte: GeekDad - Leia mais