Synopsis

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs. So she convinces her best friend Harvey, who’s loved her forever, to help with compiling a crazy just-dying-to-do bucket list, that’s as much about revenge as it is about redemption. But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission. Now she must face the consequences of all she’s said and done and discover just what happens when we say our ‘final’ words, only to find that life isn’t through with us yet.

Side Effects May Vary

I received an e-arc of Side Effects May Vary  from Penguin Teen Australia through Netgalley. This is no way has influenced my review.

I am very unsure about my feelings for Side Effects May Vary. I really liked it and then I disliked it. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the book and especially the main character Alice.

I am very confused with my feelings towards Alice. I loved her, but then I hated her. Actually I loved how she acted and then I hated the way she acted. I didn’t mind the way that Alice treated other people, okay. Some things were a little crazy, but she did have a good reason for them. The pain that she not only had to endure because of the cancer, but the pain from her family and from her ‘friends as well. But I hated the way that she treated Harvey with a passion. There was no excuse to justify the way she treated him in any way.

I do love the story line though. It shows that in a blink of an eye everything can change and you have to deal with the consequences. Alice thought that she was going to die. Everyone thought that she would die. Then she goes into remission and has to deal with all the things she has done in completing her crazy, just-dying-to-do bucket list. Side Effects May Vary shows that everyone has to deal with consequences with whatever they do, whether they are good or bad. There is a great lesson to learn from this novel.

I loved Harvey, he was perfect. He stood by Alice no matter what even when it hurt him to the bone. When he did let go for a bit it was totally understandable. He was hurt beyond repair at the moment, but when Alice really needed him, he was there.

I didn’t like that there were so many flashbacks, the ‘Before’ and ‘After’ were confusing. I felt that it kind of stopped the books in its tracks. It didn’t flow nice. I was having to stop and think about what I had read last in the’after’ so I could remember where I was up to. Maybe this was only me, but I really did feel that way.

In saying that, I did like the 2 perspectives. It gave us as a reader an insight on both parties involved, Alice and Harvey.  Julie wrote the 2 perspectives pretty amazingly, actually. I never got confused who was who when I was reading. I could tell the difference between Alice and Harvey. The only thing I have an issue with is that I wish there had been more character development. Yes, there was some, but I wanted more. It would have really added so much more depth to the novel and the characters.

I really enjoyed the writing style of Julie Murphy. It was easy to read, but not too easy. I understood and felt the emotions of Alice and Harvey. Especially in a scene near the end of the book at that some student causes at the school   I did shed some tears and I did feel sad when there were some upsetting parts. I was angry when things didn’t go the best way.

I didn’t Alice’ parents all that much. If you know me and my reviews I have quite a problem with parents. I just cannot seem to find parents that I like in books, but I didn’t mind Alice’s mum and dad at all. Until the end, what her mum did and said really did touch my nerves. The whole situation with her mum, I think, wasn’t handled in the best way possible.

I felt very unsatisfied with the ending. I was disappointed. I really did want to know more. It just left me dangling.

Overall, Side Effects May Vary was an okay novel, there were some life lessons that were told and I believe that people should read it for that reason. You will learn that everything is not all nice when you try and get revenge.