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Side Effects May Vary
The first book from Julie Murphy, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin' — now a Netflix feature film starring Danielle Macdonald and Jennifer Aniston, with a soundtrack by Dolly Parton! For fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell comes this powerful novel about a girl with cancer who creates a take-no-prisoners bucket list that sets off a war at school—only to discover she's gone into remission. When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs. So she convinces her best friend, Harvey, to help her with a crazy bucket list that's as much about revenge as it is about hope. But just when Alice's scores are settled, she goes into remission, and now she must face the consequences of all she's said and done. Contemporary realistic fiction readers who love romantic stories featuring strong heroines will find much to savor in this standout debut.
330 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
Julie Murphy
36 books6,402 followersJulie Murphy lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her and her cats who tolerate her. After several wonderful years in the library world, Julie now writes full-time.
When she’s not writing or reliving her reference desk glory days, she can be found watching made-for-TV movies, hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, and planning her next great travel adventure.
She is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels Dumplin’ (now a film on Netflix), Puddin’, Pumpkin, Ramona Blue, and Side Effects May Vary. Her middle grade novels include Dear Sweat Pea and a forthcoming 2023 title. She is also Disney's If The Shoe Fits, a modern day romcom retelling of Cinderella. Her writing partner is Sierra Simone and their romance debut is A Merry Little Meet Cute.
Julie has been featured in places liek Good Morning America, The New York Times, and Teen Vogue. Dumplin' was also named one of the best young adult books of all time by Time Magazine.
When she’s not writing or reliving her reference desk glory days, she can be found watching made-for-TV movies, hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, and planning her next great travel adventure.
She is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels Dumplin’ (now a film on Netflix), Puddin’, Pumpkin, Ramona Blue, and Side Effects May Vary. Her middle grade novels include Dear Sweat Pea and a forthcoming 2023 title. She is also Disney's If The Shoe Fits, a modern day romcom retelling of Cinderella. Her writing partner is Sierra Simone and their romance debut is A Merry Little Meet Cute.
Julie has been featured in places liek Good Morning America, The New York Times, and Teen Vogue. Dumplin' was also named one of the best young adult books of all time by Time Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,074 reviews
August 11, 2016
I’d always heard that when you truly love someone, you’re happy for them as long they’re happy. But that’s a lie. That’s higher-road bullshit. If you love someone so much, why the hell would you be happy to see them with anyone else? I didn’t want the easy kind of love. I wanted the crazy love, the kind of love that created and destroyed all at the same time.They say it takes a bitch to know one, and it will come as no surprise to many people that I found myself loving this book.
I love the lies. I love the manipulation. I love the bitterness. Or rather, I hated the main character. I hated her manipulation. I hated how she used people. I hated her doormat of a love interest.
But the thing is I loved hating them.
You are not meant to like these people. Make no mistake, Alice is a horrible, horrible person. What this book does so spectacularly is its ability to portray someone who feels real. Someone deeply flawed, someone so complex that you cannot help understanding them and sympathizing with them while hating them with every cell of your being. This book was so tremendously well-written.
Think about it. If you're going to die, and there are people in your life who deserve what's coming to them. Fuck, I know what I would do. I'm going to be a fucking bitch and do all the shit I could never have gotten away with otherwise before I die. It's called revenge, and it tastes as sweet as a plate of dark-chocolate covered orange peels, served to me by a half-clad Tom Hiddleston.
Whoo. Excuse me. Yum.
This book is not purely about revenge, it is about an immature girl, so caught up in a lie involving her family, that---in typical teenager style---she lataches onto that as an excuse to act out, to be a jerk. The cancer is merely the catalyst to her anger.
You're not going to like Alice.
The Summary: Some people feel that their life begins anew when they receive the news that they are recovering from terminal cancer.
Dr. Meredith took a deep breath. “Alice.” His brown eyes found mine, and it was only me and him. He exhaled. “You’re in remission.”While most people would rejoice at the prospect that they're going to LIVE, Alice is most unhappy about this. You see, she has lived the last year of her life knowing it was her last---including doing some rather unsavory things. It wasn't an entirely angelic year. There's no Make-A-Wish-Foundation final Disneyland trip with posed family pictures of Mickey Mouse shit here.
Oh shit.
This, I did not expect. This was not on my list.
THEN:
You see, last year, there were some people who wronged Alice. And before she dies, she's going to make them pay.
Harvey is her best friend. They have literally lived their lives next to each other, their parents are best friends, and Harvey and Alice have grown up alongside each other. Harvey adores her. Every pair of best friend has a ringleader, and the leader of their little duo has always been Alice. He can see nothing, no one but her.
On that cold night in January it all slipped into place for me and she became my everything and my everyone. My music, my sun, my words, my hope, my logic, my confusion, my flaw.Alice treats Harvey like a dog, meaning she knows he'll always be there for her, she knows he will come when she shouts "Fetch!"
I was thirteen years old, and she was all these things to me.
And I was her friend.
“Harvey,” I said, my voice low. “Trust me.”Everyone has the sort of people who become a pebble in the shoe of life. Alice has several, namely Luke, the asshole ex-boyfriend---the one who revealed a secret, and Celeste, a lifelong nemesis and rival. Alice wants to get even, and get even, she does.
I knew what this looked like. It looked like I was using Harvey. But here was the reality of the situation: the minute my life went from semipermanent to most likely temporary, I decided to latch on to everything in my world that had always been permanent, and for me, Harvey was so permanent he was concrete.
I can't say they don't deserve it. Luke is an asshole. He is homophobic, he is an abuser, he is a cheater. And he's about to get what's coming to him.
Luke hauled ass out of the locker room and ran for the ladder to the projector, which ran up the back of the bleachers opposite us. To Alice’s absolute delight, he wore nothing but a towel.Alice doesn't just use Harvey, she abuses him. She pushes him, using his love for her to enlist his help in executing her revenge.
Luke leaned forward a little farther and his towel began to slip. He wasn’t fast enough to catch it. We all watched as the white piece of fabric drifted slowly down to the bleachers below, leaving him in nothing but his skin.
I shook my head again and Alice took my hand, pulling me to her.NOW:
“Please,” she whispered, so close to me that when she spoke, our lips touched.
“Fine, but after this I’m done.”
“What do you want, Celeste?”Now, Alice is going to live. And it completely sucks. She has to face up to all she's done at school. She has to face the hostile glares, the people she's alienated.
“All I want is for you to feel welcome. It’s cute how people are so excited to have you back.” She took two steps closer to me. “They don’t know what I know. The cancer might be gone, but the bitch isn’t.”
We stopped in front of the last case. Every surface was covered in cloth. Old, dying flowers had been thrown across the surface. There were candles; those idiots could have started a fire. And pictures of Alice. Her eyes had been crossed out and things like bitch or whore had been written across each print.Now, she has to face what she had with Harvey. Their moments of tenderness, as he held her while she was dying. Harvey was fine for Alice when she had no future, but now that she's going to live, she can't bear to face him. Now, Alice plays with other boys, so she doesn't have to admit what she feels for Harvey.
Pushing away my memories of Harvey, I shoved Eric’s shoulder back and straddled his lap. This wasn’t scary or complicated like being with Harvey. This didn’t have to mean so much.Now Alice has to face up to everything she's done. She has to confront her family. She has to come to terms with the fact that she has her whole life ahead of her.
Will Alice's future be one without her best friend?
I laid my head against him and he wound his arm around my shoulder. “What’s going to happen to us, Harvey?”Alice: The characters in this book were so well-done, and I loved how Alice was written, while hating her. Alice is not a likeable character. She is selfish, she is a teenager. She blows things out of proportion. At the beginning of the book, Alice finds out that her mother is having an affair. That one single event becomes the stimulus for everything she does in the book. It becomes her drive for revenge. Teenagers can blow one single event out of proportion, and as frustrating as it is to the reader, that becomes her driving force. Cancer gave Alice a free pass to her anger.
He pressed his lips to my head and said, “It’s a surprise, I think.”
I hated her selfishness and her manipulation as I reveled in horror as I read about what she did. She uses her best friend, Harvey, as she sees fit.
Cancer would take away plenty. My hair, my body, my life. What I’d never realized, though, was that there was one privilege to dying: the right to live without consequence.
After a moment, he threw his arms up and said, “God, what the hell, Al? This is so screwed up. You don’t talk to me for a year and now—no, this is ridiculous.”I loved her anger, I loved her self-hate, because a person cannot act like this and not be utterly fucked up on the inside. Alice doesn't know how to be kind, it's like her mind thinks one thing, and she does another. She willfully sabotages every remote bit of kindness that comes to mind.
“I—I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to sound that way.” I almost said it, that I was sorry for how I’d acted and what I did, but instead I said, “Do you want to write up your own apology and I can sign it? Would that work better for you?”Alice hates her mother's actions---what she sees as a desecration of love.
This feeling that the world was so pleased to call love destroyed people every day and it would do that to me too. It would disappoint and deceive and manipulate. But then, the part of me that was dying thought, What would it matter? If I wasn’t going to live long enough to have to worry about the aftermath of it all, what did it matter?I loved it when Alice snaps. Like all good characters, there's a moment when everything comes to a climax, and boy, was it worth it to see Alice fall to pieces.
“You should’ve left us then. Ripped the Band-Aid off. Because the lies are destroying us,” I said, my voice catching on every syllable. “You ruined me. You made me this way. This.” I motioned to myself, my chest heaving now. “Is your fault. And now it’s too late to fix it.”Harvey: Initially, he got on my nerves. He thinks the sun rises and sets on Alice. For most of the book, he puts up with Alice's bullshit without a fight. In his effort to get over Alice, it almost feels like he's using someone else, as he's pushing himself to like someone for the sake of liking someone. Harvey doesn't know how else he can move on, even as he realizes that he can never totally escape her.
I wanted to lie to her and tell her that I didn’t like Alice in that way, but I couldn’t. “I don’t know. But I’m not on a date with Alice. I’m here because I like you. That’s not a good answer, but I won’t lie to you.”But as much as he is a doormat, Harvey isn't an ass. He's just a guy who's hopelessly entwined within Alice's web.
“Yeah.” I was an ass. I knew from the moment I asked Debora out that I wasn’t over Alice. I was too selfish to even bother wondering how this might end.The Other Characters: I loved everyone else. All the side characters were brilliantly portrayed. There is a authentic dynamic between their relationships, and every single character feels human.
There are minor characters, like Debora, the really nice, smart girl who captures Harvey's attention---whom Alice instantly, irrationally hates. She is so fucking nice and my heart broke for her involvement in Harvey and Alice's twisted version of love. I loved the relationship between Alice and her mother, both with strong personalities. They are two negatives sides to a magnet: put them together, and they will repel each other.
Most mothers don’t talk to their daughters like that, but my mom and I had never been most mothers and daughters. I remembered reading about wolf packs when I was younger. Each wolf pack could only have one alpha, one chief. This was the very unfortunate truth of my mother and me. We were two alphas who could never coexist in peace. The only time we had was when she thought I was dying.This was such a frustratingly amazing read. If you wanted adorable characters you could love, run far away. If you want devastatingly believable, hatefully flawed characters, you need this book.
August 3, 2016
I loved parts of this book, while others irritated me. Or I should say Alice irritated me. However, the angle of getting a second chance at a life you were done and over with does give you food for thought for which I applaud. Cancer books are not stories I go into lightly; there's so much cancer in real life already, why would I want to read about yet another victim of this monster? Still, there's something about this one that called to me and I'm glad I read it. It brings up a different, highly thought-provoking side to a terminal illness. It's a great story, but the characters made loving this book a stubbornly difficult task.
Alice had her whole life ahead of her. Sure she had a cheating boyfriend and other crappy stuff going on, but she was pretty, smart, and full of potential. Told in "now and then" perspectives, we get to see what happened during her diagnosis, then how she reacts to being told she was now in remission. Which, surprisingly, was not altogether happy news for Alice - considering she spent her last days being a complete bitch, uncaring of any consequences she wouldn't live to see anyways. Unlike most bucket lists, Alice's was not about doing things for her, but rather about getting the last word. I was expecting to sympathize with Alice enough to get behind these pranks of hers, but I just felt bad for everyone around her. High school relationships fail. High school kids cheat and spread secrets. It's hardly worth your last ditch effort in the most literal of sense. I completely understand her anger towards her own declining health, especially when these people who did her wrong are able go on with their lives, but still, it was frustrating to see her concentrate on the wrong things. I mean, what about Harvey, girl?
Romantically, Alice is a whole 'nother story. She treats Harvey like mud on her shoes and I hated her for it. She refuses to admit she loves him. Worse, she refuses to let him love her. Yet when he tries to move on she gets angry. I seriously wanted to throw book across the room. She plays him like a puppet whenever she pleases, just to ignore him the next day. I guess in a way it's also his fault for letting her string him along, but if this book did not have two sides of a story, I would not have had the patience for it.
Fortunately, it did have another side: the psychological angle of literally getting your life back, and I absolutely loved that part. Even though I despised Alice for how she acted, I still understood that she was living with an incredibly broken mental and emotional state. This book shows us how a sudden chance at a future can be just as distressing as it can be elating - I know you wouldn't think it a bad thing ever, but this girl was 100% ready to die. Imagine, one day you're living with no need or reason to think of long term commitments or consequences for things you say and allow yourself to feel (plus secrets you're keeping), but then all of a sudden everything matters, because you're actually going to see tomorrow. How she'd been living, was because she was dying. There's a catch to her remission, too: A miracle like this remains uncertain. She's still living in cancer's shadow. Would you allow yourself to fall in love, to make commitments, knowing it could slap you in the face again? I may not have liked or agreed with Alice's behavior - at all - but I did get that she was blocking herself off. It does make you think, and putting the reader in the characters' shoes is important in a story like this.
Love and hate is my relationship with this book. Nevertheless, I would recommend it to contemporary lovers, though with a warning that patience will come in handy when it comes to Alice.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
Alice had her whole life ahead of her. Sure she had a cheating boyfriend and other crappy stuff going on, but she was pretty, smart, and full of potential. Told in "now and then" perspectives, we get to see what happened during her diagnosis, then how she reacts to being told she was now in remission. Which, surprisingly, was not altogether happy news for Alice - considering she spent her last days being a complete bitch, uncaring of any consequences she wouldn't live to see anyways. Unlike most bucket lists, Alice's was not about doing things for her, but rather about getting the last word. I was expecting to sympathize with Alice enough to get behind these pranks of hers, but I just felt bad for everyone around her. High school relationships fail. High school kids cheat and spread secrets. It's hardly worth your last ditch effort in the most literal of sense. I completely understand her anger towards her own declining health, especially when these people who did her wrong are able go on with their lives, but still, it was frustrating to see her concentrate on the wrong things. I mean, what about Harvey, girl?
Romantically, Alice is a whole 'nother story. She treats Harvey like mud on her shoes and I hated her for it. She refuses to admit she loves him. Worse, she refuses to let him love her. Yet when he tries to move on she gets angry. I seriously wanted to throw book across the room. She plays him like a puppet whenever she pleases, just to ignore him the next day. I guess in a way it's also his fault for letting her string him along, but if this book did not have two sides of a story, I would not have had the patience for it.
Fortunately, it did have another side: the psychological angle of literally getting your life back, and I absolutely loved that part. Even though I despised Alice for how she acted, I still understood that she was living with an incredibly broken mental and emotional state. This book shows us how a sudden chance at a future can be just as distressing as it can be elating - I know you wouldn't think it a bad thing ever, but this girl was 100% ready to die. Imagine, one day you're living with no need or reason to think of long term commitments or consequences for things you say and allow yourself to feel (plus secrets you're keeping), but then all of a sudden everything matters, because you're actually going to see tomorrow. How she'd been living, was because she was dying. There's a catch to her remission, too: A miracle like this remains uncertain. She's still living in cancer's shadow. Would you allow yourself to fall in love, to make commitments, knowing it could slap you in the face again? I may not have liked or agreed with Alice's behavior - at all - but I did get that she was blocking herself off. It does make you think, and putting the reader in the characters' shoes is important in a story like this.
Love and hate is my relationship with this book. Nevertheless, I would recommend it to contemporary lovers, though with a warning that patience will come in handy when it comes to Alice.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
January 30, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
“I knew how to die. It was the living that scared me.”
At a time when cancer has become nearly cliché in young adult romance stories, Julie Murphy comes up with a new spin on things. Everything was going great for Alice. She was surviving her freshman year in high school, was the best ballet student in her class, had landed a popular boyfriend . . . but then she saw something that she couldn’t unsee, found out Mr. Perfect was cheating on her with her arch nemesis and as a cherry on the shit sundae she was diagnosed with leukemia. When the chemo stops working and she is faced with the reality that she is going to die, Alice creates a “Just Dying To-Do List” and enlists the help of her former BFF Harvey. The one thing Alice wasn’t prepared for after getting her revenge??? Remission.
It should go without saying that I am an old lady who really digs reading young adult stories. At this point it’s probably safe to officially declare my love for Julie Murphy as well, so let me count the ways:
1. I may love her so much that I subconsciously single-white femaled her because I pulled up her author page and realized I just cut and colored my hair so now we kind of look alike;
2. I love that she writes stories that make me feel like a kid again, and I’m really impressed that she makes me feel feelings . . . . .
3. I love that she makes me want to read her stuff simply due to the titles;
4. I love that I loved the first book I read by her (Dumplin’) so much I am interested in reading its sequel and I hardly ever read a sequel . . . .
5. I love that I didn’t know Side Effects May Vary was by the author of Dumplin’, but when I started reading it, I was all like “I KNOW I have read this author before;”
6. I love that Alice was an asshole. Like right away you find out Alice has never watched/ends up hating A Christmas Story so you know she’s going to be awful, and the more you read the more it becomes clear that Alice was an asshole waaaaaaaay before almost dying. That’s real life, though. People – especially hormonal teens – sometimes ARE assholes. I’m tired of reading about perfect “John Greeny” types of adolescents and was happy to suffer through Alice’s most cringey behavior in hopes of her getting a redemption arc at the end so I could be all . . . . .
7. I love that this was a debut novel. Good grief this chick writes readable stuff;
8. I love that this was a different kind of love story . . . .
“I love you. And you know what that feels like? It’s like a fucking cheese grater against my heart.”
9. I love that I read this thing cover-to-cover in a couple of hours because I could not get enough.
In case you can’t tell – it’s A-Okay if none of you love this. I loved it enough for everyone . . . . .
“I knew how to die. It was the living that scared me.”
At a time when cancer has become nearly cliché in young adult romance stories, Julie Murphy comes up with a new spin on things. Everything was going great for Alice. She was surviving her freshman year in high school, was the best ballet student in her class, had landed a popular boyfriend . . . but then she saw something that she couldn’t unsee, found out Mr. Perfect was cheating on her with her arch nemesis and as a cherry on the shit sundae she was diagnosed with leukemia. When the chemo stops working and she is faced with the reality that she is going to die, Alice creates a “Just Dying To-Do List” and enlists the help of her former BFF Harvey. The one thing Alice wasn’t prepared for after getting her revenge??? Remission.
It should go without saying that I am an old lady who really digs reading young adult stories. At this point it’s probably safe to officially declare my love for Julie Murphy as well, so let me count the ways:
1. I may love her so much that I subconsciously single-white femaled her because I pulled up her author page and realized I just cut and colored my hair so now we kind of look alike;
2. I love that she writes stories that make me feel like a kid again, and I’m really impressed that she makes me feel feelings . . . . .
3. I love that she makes me want to read her stuff simply due to the titles;
4. I love that I loved the first book I read by her (Dumplin’) so much I am interested in reading its sequel and I hardly ever read a sequel . . . .
5. I love that I didn’t know Side Effects May Vary was by the author of Dumplin’, but when I started reading it, I was all like “I KNOW I have read this author before;”
6. I love that Alice was an asshole. Like right away you find out Alice has never watched/ends up hating A Christmas Story so you know she’s going to be awful, and the more you read the more it becomes clear that Alice was an asshole waaaaaaaay before almost dying. That’s real life, though. People – especially hormonal teens – sometimes ARE assholes. I’m tired of reading about perfect “John Greeny” types of adolescents and was happy to suffer through Alice’s most cringey behavior in hopes of her getting a redemption arc at the end so I could be all . . . . .
7. I love that this was a debut novel. Good grief this chick writes readable stuff;
8. I love that this was a different kind of love story . . . .
“I love you. And you know what that feels like? It’s like a fucking cheese grater against my heart.”
9. I love that I read this thing cover-to-cover in a couple of hours because I could not get enough.
In case you can’t tell – it’s A-Okay if none of you love this. I loved it enough for everyone . . . . .
February 24, 2020
The book is essentially about a girl named Alice who is revealed to have leukemia. She creates a bucket list of things she needs to complete before her death. Forming a close relationship with Harvey is one of them. They were buddies during their younger years before fate took them to different directions
After a while their relationship begins to blossom again. Once Alice is certain her expiry date will come soon, her doctor exposes she’s on remission.
Well, this is when the story went downhill for me. Alice could not simply be happy about the revelation. No she can’t. Well, if she was then we would have to chop off 250 pages. So, we make her somehow upset about her remission. It’s not stated clearly why she is - only it makes her saddened for reasons too important to specify very clearly.
Nice simile.
But..
still not helping because you won’t distinctively tell me which part of getting better upsets you. I must have misread the book. Alice says, she’s unhappy about the remission because now she can be with Harvey. I don't understand. Is she upset about that since her cancer will always be a shadow upon her life? Does it concern her that she will live in fear with Harvey knowing any minute she could lose him, therefore, she has lost that comforting certainty of when her death was already set?
Might be.
The relationship between Harvey and Alice is quite dysfunctional. Harvey genuinely loves Alice and demonstrates this more than enough. Alice feels the same way but she complicates their relationship, and it’s not because of her health, it’s her utter confusing attitude. I frequently felt as if the book was primarily about Harvey's unrequited love for Alice. I would have liked to apprehend the motivation behind Alice's actions, but the book failed in this instance.
Don't give one sentences like: “I knew how to die. It was living that scared me,” and then expect me to completely understand the character. You need to dive deeper and express more in order for me to connect with the character's emotional state.
For instance, after her remission, she attends school but becomes irritated by her classmate’s questions about her leukemia. After school that day, she meets a guy and begins chatting him up. Harvey finds her outside and says he should quickly drive her home, considering it’s cold. She ignores him and continues to chat to the guy while Harvey stands there waiting for her.
It seems this bitchy attitude can be excused because she has cancer. But why? It’s not like cancer strips away your morals. Apparently, this must be it. Maybe that was the whole point of the story. Cancer or more specifically remission makes you a bitch, but you have to redeem yourself... Okay, that doesn't make sense. The story doesn’t have much of a purpose which explains the lack of making sense.
Sometimes, I had thought Alice and Harvey were cute. I could almost see why they were so drawn to each other.
Then again, overuse of angst in romance really makes you think twice. Alice continuously angers Harvey by trying to make him jealous, and when he attempts to get over her by dating someone else then she would become overly jealous. See my problem? God that was so annoying.
Her attitude after her remission is just intolerable. She treats Harvey, who is relentlessly by her side, like shit because she she can't handle her emotions. As suggested earlier, it would appear odious if I criticize the heroine’s bad behavior since she has cancer. I, on the other hand, am not that easy enough to hand her the cancer card, and let her attitude go unnoticed. She basically behaves as if the world owes her something due to her sickness. Alice must have been misinformed about how the world works if that's what she thinks.
Not gonna work.
I could have liked Alice, and many times I did, but there was potential to build her character and provide reasonable and believable explanations as to why she chooses to act the way she does. It would have made the heroine's character development more thorough, instead of purely giving her an epiphany about her actions. (No, it was not a spoiler, in case you're thinking that.)
The non-linear structure of the book might be exasperating to readers. In my opinion, I thought it was done well and fit the book perfectly. The book switches from past to present. The past is the first year of her leukemia and when she is completing her bucket list. The present is set a year after which is throughout the duration of her remission. The POV is told from both Harvey and Alice. They have quite distinct voices. Harvey's tone sounds kinder and more caring, so you could easily identify it.
The book has its amusing and engaging moments, therefore it earns solely one star, plus an extra star for Harvey’s character. But I don’t find the book deserving of anymore. I initially finished the book with satisfaction until I really thought about the story, which then I found myself quite unsatisfied.
I’m sure some will enjoy this, but I find the book… pointless when it comes to realistic fiction.
-------
Sorry. I noticed, I repeat myself quite a lot about how I disliked Alice's attitude. My repetition comes to show how much I really do though...
“Then we’d drifted. High school did that to you, turned you into pieces of driftwood. And the parts of you that you’d tried to keep in one piece became the property of the wind and water, sending those dear pieces you were not.”
After a while their relationship begins to blossom again. Once Alice is certain her expiry date will come soon, her doctor exposes she’s on remission.
Well, this is when the story went downhill for me. Alice could not simply be happy about the revelation. No she can’t. Well, if she was then we would have to chop off 250 pages. So, we make her somehow upset about her remission. It’s not stated clearly why she is - only it makes her saddened for reasons too important to specify very clearly.
“I had Harvey, and I had him for good. Hadn’t that been all I wanted? To make those perfect moments last? But now I felt trapped, like a homeless person who’d been given their dream home only to suffer from intense wanderlust because we always wanted something until we have it.”
Nice simile.
But..
still not helping because you won’t distinctively tell me which part of getting better upsets you. I must have misread the book. Alice says, she’s unhappy about the remission because now she can be with Harvey. I don't understand. Is she upset about that since her cancer will always be a shadow upon her life? Does it concern her that she will live in fear with Harvey knowing any minute she could lose him, therefore, she has lost that comforting certainty of when her death was already set?
Might be.
The relationship between Harvey and Alice is quite dysfunctional. Harvey genuinely loves Alice and demonstrates this more than enough. Alice feels the same way but she complicates their relationship, and it’s not because of her health, it’s her utter confusing attitude. I frequently felt as if the book was primarily about Harvey's unrequited love for Alice. I would have liked to apprehend the motivation behind Alice's actions, but the book failed in this instance.
Don't give one sentences like: “I knew how to die. It was living that scared me,” and then expect me to completely understand the character. You need to dive deeper and express more in order for me to connect with the character's emotional state.
For instance, after her remission, she attends school but becomes irritated by her classmate’s questions about her leukemia. After school that day, she meets a guy and begins chatting him up. Harvey finds her outside and says he should quickly drive her home, considering it’s cold. She ignores him and continues to chat to the guy while Harvey stands there waiting for her.
It seems this bitchy attitude can be excused because she has cancer. But why? It’s not like cancer strips away your morals. Apparently, this must be it. Maybe that was the whole point of the story. Cancer or more specifically remission makes you a bitch, but you have to redeem yourself... Okay, that doesn't make sense. The story doesn’t have much of a purpose which explains the lack of making sense.
Sometimes, I had thought Alice and Harvey were cute. I could almost see why they were so drawn to each other.
“You can play the cancer card forever, Alice.”
“You’re right, just until I’m dead. Then I dub you the carrier of the card, which shall henceforth be known as the ‘my friend died of cancer’ card.”
Then again, overuse of angst in romance really makes you think twice. Alice continuously angers Harvey by trying to make him jealous, and when he attempts to get over her by dating someone else then she would become overly jealous. See my problem? God that was so annoying.
Her attitude after her remission is just intolerable. She treats Harvey, who is relentlessly by her side, like shit because she she can't handle her emotions. As suggested earlier, it would appear odious if I criticize the heroine’s bad behavior since she has cancer. I, on the other hand, am not that easy enough to hand her the cancer card, and let her attitude go unnoticed. She basically behaves as if the world owes her something due to her sickness. Alice must have been misinformed about how the world works if that's what she thinks.
Not gonna work.
I could have liked Alice, and many times I did, but there was potential to build her character and provide reasonable and believable explanations as to why she chooses to act the way she does. It would have made the heroine's character development more thorough, instead of purely giving her an epiphany about her actions. (No, it was not a spoiler, in case you're thinking that.)
The non-linear structure of the book might be exasperating to readers. In my opinion, I thought it was done well and fit the book perfectly. The book switches from past to present. The past is the first year of her leukemia and when she is completing her bucket list. The present is set a year after which is throughout the duration of her remission. The POV is told from both Harvey and Alice. They have quite distinct voices. Harvey's tone sounds kinder and more caring, so you could easily identify it.
The book has its amusing and engaging moments, therefore it earns solely one star, plus an extra star for Harvey’s character. But I don’t find the book deserving of anymore. I initially finished the book with satisfaction until I really thought about the story, which then I found myself quite unsatisfied.
I’m sure some will enjoy this, but I find the book… pointless when it comes to realistic fiction.
-------
Sorry. I noticed, I repeat myself quite a lot about how I disliked Alice's attitude. My repetition comes to show how much I really do though...
May 12, 2014
All mixed reviews made me read it. Jasprit gave up on 50%, Alise and Giselle were annoyed by main character, but Brandi and Christy gave me hope that it might not be that bad. Where does that leave me?
Better than that other popular book about cancer. Earlier this year I read the famous The Fault In Our Stars by John Green and I failed to find it appealing as many other readers. There was "something" that felt off and I couldn't buy the whole "we are dying and everything is rainbows and unicorns" atmosphere. It was a good book, but hype messed up with my expectations. That was one of the reasons why I skipped Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor and why I avoided Side Effects May Vary. But after reading all reviews and comments about Alice and how "insensitive" or "bitchy" she is, I knew that I was on to something different. Because seriously, if someone tell you you'll die soon, you will be angry and selfish and bitchy. Because on one wants to die.
Why do I think this book deserves higher ratings? It felt real. Julie Murphy did an excellent job with dual point of view. Alice is mean, self-centered, she treats people badly, she is selfish and she is terrified. Scared of dying, scared of her illness coming back, scared of losing people she loves, scared of facing her own actions, scared of living when she knows that everything can change in one second. That is why she pulls whole tough act and pushing away everyone she loves. Other reason? The way people in her school acts - yes, in real life you'll be a freak show. Author did a good job of portraying everyone.
I can't wait for Julie Murphy's next book. I stayed up all night to finish reading Side Effects May Vary and went to bed thinking that she is an author I'd have to keep my eye on. Her second novel (not the sequel), Dumplin' will be published next year. Let's hope it will be even better.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review posted at Ja čitam, a ti?
***Copy of this book was provided by publisher, Harper Collins, via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.***
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May 28, 2018September 4, 2015
Karma was a bitch, but so was I.
Once upon a time, there was a girl. This girl grew up with her best friend, her partner in crime, and they were inseparable. She was the ring-leader, and he'd follow her anywhere. He'd do anything for her, because he had fallen madly in love with her. They got to high school. They drifted apart. Then one day, her world shattered with the uttering of three simple words: You have cancer. And with the proclamation of these words, the world became clearer. Her world began to focus, align. She would get the boy on her side again. She would start a bucket list. But not just any bucket list-she would make all those who wronged her pay. Her story isn't pretty. Her story isn't nice. She manipulates, breaks hearts, and makes people's lives (or one person's in particular) a living hell. You will not like her. You will not condone her actions. But you will finish this, and you will sympathize with her. Your morbid curiosity-and longing for the boy to get what he wants-will win out...but you won't like the harsh reality. I warned you.
Cancer would take away plenty. My hair, my body, my life. What I'd never realized, though, was that there was one privilege to dying: the right to live without consequence.
Wow. I just don't even know what to say to this?? What a harsh, manipulative, heart-breaking, addicting book. Never have I read something that conflicted my feelings so much...okay, lies-But it's been a while! I went into this not really knowing what I was getting myself into. The reviews are dreadfully mixed, ranging from 'wow this was epic' to...yeah, I won't even say it. Alice isn't a nice girl-of that I was sure of. But the extents she goes to?? I just never...I never expected it. Now, listen to this. It wasn't even the payback. Sorry, guys, her bucket list was epic. But no, she treated Harvey, her best friend, the boy who has loved her since they were kids, like shit. This? This was extremely hard to handle.
When the girl you loved was dying, it was hard not to let yourself go with her.
Everyone knows I am always on the boy's side. It's inevitable-that's just meeeeee. But in this one, I don't see how you couldn't feel horrible for the boy. How you couldn't fall in love with him and be on his side. He was the kindest person ever-He'd drop everything to help Alice. He'd humiliate himself in front of the whole school to save her. He'd protect at any and all costs, even if he felt like he was losing a piece of his soul-and he did. He really, truly lost a part of himself in this story, and it tore me to shreds. He would sacrifice everything for her...but there's a point where even the most in love, dedicated guys can't take the heartache anymore. Naturally this was when I felt like my heart had went through a wood chipper. Enough was enough....but when you're madly, truly, deeply in love with someone, when do you give up? Never.
When I dropped her off, she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, a small gesture that she knew would appease me. I hated myself for letting it be this way, and I hated her for making it this way. But, really, I loved her, and that hurt the worst of all because I was tired of being her debris.
Alice was a bitch. A manipulative asshole. A vengeful little shit. She was beyond redemption and deserved everything that came her way...but, yet....I understood her. I even liked her sometimes-Go figure. But, as I said, every time she manipulated Harvey I didn't like her. Anyone that can treat someone that way is disgusting, no matter the circumstances. What she went through was horrible, dreadful, but in no way excused treating someone you love that way. Her bucket list was complete, she was on her death bed, when she finally gets the news any person would cherish and grip onto with their last shred of hope and dignity-You're in remission. But not Alice-Alice has a lot to atone for...and she's in deep shit.
Oh shit.
This, I did not expect. This was not on my list.
One thing I must say was that the writing wasn't quite what I'd expected it to be-It didn't flow as much as my favorite books have lately and it was missing a lyrical quality I've grown accustomed to, but that is probably due in part to the intensity of every page. You weren't focused on the writing so much as Harvey's heart breaking into little tiny pieces chapter by chapter, and of course that stunted every line, every paragraph-the lines were blurred, but only because I couldn't believe what I was reading. It was written in a then and now fashion, which I loathe normally. But as the story progressed, it only served to produce impact-POWERFUL IMPACT...and it made me think the story was perfect as it was and I wouldn't change a thing.
I'd known her my whole life. Other girls didn't exist for me in the same way she did. They had been there all along, these feelings; the only thing that had changed was my understanding of them. My whole body finally connected the dots, and I realized that even if we were never together, she'd ruined me and I'd never feel that way about anyone again.
****
On that cold night in January it all slipped into place for me and she became my everything and my everyone. My music, my sun, my words, my hope, my logic, my confusion, my flaw.
I was thirteen years old, and she was all these things to me.
And I was her friend.
So, if stories with a morally ambiguous character aren't your thing, I'd steer clear of this story altogether. It's not a sweet story (unless you count Harvey and Alice's love story), it's not light or easy or wholly likable...but it has heart. It has substance. And it might or might not be gratifying, in the end....but this story became beyond addictive and had my stomach in knots from beginning to end....And never has revenge tasted so sweet.
For more of my reviews, please visit:
April 30, 2014
It literally took me like 3 minutes to snap out of this book's setting once i finished it
*feels*
*hand gestures*
*lays down*
---
(old)
I met the author at a book signing and she was completely awesome- I can't wait until this comes out!
*feels*
*hand gestures*
*lays down*
---
(old)
I met the author at a book signing and she was completely awesome- I can't wait until this comes out!
September 19, 2015
Harvy = 5 Stars
Alice = 0 Stars
Rating Clarification = 2.5 Stars
Wow! What a tough book to warm up to! I haven’t struggled with a protag this much in a long time. There were many moments in the story that I just about threw in the towel, so I surprise myself that I saw it all the way through.
Side Effects May Vary balances a potentially touching story between two very different protagonists. First you have sixteen year old Alice that is diagnosed with cancer. From one day to the next, she sees her life take a dramatic turn where she not only fights to stay alive but also struggles with coming to grips with some of the troubles in her life. Because her days are suddenly numbered, she decides to enlist the help of her longtime friend Harvey to exact some revenge on those who did her wrong.
However, when she finds herself in remission, she’s not only forced to deal with her new reality but also the consequences of her decisions that leaves many people angry and troubled with her actions against them.
Throughout the entire story, I struggled with trying to gain an ounce of sympathy for Alice. I simply didn’t like her. I know… I know… we’re talking about a kid that was dealt the c-card so an automatic sympathy pass should be granted. Well that just didn’t happen. This kid was downright callous, selfish and mean! It confuses me why an author would develop a character in such a way. At first I felt like I was missing something, but no… Just about every character in the novel validated my feelings. One when so far as to say, “The cancer might be gone, but the bitch isn’t.” Mean words, but I tell you she deserved them. Such a tough book to enjoy when you don’t like the narrator.
Thankfully for this book, there was another side to this story that was told from Harvey’s point of view. I loved this character and he was one of the reasons I saw this through the end. Harvey was kind, unassuming and aware. He knew he was being used by Alice and finally towards the end of the novel he makes some tough decisions that forces Alice to re-think who and what she is and how she treats people. Great balance in the story!
Overall, I struggled completely with Side Effects May Vary. Not one I feel comfortable recommending.
Waves of Fiction 2015 Reading Challenge
- Read a book that is a stand alone title.
Alice = 0 Stars
Rating Clarification = 2.5 Stars
Wow! What a tough book to warm up to! I haven’t struggled with a protag this much in a long time. There were many moments in the story that I just about threw in the towel, so I surprise myself that I saw it all the way through.
Side Effects May Vary balances a potentially touching story between two very different protagonists. First you have sixteen year old Alice that is diagnosed with cancer. From one day to the next, she sees her life take a dramatic turn where she not only fights to stay alive but also struggles with coming to grips with some of the troubles in her life. Because her days are suddenly numbered, she decides to enlist the help of her longtime friend Harvey to exact some revenge on those who did her wrong.
However, when she finds herself in remission, she’s not only forced to deal with her new reality but also the consequences of her decisions that leaves many people angry and troubled with her actions against them.
Throughout the entire story, I struggled with trying to gain an ounce of sympathy for Alice. I simply didn’t like her. I know… I know… we’re talking about a kid that was dealt the c-card so an automatic sympathy pass should be granted. Well that just didn’t happen. This kid was downright callous, selfish and mean! It confuses me why an author would develop a character in such a way. At first I felt like I was missing something, but no… Just about every character in the novel validated my feelings. One when so far as to say, “The cancer might be gone, but the bitch isn’t.” Mean words, but I tell you she deserved them. Such a tough book to enjoy when you don’t like the narrator.
Thankfully for this book, there was another side to this story that was told from Harvey’s point of view. I loved this character and he was one of the reasons I saw this through the end. Harvey was kind, unassuming and aware. He knew he was being used by Alice and finally towards the end of the novel he makes some tough decisions that forces Alice to re-think who and what she is and how she treats people. Great balance in the story!
Overall, I struggled completely with Side Effects May Vary. Not one I feel comfortable recommending.
Waves of Fiction 2015 Reading Challenge
- Read a book that is a stand alone title.
April 25, 2015
Where I expected a deep and meaningful plot there was a bland storyline mostly based on the petty revenge of a young girl. Where I expected a mature, old-soul type main character there was a shallow teen who recovered from cancer and hates the world for it.
Characters in a Gif: Alice
I’m going to get right into this with Alice. This girl. This girl literally has a personal grudge against what seems like everyone on Earth. She’s a total bitch to her best friend Harvey, who has done nothing but care for her and a terrible daughter to her parents who have to deal with their only child having cancer. Alice’s M.O. is taking advantage of others, which includes manipulating people’s feelings and using a serious disease to get whatever she wants.
And her first words after she finds out she is in remission? (Which isn’t a spoiler because it’s in the synopsis) is “Motherfucker.” I mumbled. Alice was ready to die, expecting it, and almost even wanting it. She’s upset because the day before she told her best guy friend something and doesn’t know “how to live with that.”
Let’s look at a few Alice quotes:
“I wasn’t a very good person unless I really made the effort to be.”
“These last couple of weeks, I’d pushed him farther away while keeping him barely in reach.”
Let me explain that one. Harvey, Alice’s friend, has done nothing but be by Alice’s side, care for her, and help her out with her revenge bucket list. He has made his feelings for her clear multiple times and she uses that to get him to do things for her and admits it. For example, Harvey had to drive her home one time and he waited right in front of her in his car while she flirts with another guy right in front of him and makes him feel like he’s the rude one. Knowing he is pissed at her, she gives him a kiss on the cheek before she gets out of the car just to “appease” him.
“I think I like you,” he said. It was more statement than confession. I flipped through channels, trying to pretend like I hadn’t heard him because I didn’t know how to respond.”
“I liked that it was hard for him to be mad at me. And maybe I liked it a little too much.”
“…every chance I could to bend over with my ass in the air or to brush my boobs up against Harvey’s arm. I felt pretty stupid.”
“I found myself plotting her demise. This wasn’t okay. He couldn’t be with someone, not so soon. I wanted to destroy her.”
Characters in a Gif: Harvey
Poor Harvey spends almost his entire SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY life being played like a fiddle by Alice. He is constantly being pulled towards her then being pushed back, and has no idea what’s going on. Does Alice like him? Why is Alice being such a bitch? Alice Alice Alice Alice etc. I would pity him if I didn’t think he was so stupid for going along with all this.
He does finally come to his senses and stands up to her but it’s pretty anticlimactic and doesn’t last very long. So he redeemed his character (unlike Alice did) even if it was only for a moment. Someone needed to bring Alice back to the playing ground of the mere mortals after all her power trips.
As for the writing, I didn’t have any real issues with it, although it was definitely more telling than showing, which can be very straightforward at times. Pacing wasn’t all that spectacular either, as I found myself 20% done and thought it was more like 70%.
This is not as deep or engrossing as The Fault in Our Stars, it has more of a Better Off Friends feel combined with Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality. It does have entertainment value, but if you can’t get past Alice’s behavior, this is one you might want to avoid.
*Quotes are to be check against a final version of the book.
More reviews like this on Readers in Wonderland.
Characters in a Gif: Alice
I’m going to get right into this with Alice. This girl. This girl literally has a personal grudge against what seems like everyone on Earth. She’s a total bitch to her best friend Harvey, who has done nothing but care for her and a terrible daughter to her parents who have to deal with their only child having cancer. Alice’s M.O. is taking advantage of others, which includes manipulating people’s feelings and using a serious disease to get whatever she wants.
And her first words after she finds out she is in remission? (Which isn’t a spoiler because it’s in the synopsis) is “Motherfucker.” I mumbled. Alice was ready to die, expecting it, and almost even wanting it. She’s upset because the day before she told her best guy friend something and doesn’t know “how to live with that.”
Let’s look at a few Alice quotes:
“I wasn’t a very good person unless I really made the effort to be.”
“These last couple of weeks, I’d pushed him farther away while keeping him barely in reach.”
Let me explain that one. Harvey, Alice’s friend, has done nothing but be by Alice’s side, care for her, and help her out with her revenge bucket list. He has made his feelings for her clear multiple times and she uses that to get him to do things for her and admits it. For example, Harvey had to drive her home one time and he waited right in front of her in his car while she flirts with another guy right in front of him and makes him feel like he’s the rude one. Knowing he is pissed at her, she gives him a kiss on the cheek before she gets out of the car just to “appease” him.
“I think I like you,” he said. It was more statement than confession. I flipped through channels, trying to pretend like I hadn’t heard him because I didn’t know how to respond.”
“I liked that it was hard for him to be mad at me. And maybe I liked it a little too much.”
“…every chance I could to bend over with my ass in the air or to brush my boobs up against Harvey’s arm. I felt pretty stupid.”
“I found myself plotting her demise. This wasn’t okay. He couldn’t be with someone, not so soon. I wanted to destroy her.”
Characters in a Gif: Harvey
Poor Harvey spends almost his entire SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY life being played like a fiddle by Alice. He is constantly being pulled towards her then being pushed back, and has no idea what’s going on. Does Alice like him? Why is Alice being such a bitch? Alice Alice Alice Alice etc. I would pity him if I didn’t think he was so stupid for going along with all this.
He does finally come to his senses and stands up to her but it’s pretty anticlimactic and doesn’t last very long. So he redeemed his character (unlike Alice did) even if it was only for a moment. Someone needed to bring Alice back to the playing ground of the mere mortals after all her power trips.
As for the writing, I didn’t have any real issues with it, although it was definitely more telling than showing, which can be very straightforward at times. Pacing wasn’t all that spectacular either, as I found myself 20% done and thought it was more like 70%.
This is not as deep or engrossing as The Fault in Our Stars, it has more of a Better Off Friends feel combined with Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality. It does have entertainment value, but if you can’t get past Alice’s behavior, this is one you might want to avoid.
*Quotes are to be check against a final version of the book.
More reviews like this on Readers in Wonderland.
January 12, 2014
Nose Graze — Book reviews & blogging tips
2.5 Stars
=== My review may contain some MINOR spoilers. They're super minor and vague though and won't ruin the book for you. I just vaguely highlight how long the MC is a bitch for and at what percentage she starts trying to not be a bitch. ===
I was disappointed in Side Effects May Vary :( There were two main problems for me: I didn't like the "then" and "now" style of narration (I don't think it worked well here), and the main character quickly became very unlikeable, and that made it hard to sympathize with her.
I'm perfectly fine with then and now narration in many books, but I don't think it fit in this one. The "then" is right after Alice got diagnosed with cancer, and "now" is over a year later when she's in remission. So the "then" is when she's first starting her bucketlist thing, and the "now" is when she starts dealing with the consequences of it. I think it felt jumbled and confusing because we'd read about the "now" chapters when she's dealing with the consequences, but at that point we still have no idea what she actually did to piss people off. So we have to slowly figure it out. I just think it made the story too confusing and even frustrated at times because I had to try to figure it out with little knowledge. Sometimes this style of writing really works, but I don't think it was a good fit here.
And the bigger problem was Alice herself. Alice and I started out okay. I don't think I loved her, but I was open minded and giving her a chance. But she slowly got worse and worse. She kind of turned into a big bitch, and that made it SO hard for me to like her, sympathize with her, or even keep reading (towards the end). It felt like the whole story was about: "see how big of a bitch Alice can be for 95%, then watch her try to redeem herself in the last 5 pages". It just went on waaay too long with Alice being a bitch. Here are a few examples:
When she thought she was dying, she got really close to Harvey and basically told him she loved him (she didn't say it exactly, but it was implied). They were clearly almost in a relationship (they just hadn't defined it). Then as soon as she goes into remission, she completely ignores Harvey and treats him like shit. I felt so bad for the guy.
Harvey was asked to drive Alice home from school since her parents were unable to. Harvey tells Alice this then says he'll bring the car around. He's in the car, waiting for her to get in (he's like right next to her.. she can see him), but she doesn't. He keeps waiting and waiting. Then:
She knows he's ready to go and she just IGNORES him for like 15 minutes. She doesn't say, "Hang on, I just want to finish up talking to Eric." She doesn't say ANYTHING. She just flat out ignores him. He's doing her a favour by driving her home and she's just being a bitch about it.
Then she did just plain stupid stuff like this:
Maybe that's a stupid, small thing, but it's those stupid small things that built up and pissed me off. Harvey already had the top bunk. He was putting his sheets on it, and she just "claimed it" to piss him off. I wish Harvey had told her to screw herself instead of giving in and letting her have it. Who the hell does that?
Alice used Harvey. She used him to help her complete her stupid bucketlist, then once it was over, she abandoned him.
Alice only wanted Harvey when she couldn't have him, and I hated that. She wanted him when she was dying (because she couldn't stay with him), she wanted him when he was with someone else (because it meant he wasn't hers), but then when she actually could have him, she didn't want him.
This quote couldn't be more accurate. So clearly Alice's behaviour was intentional on the author's part, but I couldn't stand it.. especially when it just got worse and worse for like 90 or 95% of the book. I think I could have dealt with it if she was a bitch for 60% and spent the last 40% making up for it, but that wasn't the case. She was a mean person and then spent like 5 pages apologizing and that was it. It wasn't enough for me.
I think a lot of people will love this book because there is an interesting story there. Parts of it (especially about the cancer and how people acted) were really powerful. I'm just upset that the author decide to make Alice SO bitchy for so much of the time. She wasn't a nice person. I couldn't see what Harvey saw in her, because she completely used him. I hung in there for a good part of the book, but when I saw that it was still an issue like 75% through, I started getting really fed up and annoyed. I started skimming a bit at that point.
If you think you can deal with a bitchy character, or the above quotes don't bother you, then I do recommend you give Side Effects May Vary a try. Because as I said, it is interesting and I think a lot of people will love it a lot more than I did. But if you can't stand characters with a bit of a bitchy attitude, then you may want to avoid it!
2.5 Stars
=== My review may contain some MINOR spoilers. They're super minor and vague though and won't ruin the book for you. I just vaguely highlight how long the MC is a bitch for and at what percentage she starts trying to not be a bitch. ===
I was disappointed in Side Effects May Vary :( There were two main problems for me: I didn't like the "then" and "now" style of narration (I don't think it worked well here), and the main character quickly became very unlikeable, and that made it hard to sympathize with her.
I'm perfectly fine with then and now narration in many books, but I don't think it fit in this one. The "then" is right after Alice got diagnosed with cancer, and "now" is over a year later when she's in remission. So the "then" is when she's first starting her bucketlist thing, and the "now" is when she starts dealing with the consequences of it. I think it felt jumbled and confusing because we'd read about the "now" chapters when she's dealing with the consequences, but at that point we still have no idea what she actually did to piss people off. So we have to slowly figure it out. I just think it made the story too confusing and even frustrated at times because I had to try to figure it out with little knowledge. Sometimes this style of writing really works, but I don't think it was a good fit here.
And the bigger problem was Alice herself. Alice and I started out okay. I don't think I loved her, but I was open minded and giving her a chance. But she slowly got worse and worse. She kind of turned into a big bitch, and that made it SO hard for me to like her, sympathize with her, or even keep reading (towards the end). It felt like the whole story was about: "see how big of a bitch Alice can be for 95%, then watch her try to redeem herself in the last 5 pages". It just went on waaay too long with Alice being a bitch. Here are a few examples:
When she thought she was dying, she got really close to Harvey and basically told him she loved him (she didn't say it exactly, but it was implied). They were clearly almost in a relationship (they just hadn't defined it). Then as soon as she goes into remission, she completely ignores Harvey and treats him like shit. I felt so bad for the guy.
"Why are you acting like nothing happened between us when something did?"
—Harvey
Harvey was asked to drive Alice home from school since her parents were unable to. Harvey tells Alice this then says he'll bring the car around. He's in the car, waiting for her to get in (he's like right next to her.. she can see him), but she doesn't. He keeps waiting and waiting. Then:
With her back turned to me, I could see Alice had no intention of getting into the vehicle anytime soon. She was talking to Eric Guy. She couldn't talk to me, but she could talk to this asshole. So I honked. For thirty seconds straight. And then one more honk for good measure. Alice turned, and narrowed her eyes at me.
She knows he's ready to go and she just IGNORES him for like 15 minutes. She doesn't say, "Hang on, I just want to finish up talking to Eric." She doesn't say ANYTHING. She just flat out ignores him. He's doing her a favour by driving her home and she's just being a bitch about it.
Then she did just plain stupid stuff like this:
I walked into our room on Sunday night and found Harvey in the process of putting his sheets on the top bunk. I threw my duffle bag on the floor and said, "I call top," and walked out of the room.
—Alice
Maybe that's a stupid, small thing, but it's those stupid small things that built up and pissed me off. Harvey already had the top bunk. He was putting his sheets on it, and she just "claimed it" to piss him off. I wish Harvey had told her to screw herself instead of giving in and letting her have it. Who the hell does that?
Alice used Harvey. She used him to help her complete her stupid bucketlist, then once it was over, she abandoned him.
Being an imaginary friend was a one-way street. If that's what I was to Alice, then maybe she only ever saw me when she needed me. I wondered what would happen when I needed her.
—Harvey
Alice only wanted Harvey when she couldn't have him, and I hated that. She wanted him when she was dying (because she couldn't stay with him), she wanted him when he was with someone else (because it meant he wasn't hers), but then when she actually could have him, she didn't want him.
"You are hollow on the inside, Alice, did you know that?" She asked. "Rotten too. And no one cares. No one cares because you make it so difficult to."
This quote couldn't be more accurate. So clearly Alice's behaviour was intentional on the author's part, but I couldn't stand it.. especially when it just got worse and worse for like 90 or 95% of the book. I think I could have dealt with it if she was a bitch for 60% and spent the last 40% making up for it, but that wasn't the case. She was a mean person and then spent like 5 pages apologizing and that was it. It wasn't enough for me.
I think a lot of people will love this book because there is an interesting story there. Parts of it (especially about the cancer and how people acted) were really powerful. I'm just upset that the author decide to make Alice SO bitchy for so much of the time. She wasn't a nice person. I couldn't see what Harvey saw in her, because she completely used him. I hung in there for a good part of the book, but when I saw that it was still an issue like 75% through, I started getting really fed up and annoyed. I started skimming a bit at that point.
If you think you can deal with a bitchy character, or the above quotes don't bother you, then I do recommend you give Side Effects May Vary a try. Because as I said, it is interesting and I think a lot of people will love it a lot more than I did. But if you can't stand characters with a bit of a bitchy attitude, then you may want to avoid it!
March 30, 2018
Well, this sucked. Ended up having to skim to the end because I hated the main characters with a passion and couldn't take their BS any longer. The story itself wasn't really worth putting up with these turds.
Alice is a demon spawn. Harvey is a limp noodle. I am not amused.
This didn't even feel like Julie Murphy wrote it.
Alice is a demon spawn. Harvey is a limp noodle. I am not amused.
This didn't even feel like Julie Murphy wrote it.
January 27, 2018
I don't know how I feel about this one. You can definitely tell it's a debut so I do want to put a disclaimer out there. If this is your first Julie Murphy novel, read more. I personally feel Julie Murphy is an amazing author and you can see her development and progression as a writer in her subsequent novels (Dumplin' and Ramona Blue). I am not saying this is a terrible novel but everything about her as an author gets better in the following novels.
The story actually is a unique and admittedly terrifying idea. I don't think many people are comfortable with reading novels with a cancer component because it hits too close to home. It's reality. Additionally, it's even more difficult to read of characters who are younger facing this disease. Trust me, I work in the medical field where I see the harsh reality of cancer daily, these kind of novels still unsettle me.
As for the characters, I really loved Harvey. He was my favourite character of the novel and I felt like my heart broke repeatedly for him. He just came across as being so selfless and truly portrayed having an unrelenting, unconditional love. As for Alice, I felt for her. She was very misunderstood and facing unimaginable things. I feel bad because she wasn't that likeable of a character but you can understand why. At times I felt like I was sitting there in shock with some of her actions but at the same time, I couldn't imagine being in her shoes so who would I be to make a judgement.
Overall, it was a unique novel. It actually took me longer than I expected to read due to the heavy content. It wasn't something that I felt that I could rush through. I would recommend this novel with the caution that it does have a layer of depth that you may not expect in young adult fiction. If you are looking for a light read, this may not be the one to pick up.
The story actually is a unique and admittedly terrifying idea. I don't think many people are comfortable with reading novels with a cancer component because it hits too close to home. It's reality. Additionally, it's even more difficult to read of characters who are younger facing this disease. Trust me, I work in the medical field where I see the harsh reality of cancer daily, these kind of novels still unsettle me.
As for the characters, I really loved Harvey. He was my favourite character of the novel and I felt like my heart broke repeatedly for him. He just came across as being so selfless and truly portrayed having an unrelenting, unconditional love. As for Alice, I felt for her. She was very misunderstood and facing unimaginable things. I feel bad because she wasn't that likeable of a character but you can understand why. At times I felt like I was sitting there in shock with some of her actions but at the same time, I couldn't imagine being in her shoes so who would I be to make a judgement.
Overall, it was a unique novel. It actually took me longer than I expected to read due to the heavy content. It wasn't something that I felt that I could rush through. I would recommend this novel with the caution that it does have a layer of depth that you may not expect in young adult fiction. If you are looking for a light read, this may not be the one to pick up.
August 31, 2013
Beautiful. Really, just beautiful.
Side Effects May Vary is witty and raw and heartfelt, and above all, brutally, wonderfully honest. It's one of those books that creates a world and characters so engrossing that you feel like they become a part of you, and that you have a vested interest in their lives. You fall into the world of Alice and Harvey so completely that when you come up for air you realize it's 3am and you only meant to read a chapter or two before going to sleep. It'll leave you thinking about it for days afterward.
I'm actually kind of bummed because I read this as a borrowed ARC (mailed across the state to me--it's that kind of book that makes you want to send it off to other people immediately after you finish it) because I'm the kind of reader who likes to underline and mark up passages I liked or found interesting or were just damned good writing. And I found myself wanting to do that over and over again here.
I can't wait for this book to be released so I can share it with other people.
Side Effects May Vary is witty and raw and heartfelt, and above all, brutally, wonderfully honest. It's one of those books that creates a world and characters so engrossing that you feel like they become a part of you, and that you have a vested interest in their lives. You fall into the world of Alice and Harvey so completely that when you come up for air you realize it's 3am and you only meant to read a chapter or two before going to sleep. It'll leave you thinking about it for days afterward.
I'm actually kind of bummed because I read this as a borrowed ARC (mailed across the state to me--it's that kind of book that makes you want to send it off to other people immediately after you finish it) because I'm the kind of reader who likes to underline and mark up passages I liked or found interesting or were just damned good writing. And I found myself wanting to do that over and over again here.
I can't wait for this book to be released so I can share it with other people.
July 26, 2013
I was lucky enough to read Side Effects early on and watch it grow, evolve, and basically burrow itself inside my heart.
With subtle yet haunting prose, Julie Murphy weaves a non-linear tale about a dying girl named Alice and her childhood friend, Harvey, who can’t seem to let her go.
Alice is the unlikable girl you can’t help but love. When Alice learns she has a second chance at life, she must confront those she wronged when it seemed her days were running out. As the novel progresses, we slowly learn why Alice wasn’t the let’s-go-to-Disneyland type of cancer patient. Alice is somehow the novel's protagonist as well as her own antagonist—a feat only a writer as skilled as Julie Murphy could master.
Harvey—sweet, charming, sensitive Harvey—is hands down, the most realistic teenage boy I’ve ever had the privilege to read. My heart aches for him, skips for him, and sometimes bleeds for him. His love for Alice is so raw and deep, you find yourself rooting for their relationship even though Alice isn’t always so deserving of his love.
As the layered past of Alice and Harvey is uncovered, you’ll be swept into their dizzying, sometimes volatile, and always beautiful relationship.
This is a book about cancer that manages to not be a “cancer book.” It’s a book about second chances, the harsh realities of high school relationships, and the ever-evolving childhood friendship that defines Alice and almost destroys Harvey.
With subtle yet haunting prose, Julie Murphy weaves a non-linear tale about a dying girl named Alice and her childhood friend, Harvey, who can’t seem to let her go.
Alice is the unlikable girl you can’t help but love. When Alice learns she has a second chance at life, she must confront those she wronged when it seemed her days were running out. As the novel progresses, we slowly learn why Alice wasn’t the let’s-go-to-Disneyland type of cancer patient. Alice is somehow the novel's protagonist as well as her own antagonist—a feat only a writer as skilled as Julie Murphy could master.
Harvey—sweet, charming, sensitive Harvey—is hands down, the most realistic teenage boy I’ve ever had the privilege to read. My heart aches for him, skips for him, and sometimes bleeds for him. His love for Alice is so raw and deep, you find yourself rooting for their relationship even though Alice isn’t always so deserving of his love.
As the layered past of Alice and Harvey is uncovered, you’ll be swept into their dizzying, sometimes volatile, and always beautiful relationship.
This is a book about cancer that manages to not be a “cancer book.” It’s a book about second chances, the harsh realities of high school relationships, and the ever-evolving childhood friendship that defines Alice and almost destroys Harvey.
September 16, 2015
First things first, I want to say that this book was very honest and real. It's very raw and very real, it doesn't gloss over anything or romanticize cancer or it's side effects. That being said, while I can appreciate that about the book, I did not like this book.
My main problem with this book was the main character Alice. I did not like her at all. She's so mean, such a bully and so manipulative. She was just cold and heartless, not to mention so freakin' moody. With Harvey, she'd be clinging on to him one minute and then completely ignoring him and being a complete asshole to him the next.
Overall, this book had a lot of potential, it had a great plot but poor execution and I didn't like or connect with any of the characters, which made it very hard for me to enjoy the story. I would say if you're a fan of John Green or these kinds of stories, to still give it a shot! Hopefully you'll like it more than me!
My main problem with this book was the main character Alice. I did not like her at all. She's so mean, such a bully and so manipulative. She was just cold and heartless, not to mention so freakin' moody. With Harvey, she'd be clinging on to him one minute and then completely ignoring him and being a complete asshole to him the next.
Overall, this book had a lot of potential, it had a great plot but poor execution and I didn't like or connect with any of the characters, which made it very hard for me to enjoy the story. I would say if you're a fan of John Green or these kinds of stories, to still give it a shot! Hopefully you'll like it more than me!
May 22, 2015
Absolutely loved this! Harvey is the best book boyfriend I have read this year. Alice rips my heart out just as she ripped Harvey's to shreds. Beautiful writing (I seriously wanted to quote a line from every other page) with characters that jump off the page. A must read!
August 31, 2015
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would! I'm even more excited for Dumplin' after reading this. Weeeeee!
June 19, 2018
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
When 16 year old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, she devises a plan to complete a list of things before she dies. Not thinking of the consequences of her actions, she enlists the help of her friend Harvey, in order to complete the list. After the list is complete, Alice is ready to let go, but then she is given the news that she is in remission and must now deal with the consequences surrounding the list.
Alice was my least favourite part about this novel. She was whiny, annoying and incredibly selfish. Harvey annoyed me at times as well because of the way he let Alice walk all over him all the time. He deserved better. At least there was a fair bit of character development in the end. I did enjoy the writing style and the then/now POV between Harvey and Alice, I feel that it made for an interesting dynamic between the two characters.
When 16 year old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, she devises a plan to complete a list of things before she dies. Not thinking of the consequences of her actions, she enlists the help of her friend Harvey, in order to complete the list. After the list is complete, Alice is ready to let go, but then she is given the news that she is in remission and must now deal with the consequences surrounding the list.
Alice was my least favourite part about this novel. She was whiny, annoying and incredibly selfish. Harvey annoyed me at times as well because of the way he let Alice walk all over him all the time. He deserved better. At least there was a fair bit of character development in the end. I did enjoy the writing style and the then/now POV between Harvey and Alice, I feel that it made for an interesting dynamic between the two characters.
January 12, 2014
Read as digital ARC.
This book, man...You're going to have to surrender a small chunk of your life to reading it and then another chunk of your life to sorting out your feelings about it. Julie's captured something really authentic here, and it might rip you apart a little bit. Basically, Alice doesn't know what she's doing, and I think that's something all of us can relate to. Sometimes she makes bad decisions, and you'll want to grab her by the shoulders and give her a shake. Sometimes she's some sort of criminal mastermind, and you'll want to give her a high-five and compliment her on her originality. But mostly you'll get sucked in, thinking about how love and health can change your priorities, plans and general outlook. It's the good stuff.
This book, man...You're going to have to surrender a small chunk of your life to reading it and then another chunk of your life to sorting out your feelings about it. Julie's captured something really authentic here, and it might rip you apart a little bit. Basically, Alice doesn't know what she's doing, and I think that's something all of us can relate to. Sometimes she makes bad decisions, and you'll want to grab her by the shoulders and give her a shake. Sometimes she's some sort of criminal mastermind, and you'll want to give her a high-five and compliment her on her originality. But mostly you'll get sucked in, thinking about how love and health can change your priorities, plans and general outlook. It's the good stuff.
February 10, 2018
This book kind of reminded me of other books like: Fault In Our Stars and A Walk To Remember.
However, it just wasn't good enough to compare it to the other books.
I don't really know why but it probably has to deal with the MC, Alice, and how I just didn't like her. It's like she was okay with dying but not happy that she was in remission BECAUSE she just had to be with the guy who was falling for her. Like really? Uh sorry back up. Because in A Walk To Remember we all know she wanted to end up with the guy but couldn't because she was dying. We all know the the girl wanted to end up with the guy in Fault In Our Stars so what gives with this girl?
She just rubbed me the wrong way which breaks my heart because I've wanted to read this book for a long time. Now that I have I'm not sure I'm happy that I did.
Overall, it was okay. I expected a way better book with this kind of title. I expected more likable characters within this book. Overall, my expectations were really high and I'm kind of sad about that.
However, it just wasn't good enough to compare it to the other books.
I don't really know why but it probably has to deal with the MC, Alice, and how I just didn't like her. It's like she was okay with dying but not happy that she was in remission BECAUSE she just had to be with the guy who was falling for her. Like really? Uh sorry back up. Because in A Walk To Remember we all know she wanted to end up with the guy but couldn't because she was dying. We all know the the girl wanted to end up with the guy in Fault In Our Stars so what gives with this girl?
She just rubbed me the wrong way which breaks my heart because I've wanted to read this book for a long time. Now that I have I'm not sure I'm happy that I did.
Overall, it was okay. I expected a way better book with this kind of title. I expected more likable characters within this book. Overall, my expectations were really high and I'm kind of sad about that.
January 7, 2015
3.5 stars
For those of you that weren't exactly bowled over by John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (or if you were like me and enjoyed it but thought the dialogue was way too precious and unconvincingly age-appropriate), Julie Murphy's debut effort Side Effects May Vary just might provide a refreshing alternative.
Yeah, it's another YA cancer story; the afflictee in question, Alice, a sophomore at Hughley High, was for a time an aspiring ballet dancer before she got sick with leukemia. Her loving boyfriend Harvey stood beside her every step of the way as her cancer progressed and her chemotherapy wracked her body. Then, amazingly, the leukemia went into remission and when Alice gets a new lease on life, she, somewhat predictably, turns into Queen Megabitch and turns her back on her long faithful boyfriend and others who love her.
As you night surmise, Alice is (at least on the surface) completely unlikable (or at least her actions certainly are). In a way, it becomes something other than the stereotypical ailing teen drama and becomes more Harvey's unrequited love story. As Irritating as Alice gets, though, she still stays in the reader's sympathy, to an extent (I found myself rooting more for poor Harvey than her, anyway.) The dialogue was consistently fresh and believable, free from John Green's occasionally groan-worthy cutesiness. As this is Ms. Murphy's first novel, it's not perfect, but she kept me 'in it to the very end. Quite a promising debut.
For those of you that weren't exactly bowled over by John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (or if you were like me and enjoyed it but thought the dialogue was way too precious and unconvincingly age-appropriate), Julie Murphy's debut effort Side Effects May Vary just might provide a refreshing alternative.
Yeah, it's another YA cancer story; the afflictee in question, Alice, a sophomore at Hughley High, was for a time an aspiring ballet dancer before she got sick with leukemia. Her loving boyfriend Harvey stood beside her every step of the way as her cancer progressed and her chemotherapy wracked her body. Then, amazingly, the leukemia went into remission and when Alice gets a new lease on life, she, somewhat predictably, turns into Queen Megabitch and turns her back on her long faithful boyfriend and others who love her.
As you night surmise, Alice is (at least on the surface) completely unlikable (or at least her actions certainly are). In a way, it becomes something other than the stereotypical ailing teen drama and becomes more Harvey's unrequited love story. As Irritating as Alice gets, though, she still stays in the reader's sympathy, to an extent (I found myself rooting more for poor Harvey than her, anyway.) The dialogue was consistently fresh and believable, free from John Green's occasionally groan-worthy cutesiness. As this is Ms. Murphy's first novel, it's not perfect, but she kept me 'in it to the very end. Quite a promising debut.
March 22, 2014
This broke my heart in all the right places. Here are three reasons why you NEED this book to break yours, too:
1. Side Effects May Vary is the morning after the storm. The sun is shining and the birds are singing, but Alice and Harvey are left standing in the doorway of a house that no longer exists, and they have to pick up the wreckage. Yeah. It's that kind of grueling.
2. Alice shoves your other cancer books' faces into the mashed potatoes and steals their lunch money. She is raw and brutal and fierce, and she has a long way to go to become the girl who lived instead of the girl who went down fighting. We don't have nearly enough girls like Alice in YA--girls who screw up and get nasty and slowly, grudgingly recognize the distance they have to go. And I LOVE her for it.
3. Harvey. Oh, Harvey. He is a wise old soul who nevertheless has his limits, even if it takes him a while to define them. Harvey's the best friend everyone needs, if not necessarily the one they deserve.
1. Side Effects May Vary is the morning after the storm. The sun is shining and the birds are singing, but Alice and Harvey are left standing in the doorway of a house that no longer exists, and they have to pick up the wreckage. Yeah. It's that kind of grueling.
2. Alice shoves your other cancer books' faces into the mashed potatoes and steals their lunch money. She is raw and brutal and fierce, and she has a long way to go to become the girl who lived instead of the girl who went down fighting. We don't have nearly enough girls like Alice in YA--girls who screw up and get nasty and slowly, grudgingly recognize the distance they have to go. And I LOVE her for it.
3. Harvey. Oh, Harvey. He is a wise old soul who nevertheless has his limits, even if it takes him a while to define them. Harvey's the best friend everyone needs, if not necessarily the one they deserve.
November 8, 2015
یه 4 کامل
شاید به نظر برسه کتاب با توجه به موضوعش بیشتر به سرطان بپردازه اما در واقع بخش های خیلی کوچیکی از کتاب فقط اشاره هایی به سرطان داره .بیشتر درباره ی رفتار آلیس بعد از لحظه ایه که میفهمه سرطان داره
و اینکه اصلاح اشتباهات چقدر پیچیده میشه و هاروی
کلا فوکوس داستان روی رابطه ی در هم و بر هم و پیچیده ی این دو نفره
که به طرز شگفت انگیزی پایان لوس و بی مزه ای نداره(داستان .نه رابطه)کلا از چیزی که فکر میکردم خیلی هپی تر و قشنگ تر بود
شاید به نظر برسه کتاب با توجه به موضوعش بیشتر به سرطان بپردازه اما در واقع بخش های خیلی کوچیکی از کتاب فقط اشاره هایی به سرطان داره .بیشتر درباره ی رفتار آلیس بعد از لحظه ایه که میفهمه سرطان داره
و اینکه اصلاح اشتباهات چقدر پیچیده میشه و هاروی
کلا فوکوس داستان روی رابطه ی در هم و بر هم و پیچیده ی این دو نفره
که به طرز شگفت انگیزی پایان لوس و بی مزه ای نداره(داستان .نه رابطه)کلا از چیزی که فکر میکردم خیلی هپی تر و قشنگ تر بود
July 28, 2013
MYEYEBALLSAREBROKEN! Are there more than 5 stars to give? Loved loved loved.
(more thoughtful review with proper vocab tk)
(more thoughtful review with proper vocab tk)
July 13, 2017
This goes to show that authors can really surprise you.
I read that Side Effects May Vary was about cancer, romance, and revenge, and grabbed it as quickly as I could off the library shelf. Then I saw the author's name on the cover and thought, "Oh great." The only other book I've read by Julie Murphy was Dumplin', which was one of my least favorite reads of 2015. But holy guacamole - I'm so glad I gave this a try.
There's something I think people need to know about this book: it has an extremely unlikeable narrator. The main character, Alice, is one of the most cold-hearted people I've ever read about. And I say that as gleefully as possible while sitting here rubbing my hands together. Make no mistake, Alice is a horrible human being who did unforgivable things. I absolutely loathed her. But it was so much fun to hate her.
What would you do if you were diagnosed with leukemia and only had a short while to live? Would you cherish the last few months with your friends and family - or would you wreck havoc on those who ruined your life and seek destructive, blood-thirsty revenge? After getting diagnosed with life-threatening cancer, Alice creates a list to get back at everyone who has ever hurt her.
I know I probably sound like I sadist, but I loved how manipulative Alice was. Once I accepted the fact that she was a callous, lying, terrible person, I enjoyed this book so much more. Watching her get revenge on old rivalries and ex-boyfriends was like watching a train wreck. It was fascinating and awful and impossible to look away. But Alice's character was also realistic - she was humanized and so complex at the same time as we were forced to hate her.
I loved how Side Effects May Vary pulled all kinds of emotions out of me: I felt pity for Alice when she got diagnosed with cancer, but was horrified by her cold actions. Alice was the kind of the girl who got cancer and used it to her advantage. The kind of girl who knew she could get away with something, so she did it. The kind that pushed her parents away, kept secrets, lied, and manipulated the only boy who kept on loving her, even after he'd seen how ugly she was inside.
This was such a nasty little book that I couldn't put down. I had a serious love/hate relationship with Alice and it was so satisfying to see her get what she deserved in the end. This is how you do revenge stories.
I read that Side Effects May Vary was about cancer, romance, and revenge, and grabbed it as quickly as I could off the library shelf. Then I saw the author's name on the cover and thought, "Oh great." The only other book I've read by Julie Murphy was Dumplin', which was one of my least favorite reads of 2015. But holy guacamole - I'm so glad I gave this a try.
There's something I think people need to know about this book: it has an extremely unlikeable narrator. The main character, Alice, is one of the most cold-hearted people I've ever read about. And I say that as gleefully as possible while sitting here rubbing my hands together. Make no mistake, Alice is a horrible human being who did unforgivable things. I absolutely loathed her. But it was so much fun to hate her.
What would you do if you were diagnosed with leukemia and only had a short while to live? Would you cherish the last few months with your friends and family - or would you wreck havoc on those who ruined your life and seek destructive, blood-thirsty revenge? After getting diagnosed with life-threatening cancer, Alice creates a list to get back at everyone who has ever hurt her.
I know I probably sound like I sadist, but I loved how manipulative Alice was. Once I accepted the fact that she was a callous, lying, terrible person, I enjoyed this book so much more. Watching her get revenge on old rivalries and ex-boyfriends was like watching a train wreck. It was fascinating and awful and impossible to look away. But Alice's character was also realistic - she was humanized and so complex at the same time as we were forced to hate her.
“I’d always heard that when you truly love someone, you’re happy for them as long they’re happy. But that’s a lie. That’s higher-road bullshit. If you love someone so much, why the hell would you be happy to see them with anyone else? I didn’t want the easy kind of love. I wanted the crazy love, the kind of love that created and destroyed all at the same time.”
I loved how Side Effects May Vary pulled all kinds of emotions out of me: I felt pity for Alice when she got diagnosed with cancer, but was horrified by her cold actions. Alice was the kind of the girl who got cancer and used it to her advantage. The kind of girl who knew she could get away with something, so she did it. The kind that pushed her parents away, kept secrets, lied, and manipulated the only boy who kept on loving her, even after he'd seen how ugly she was inside.
This was such a nasty little book that I couldn't put down. I had a serious love/hate relationship with Alice and it was so satisfying to see her get what she deserved in the end. This is how you do revenge stories.
“You care for me?” My jaw twitched. “Alice, I—I care about our principal, and my boss, and the lady at the donut shop who gives me extra donut holes. But I love you,” I spat. “And you know what that feels like? It’s like a f*cking cheese grater against my heart.”
April 24, 2014
Alice, Alice, Alice... You stubborn, cold girl! I admire you. I really do. And I admire Julie Murphy for taking the biggest leap with Alice being Alice. You see, Alice is horrible to everyone and she has cancer. She uses her parents and her best friend, Harvey whenever she can, because she can. No one's going to say no to a dying girl, right?
Then something happens-her cancer's gone and now it's time to go back to school and start living. She left a trail of enemies in school and Harvey has expectations about their relationship that blossomed while Alice was sick.
Harvey reminded me of Kent from Before I Fall which for so many reasons but the main is the bitchy MC. Harvey stands by Alice even when she abandons him for a year or two. He starts taking care of her when she's sick and helps her pool pranks on other students. He loved her ever since they were kids. But Alice pushes him again, after she enters remission. He still wants to be around her. He's a good guy. A bit of a pushover but it's why I like him. He cares about Alice and he would do anything for her. He does grow a backbone towards the end. Just so Alice could see they should be equal partners.
I mentioned this in one of my previous reviews-if I connect with the main character, not a lot of things can go wrong after that. I just follow the character and their problems which makes me understand them and even feel protective like in cases when people start talking smack about them. Yes! I am ready to fight and defend them. Why do we need to read about the same old, boring, nice characters when there's someone like Alice around? Why not read about a bitchy character? Sure, we probably wouldn't want to hang out with Alice in real life but this is a book we're talking about. Take a risk, people!
So many people didn't like this book and gave mediocre ratings. It just makes me so mad they didn't see what I did while I was reading Side Effects May Vary. This book is for those who are willing to take risks and plunge into the unknown with a 'horrible' heroine. Are you willing to gamble?
Then something happens-her cancer's gone and now it's time to go back to school and start living. She left a trail of enemies in school and Harvey has expectations about their relationship that blossomed while Alice was sick.
Harvey reminded me of Kent from Before I Fall which for so many reasons but the main is the bitchy MC. Harvey stands by Alice even when she abandons him for a year or two. He starts taking care of her when she's sick and helps her pool pranks on other students. He loved her ever since they were kids. But Alice pushes him again, after she enters remission. He still wants to be around her. He's a good guy. A bit of a pushover but it's why I like him. He cares about Alice and he would do anything for her. He does grow a backbone towards the end. Just so Alice could see they should be equal partners.
I mentioned this in one of my previous reviews-if I connect with the main character, not a lot of things can go wrong after that. I just follow the character and their problems which makes me understand them and even feel protective like in cases when people start talking smack about them. Yes! I am ready to fight and defend them. Why do we need to read about the same old, boring, nice characters when there's someone like Alice around? Why not read about a bitchy character? Sure, we probably wouldn't want to hang out with Alice in real life but this is a book we're talking about. Take a risk, people!
So many people didn't like this book and gave mediocre ratings. It just makes me so mad they didn't see what I did while I was reading Side Effects May Vary. This book is for those who are willing to take risks and plunge into the unknown with a 'horrible' heroine. Are you willing to gamble?
September 7, 2014
*3.5*
This is a book about cancer, but it's about a girl who goes into remission. She is so used to the idea of dying that she does not know how to deal with living.
This is a very raw and real book.
The main character, Alice, is so annoying, mean, and manipulative. I got very aggravated with her many times. She is such a flawed character, but it made this a very real story.
The other main character, Harvey, was annoying as well because he let Alice stomp all over him.
However, by the end the characters went through so much, and there was some great character development and I'm really happy with the way it ended. I wish there was resolution sooner, though.
The writing style is really nice and easy to read. There were also some great messages.
I did overall enjoy this book, and the characters had their good moments.
Although, the characters got to be very aggravating, I think this is a very unique, and possibly relatable, way to tell a story of a girl with cancer.
This is a book about cancer, but it's about a girl who goes into remission. She is so used to the idea of dying that she does not know how to deal with living.
This is a very raw and real book.
The main character, Alice, is so annoying, mean, and manipulative. I got very aggravated with her many times. She is such a flawed character, but it made this a very real story.
The other main character, Harvey, was annoying as well because he let Alice stomp all over him.
However, by the end the characters went through so much, and there was some great character development and I'm really happy with the way it ended. I wish there was resolution sooner, though.
The writing style is really nice and easy to read. There were also some great messages.
I did overall enjoy this book, and the characters had their good moments.
Although, the characters got to be very aggravating, I think this is a very unique, and possibly relatable, way to tell a story of a girl with cancer.
May 3, 2022
I loved the idea behind this book more than the actual book.
The multiple POV's and multiple timelines took away from the story. If it all would have been in order, I think the book would have flowed much better.
I still think Julie Murphy is amazing, but you can tell this was her first book.
The multiple POV's and multiple timelines took away from the story. If it all would have been in order, I think the book would have flowed much better.
I still think Julie Murphy is amazing, but you can tell this was her first book.
July 15, 2013
I loved this so, so much. Harvey is absolutely amazing and Alice is so human and raw. Fabulous characters and beautiful writing. So excellent!
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