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margaretann84's review
4.0
A cancer book where no one dies? What?
No, actually, this is a really good book. The main character has a strong voice she keeps throughout, and her observations are both snarky and real. It's a quick read (at least for me), but doesn't pull punches about the bad stuff (feeling like an outsider, people acting strangely, puking one's guts out for six months).
All in all, a good book.
4/5 on here, 8/10 for myself
No, actually, this is a really good book. The main character has a strong voice she keeps throughout, and her observations are both snarky and real. It's a quick read (at least for me), but doesn't pull punches about the bad stuff (feeling like an outsider, people acting strangely, puking one's guts out for six months).
All in all, a good book.
4/5 on here, 8/10 for myself
ajoubertspring's review
5.0
I read this when I was in like 5th or 6th grand and I highly recommend it. Everyone should read it at least once in their life.
mlmarks98's review
4.0
I absolutely loved this book because it was amazingly inspirational and really made me appreciate the strength of human spirit. A must read for anyone who's having a rough time.
zannyw's review
4.0
Loved this! Finally a book where they don't die in the end! (This is not technically a spoiler because it says so in the first page!
erine's review
3.0
As a middle schooler, I was semi-obsessed with Lurlene McDaniel and her cancer characters. The triumphs when the patients made it, the tragedy when they didn't - I sucked it all up. This novel has a slightly different feel - a little more irreverent, maybe. The main character, Izzy, has a little more sass to her. I would have liked to know more about Izzy before she was diagnosed with lymphoma, just to know where she fit in at school, since a good part of the story focuses on the reactions of her classmates. The book was 143 pages, but it seemed almost too short, like the story was skimming along instead of giving a lot of depth.
This would be a great book to hand someone who doesn't know what to say to a cancer patient. Izzy's best friend, Kay, has a hard time dealing with how some classmates are acting, and Izzy has difficulty with her tragedy stricken mother. This book definitely reassures that there is no real "right" thing to say. I think this would appeal particularly to upper middle school kids, probably mostly girls.
Some swearing.
This would be a great book to hand someone who doesn't know what to say to a cancer patient. Izzy's best friend, Kay, has a hard time dealing with how some classmates are acting, and Izzy has difficulty with her tragedy stricken mother. This book definitely reassures that there is no real "right" thing to say. I think this would appeal particularly to upper middle school kids, probably mostly girls.
Some swearing.
blueranger9's review
4.0
As a volunteer for the children's hospital, I'm often around pediatric oncology patients. I've always prided myself on my people-first approach to interacting with all the children at the hospital, but I particularly enjoyed reading a narrative that was both engaging and honest. Side Effects is fiction that gave me a better perspective on what children and teens often experience-confusion, anger, hopelessness, hope and possibility. Grief, illness, death...these are all non-linear aspects of life and I think Goldman Koss did a phenomenal job of creating a heroine who is both edgy and vulnerable without being annoying.
sarahleighreads's review
3.0
The main character was a bit to get used to, even before she knew she had cancer. The last paragraph was weird. I don't know why the author did it like that, she could have written an epilogue, said how long it'd be since then. Just rushed and out of place. Interesting look into dealing with cancer while staying human.
bmillerbooks's review
5.0
A cranky, artistic teen named Isabel and her family are shocked to discover that she has lymphoma and must undergo intense chemotherapy. Koss is really good at writing in an adolescent voice. The book moves along and doesn't get too depressing, which is a good accomplishment considering the subject matter.