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A review by jmsv45
Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
4.0
Writer Person
Real rating: 4.5 stars
Maybe it's because I haven't read all that many cancer books. I've read a few, of course. Over the summer I read a UK one, Before I Die by Jenny Downham. So maybe my experience is vague, but I'm pretty sure nothing like this has been tried. I mean, in most cancer books, the person dies, right? The whole point is how to live each day like it's your last? And I'm sure you've read the summary. Here is Alice, totally expecting to die so she goes about her bucket list- and then she goes into remission. Um, whoops. Now she has to deal with the consequences of everything she's done.
Alice was not an easy character for me. Half the time I was calling her a bitch and the other half I was marveling at how familiar she seemed. I hated the way she strung Harvey along. I hated how she couldn't realize how obvious the solution was. But I totally understood where she was coming from. I could understand her fears. I could understand how she and her mother don't get along anyways. I could understand how she can't allow herself to be with Harvey but seeing him with someone else is infuriating and heartbreaking. I get it. That's the crazy part. As absolutely horrible as she is... She's so relatable.
While her bucket list is certainly not one I'd endorse, I love how it gave us a solid foundation. Like, this is what Alice is like. This is how horrible she is. But if you get past all those awful things, you see that she really does have potential. And I think that's so perfect. Because you can't truly know a person until you've seen them at their lowest. And Alice, like most people, is not perfect. But that's okay. She doesn't have to be perfect.
And for the record, this book isn't all about her. So if she frustrates you, read it for Harvey. He's the other half of this story. He's been in love with Alice for as long as he can remember and he's the one she chose to do these crazy things with. But Alice is, to put it bluntly, a bitch. (As I always say, don't fall in love with a bitch.) But he stills loves her. And he has to find a way to reconcile his feelings for her and his sense of self. Which was hard for me, too. Because he probably did deserve someone better. But he deserves to be with the one he loves. But the one he loves is an awful person. But she has so much potential. So I think he made me want to cry the most. Because life is difficult like that. He's open and honest about his feelings and Alice, while used to the truth, enjoys being in control more. And I loved Harvey and the role he played. I loved watching him grow as a person, too. It was incredibly sweet. He helps you see Alice for what she really is, even though it took him a while to figure it out himself.
This book is truly amazing. I guess I say that a lot, but this one is amazing in life-changing way. I don't want to get into the details of my life or anything, but this is the kind of book that makes you inspect what your values are and what you are truly like. It's eye-opening. If Alice can get over her issues and slowly become a better, kinder, less selfish person... It's inspiring. And watching her character learn and grow made me tear up. This whole book, I was on the verge of tears. But don't be discouraged because while it's sad at times, I think it's ultimately uplifting. It's everything good and bad and ugly about our lives and that's okay. Because even though the ending was not nearly enough for me, there's still hope. And sometimes that's all that matters.
Recommendation: this is for anyone who likes contemporary, cancer books, or life-changing/eye-opening books. It's for anyone who likes self-discovery and a hint of adventure.
Real rating: 4.5 stars
Maybe it's because I haven't read all that many cancer books. I've read a few, of course. Over the summer I read a UK one, Before I Die by Jenny Downham. So maybe my experience is vague, but I'm pretty sure nothing like this has been tried. I mean, in most cancer books, the person dies, right? The whole point is how to live each day like it's your last? And I'm sure you've read the summary. Here is Alice, totally expecting to die so she goes about her bucket list- and then she goes into remission. Um, whoops. Now she has to deal with the consequences of everything she's done.
Alice was not an easy character for me. Half the time I was calling her a bitch and the other half I was marveling at how familiar she seemed. I hated the way she strung Harvey along. I hated how she couldn't realize how obvious the solution was. But I totally understood where she was coming from. I could understand her fears. I could understand how she and her mother don't get along anyways. I could understand how she can't allow herself to be with Harvey but seeing him with someone else is infuriating and heartbreaking. I get it. That's the crazy part. As absolutely horrible as she is... She's so relatable.
While her bucket list is certainly not one I'd endorse, I love how it gave us a solid foundation. Like, this is what Alice is like. This is how horrible she is. But if you get past all those awful things, you see that she really does have potential. And I think that's so perfect. Because you can't truly know a person until you've seen them at their lowest. And Alice, like most people, is not perfect. But that's okay. She doesn't have to be perfect.
And for the record, this book isn't all about her. So if she frustrates you, read it for Harvey. He's the other half of this story. He's been in love with Alice for as long as he can remember and he's the one she chose to do these crazy things with. But Alice is, to put it bluntly, a bitch. (As I always say, don't fall in love with a bitch.) But he stills loves her. And he has to find a way to reconcile his feelings for her and his sense of self. Which was hard for me, too. Because he probably did deserve someone better. But he deserves to be with the one he loves. But the one he loves is an awful person. But she has so much potential. So I think he made me want to cry the most. Because life is difficult like that. He's open and honest about his feelings and Alice, while used to the truth, enjoys being in control more. And I loved Harvey and the role he played. I loved watching him grow as a person, too. It was incredibly sweet. He helps you see Alice for what she really is, even though it took him a while to figure it out himself.
This book is truly amazing. I guess I say that a lot, but this one is amazing in life-changing way. I don't want to get into the details of my life or anything, but this is the kind of book that makes you inspect what your values are and what you are truly like. It's eye-opening. If Alice can get over her issues and slowly become a better, kinder, less selfish person... It's inspiring. And watching her character learn and grow made me tear up. This whole book, I was on the verge of tears. But don't be discouraged because while it's sad at times, I think it's ultimately uplifting. It's everything good and bad and ugly about our lives and that's okay. Because even though the ending was not nearly enough for me, there's still hope. And sometimes that's all that matters.
Recommendation: this is for anyone who likes contemporary, cancer books, or life-changing/eye-opening books. It's for anyone who likes self-discovery and a hint of adventure.