Side Effects May Vary is the debut novel written by Julie Murphy. The novel is told in alternating points of views from two characters and in between two different periods of time, Then and Now. The lead female character is Alice, a junior in high school. The Then period, refers to Alice’s life before leukemia, and the Now period, refers to Alice’s life in remission. When Alice is initially diagnosed she is tackling a number of issues, including her relationships with her boyfriend Luke, and her nemesis Celeste, and finding out one of her parents has been having an affair. During the Then and Now, Alice’s anger intensifies and she creates a “Just Dying To-Do” list, that includes revenge and humiliation.
The lead male character is Harvey, the
The lead male character is Harvey, the