Sixteen year old Jess has lymphatic cancer, and fear and chemotherapy have changed her from a happy-go-lucky, fun-loving teenager into a sick, introspective mess. Unable to confide in anyone but her two best friends, Sara and Charlotte, she feels intensely thaat her cancer must be kept a secret - even from new boyfriend, Dylan. The emphasis here is on Jess's inner life, what is going on in her head, but we are not spared her physical sufferings either. The effect her illness has on her two friends, her mother (who becomes overprotective), and her younger brother, Spud, is also clear. When towards the end of her chemo, Dylan manages to break through her wall of secrecy, she realises her mistakes and begins to look to the future with some hope. Grittily realistic and written in (Australian) teen-speak, the style will appeal to young people. An excellent story about what it feels like to have cancer and how it affects those around you. Vercoe had cancer as a teenager and knows whereof she speaks.