Chain reaction is divided into two parts either of which can be read first. It tells of the experiences of bully Stephanie Adolphus, the beautiful Krystle Thomas whose home life holds a shameful secret in her mothers addictive behaviour, Lisakhanya, a girl from the township attending the school on a scholarship, Krystles sister who is trying to make any sense of her life and the changes her sister is going through, Dillan, Stephanies bullied little brother, and Ben who lives with his overbearing abusive stepfather and terrified mother.