Self Identity

Perhaps the strongest theme in the novel, which is found in many YA novels, is the theme of self-identity. At the opening of the novel, Francesca has no idea who she is outside of her social group at school: "I have absolutely no idea what I want to be when I grow up. I've changed my mind one hundred times. Just once, I'd like to get it all together; see beyond the next five minutes, but I've never been able to" (Page 35). Fearing that Francesca is turning into an insipid, mindless teenager like her friends, worried only about gossip and shoes, Mia decides to send Francesca to St. Sebastian's - a primarily male school - to challenge her. There, Francesca begins to let go of her preconceptions of what makes a person "cool," and actually begins to enjoy herself, surrounding herself with true friends who support her...