Costumes and Roles

The arc of the novel follows the production of a musical, which highlights the fact that almost everyone in the book is costuming themselves in one way or another. Chloe and her friends at the Bat Cave all dress in dark clothing, smoke cigarettes, drink coffee, and talk about the same art. All of the Pastels dress in feminine clothing, have perfect makeup and hair, and put a lot of effort into pleasing their teachers, peers, and families. By the end of the novel, Ava and the reader both realize, through the characters of Alexis and Chloe, that both girls exist as caricatures of their true selves, which are more vulnerable and less “cool” than their costumed appearances would have the world believe.

Ava wants to be a part of the musical because she wants to be a Pastel; both groups require that Ava...