I Kissed Shara Wheeler

Originally from California, Chloe has a snobbish attitude toward False Beach. Compared to other residents, she is unapologetic about who she is and where she came from. Not only does she have two lesbian moms, but she also identifies as bisexual. Although she is proud of her flawless academic record, Chloe is also a rebel. She enjoys subtly violating the school’s policies to challenge what she regards as antiquated belief systems and petty rules while still maintaining her academic standing.

Throughout the novel, Chloe realizes that she judges people in her community too harshly. She finds that people like her are hidden by facades curated to find acceptance in the conservative Christian town in which they live. Chloe judges many of her classmates based on stereotypes and presents an air of superiority. However, as the novel progresses, Chloe finds that these people are complex beings like herself. Shara, for instance, is a person whose inner life conflicts with the person she is expected to be. Chloe at first regards Smith as a stereotypical quarterback who, of course, is dating the most beautiful girl in school and probably has an inflated ego because of it. Instead, she finds him to be a sensitive, compassionate, and complex person struggling to figure out his sexual and gender identity.