I wanted to like Melinda, I really did, but her judgmental comments, especially with regard to slut-shaming, made liking her incredibly hard. Comments like, “How else could they [the cheerleaders] sleep with the football team on Saturday night and be reincarnated as virginal goddesses on Monday? (29)” or “They [the cheerleaders] rent beach houses in Canciin during Spring Break and get group-rate abortions before the prom” (30). Is she hateful that cheerleaders have more sexual freedom, or does she resent their privilege arising from their wealth? It seems that Melinda conflates class and sexuality.

But more importantly, why does Melinda feel the need to slut-shame other students? If Melinda feels like an outcast, judging other students harshly for their sexuality would likely only alienate her further from her peers. I understand feeling bitter or hurt, but especially for young readers, Anderson’s writing encourages slut-shaming in young adults. It makes me wonder if young readers would find Melinda’s bitter tone more relatable. Perhaps Melinda’s comments are really about the unfairness of her situation and slut-shaming is just a byproduct of her pain.