Be That Way

More about the book

Seventeen-year-old Christine chronicles an eventful year in her life during the mid-90s, navigating troubled friendships and seeking love. On January 1, 1996, she aspires to be the cool girl everyone notices, like her stunning best friend, Landry. Although she typically dislikes New Year's resolutions, this year she commits to becoming that captivating girl and documenting her journey through prose, illustrations, and comics. When Landry unexpectedly drops her, Christine realizes she doesn’t miss the drama. However, a misguided kiss with her film-obsessed friend Paul complicates matters, leading to a lonely summer. Embracing her newfound courage, Christine takes a job at a local video store, explores her artistic talents, and becomes romantically involved with her neighbor Whit, who is either amazing or infuriating. Despite these changes, she still feels unremarkable—until a shocking betrayal reveals the true value of her diary's words and drawings. Ultimately, Christine learns that she doesn’t need to be cool to be noticed; she just needs to be herself. This powerful coming-of-age story, set before the Internet era, delves into themes of betrayal, first love, self-expression, and the transformative power of art.