So I don't know what to make of it. Author E. Lockhart writes books about teen girls who need to grow backbones. Some are strong and become stronger, others slowly develop self esteem. Now, it's been a while since I've read Fly on the Wall and The Boyfriend List, but I remember enough to know that neither main character (both narrators, I believe) were strong females. However, through experience with other people, they grow stronger and gain confidence in themselves. The same goes for The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks.
On one hand, these characters frustrate me. They rely on others to determine their worth. For all three, girls rely heavily on guys, while other girls do play a role. For Fly and Boyfriend, the girls weren't that strong to begin with, while Frankie had some confidence in herself. Lockhart's use of peers to strengthen these girls makes me want to yell at the characters to focus on themselves.
On the other hand, we do use society to judge our own worth, especially as teenagers. While our self perception is important, perception itself can be the product of our environment.
So let's hope that Lockhart's readers live vicariously through these characters and use the characters' experiences to build their own confidence and realize their own value.
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