Throughout the novel, Theo struggles with anorexia and comes to terms with the realization that the relationship she thought was loving was actually more dangerous than she imagined.

[1] Pointe received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, who called the novel "extraordinary ", noting that the book includes "honest, confident prose" and "characters whose flaws, struggles, and bad decisions make them real and indelibly memorable".

[4] On behalf of Booklist, Daniel Kraus called Pointe a "strong debut [that] believably portrays self-delusion through a first-person voice".

Ratzan also noted, however, that "the abundance of high-interest motifs and devices (an unreliable narrator, statutory rape, kidnapping, eating disorders, and hints of the elite world of ballet) sometimes overloads the story, and the connections among them often feel forced".

They agreed that "Colbert does a commendable job creating authentic teen characters", but noted that "Theo’s struggles with anorexia are surprisingly and disappointingly lacking in emotion" and that "while there are flashbacks aplenty, there are surprisingly few that shed light on the deep connection Theo and Donovan presumably once shared".