An interesting read, indeed. She seems rather strange, but I guess she would have to be to have done what she did. I think there are a lot of people who would like to recreate themselves but never do because of the ego, id, or whatever you want to call it.
In other words, unless someone is running from something that would actually jeopardize his/her life or freedom, it's pretty much impossible for most people to completely give up their own life (no matter what they don't like about it or want to escape from) because to do so one would need to give up oneself.
In her case, because she was so bright and curious, she was able to find ways to cope with that loss of self. Temporary interpersonal connections were all that she needed in the early years to sustain a sense of identity because at first she was having fun not being her old self. The ability to escape from her former life breathed new life into her spirit. She was able to compete on debate teams, pass some classes, do some dating, etc. Plus, she was getting a smirky ('boy am I ever so smart') kind of buzz out of the fact that she was able to pull it off. But of course that could only last for so long.
Eventually, the vacation from self has to end, and you have to face the fact that you are you. She definitely got to that point, where she wanted to be her former self again, and was actually relieved to finally admit who she was when she got arrested. The bottom line is that one cannot truly live an anonymous life; in the end, you can't escape yourself and your need to be you.
