Bibliographic Information
- Title: Be Dazzled
- Author: Ryan La Sala
- ISBN: 978-1492682691
- Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
- Copyright Date: 2021
Genre [Format of the Title]:
- LGBTQ+, Romance, Comedy [hardcover book]
- Just published January 2021 thus no awards but is getting a lot of press.
- Grade 7-12; reading age: 14-18 (teachingbooks.com, 2021)
Plot Summary:
Rafael Odom loves crafting and even has his own show called Crafty Rafty which attracts a serious, devoted following. His mother, Evie, is also an artist or rather an artist-star maker who believes her son’s art does not qualify to even be called an art. Raffy is determined to win Controverse, a large gathering of cosplayers, so he could get sponsorships which translates to money to pay for art school. Raffy loves cosplay and spends almost all his time creating, embroidering and bedazzling costumes. He falls in love with Luca, a handsome soccer player who also enjoys crafting and together they plan to enter the biggest competition in the cosplay world called Controverse. Unfortunately, all the detailed planning for their show falls apart when Luca leaves the picture and leaves Raffy dragging his best friend May to help him compete in Controverse. The competition turns into a reality TV variety where Luca and Raffy team up despite their estranged relationship and together they design an outfit that may or may not be better than the Sailor Moon outfit created by his biggest competition.
Rafael Odom loves crafting and even has his own show called Crafty Rafty which attracts a serious, devoted following. His mother, Evie, is also an artist or rather an artist-star maker who believes her son’s art does not qualify to even be called an art. Raffy is determined to win Controverse, a large gathering of cosplayers, so he could get sponsorships which translates to money to pay for art school. Raffy loves cosplay and spends almost all his time creating, embroidering and bedazzling costumes. He falls in love with Luca, a handsome soccer player who also enjoys crafting and together they plan to enter the biggest competition in the cosplay world called Controverse. Unfortunately, all the detailed planning for their show falls apart when Luca leaves the picture and leaves Raffy dragging his best friend May to help him compete in Controverse. The competition turns into a reality TV variety where Luca and Raffy team up despite their estranged relationship and together they design an outfit that may or may not be better than the Sailor Moon outfit created by his biggest competition.
Author Background:
Ryan La Sala currently resides in New York City but grew up in Connecticut and attended Northeastern University in Boston where he studied Anthropology and Neuroscience (La Sala, 2021). On the landing page of his website it states that “Ryan La Sala writes about surreal things happening to queer people” and certainly, reading Be Dazzled will give you a bit of that surreal experience of being surrounded by thousands of humans in elaborate costumes of varying complexities playing at being someone else.
Ryan grew up watching Sailor Moon and this character plays a prominent role in the Controverse competition that happens in Be Dazzled. His first YA novel, Reverie, was chosen as a Big Library Read in November 2020 (Overdrive, 2021). Although he claims to be full of self-doubt, he likes to present a well curated image and he presents himself “...with theatrical bravado—especially on social media” (Wellman, 2021).
Ryan La Sala currently resides in New York City but grew up in Connecticut and attended Northeastern University in Boston where he studied Anthropology and Neuroscience (La Sala, 2021). On the landing page of his website it states that “Ryan La Sala writes about surreal things happening to queer people” and certainly, reading Be Dazzled will give you a bit of that surreal experience of being surrounded by thousands of humans in elaborate costumes of varying complexities playing at being someone else.
Ryan grew up watching Sailor Moon and this character plays a prominent role in the Controverse competition that happens in Be Dazzled. His first YA novel, Reverie, was chosen as a Big Library Read in November 2020 (Overdrive, 2021). Although he claims to be full of self-doubt, he likes to present a well curated image and he presents himself “...with theatrical bravado—especially on social media” (Wellman, 2021).
Critical Evaluation:
Be Dazzled will appeal to the nerd in all of us who enjoys dress-up (or watching plays which are essentially "dress-up" on stage), witty conversations with smart friends, and heart-warming human connections romantic or otherwise. For someone with a passing familiarity with cosplay, this novel nonetheless drew yme into its world. La Sala has created a lovable, perfectionist, and type-A character in Raffy. While he has his flaws, Raffy is the kind of intense personality that one roots for in novels. He just wants to be accepted by his mother not for his queerness, which is not an issue, but for his art which Evie calls a waste of time and not true art but a “...cheap mimicry of someone else’s design” (La Sala, 2021, p.227 )
The story is laid out in chapters that interweave the past and present until the past chapter then catches up with the present and ends in a satisfying conclusion. La Sala’s tight prose contains humor and often in the unexpected mundane moments like this interaction between Raffy and his friend: Do I look good in bangs? She asked. Are you in a crisis? Bangs are for people in crisis, he replied. I snort-laughed when I read this because I recall every time I’ve ever given myself bangs were in my moments of crisis!
While this book’s detailed description of costume creation and intense devotion to cosplaying will appeal to many already familiar with this world, the story will appeal to a larger audience of readers who can identify with the need to be accepted unapologetically for ourselves. ***spoiler alert*** Luca’s mother accepts his crafting interest with a dramatic and televised declaration of love for him and for Raffy and Evie begrudgingly accepts Raffy’s art. Both seemed a bit too tidy after the messiness of their earlier mother-son interactions but maybe this begs a follow-up novella told from the point of view of both mothers.
Be Dazzled will appeal to the nerd in all of us who enjoys dress-up (or watching plays which are essentially "dress-up" on stage), witty conversations with smart friends, and heart-warming human connections romantic or otherwise. For someone with a passing familiarity with cosplay, this novel nonetheless drew yme into its world. La Sala has created a lovable, perfectionist, and type-A character in Raffy. While he has his flaws, Raffy is the kind of intense personality that one roots for in novels. He just wants to be accepted by his mother not for his queerness, which is not an issue, but for his art which Evie calls a waste of time and not true art but a “...cheap mimicry of someone else’s design” (La Sala, 2021, p.227 )
The story is laid out in chapters that interweave the past and present until the past chapter then catches up with the present and ends in a satisfying conclusion. La Sala’s tight prose contains humor and often in the unexpected mundane moments like this interaction between Raffy and his friend: Do I look good in bangs? She asked. Are you in a crisis? Bangs are for people in crisis, he replied. I snort-laughed when I read this because I recall every time I’ve ever given myself bangs were in my moments of crisis!
While this book’s detailed description of costume creation and intense devotion to cosplaying will appeal to many already familiar with this world, the story will appeal to a larger audience of readers who can identify with the need to be accepted unapologetically for ourselves. ***spoiler alert*** Luca’s mother accepts his crafting interest with a dramatic and televised declaration of love for him and for Raffy and Evie begrudgingly accepts Raffy’s art. Both seemed a bit too tidy after the messiness of their earlier mother-son interactions but maybe this begs a follow-up novella told from the point of view of both mothers.
Creative Use for a Library Program:
Crafting day! While I can’t have a full-on embroidery section, this book inspired me to (whenever post-pandemic happens) dedicate a space in the library for crafting: jars of buttons, sequins, glitter etc., and all the trappings necessary to create a small project like home-made cards, mini-dioramas, or knitting/crocheting. Hosting a chat & craft afternoon where students can meet in the library during our regularly scheduled enrichment periods, might actually catch on.
Crafting day! While I can’t have a full-on embroidery section, this book inspired me to (whenever post-pandemic happens) dedicate a space in the library for crafting: jars of buttons, sequins, glitter etc., and all the trappings necessary to create a small project like home-made cards, mini-dioramas, or knitting/crocheting. Hosting a chat & craft afternoon where students can meet in the library during our regularly scheduled enrichment periods, might actually catch on.
Speed-Round Book Talk or Short Book Trailer:
Ever wonder what you would sacrifice for the sake of your art? Meet Raffy, one of cosplay’s most talented costume designers determined to win the biggest Cosplay costume contest that will prove that his art is worthy, that he is worthy. Meet Evie, Raffy’s mom who thinks his art is just a hobby. And swoon over the love that bedazzles between Luca and Raffy even as both navigate their respective, tricky parent-child relationship. Crafty Rafty and his singularly super-driven self is out to prove he’s the queen of crafting and cosplay. This book will transport you to the intriguing, colorful, dramatic, and oh, so fun(!) world of cosplaying.
Ever wonder what you would sacrifice for the sake of your art? Meet Raffy, one of cosplay’s most talented costume designers determined to win the biggest Cosplay costume contest that will prove that his art is worthy, that he is worthy. Meet Evie, Raffy’s mom who thinks his art is just a hobby. And swoon over the love that bedazzles between Luca and Raffy even as both navigate their respective, tricky parent-child relationship. Crafty Rafty and his singularly super-driven self is out to prove he’s the queen of crafting and cosplay. This book will transport you to the intriguing, colorful, dramatic, and oh, so fun(!) world of cosplaying.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation:
This book explores the romantic relationship between two boys and those uncomfortable or unwilling to accept the LGBTQ+ community will find everything wrong with that. The ALA’s Librarian Bill of Rights interpretation states that “ libraries and librarians have an obligation to resist efforts that systematically exclude materials dealing with any subject matter, including sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation” (ALA, 2020).
This book explores the romantic relationship between two boys and those uncomfortable or unwilling to accept the LGBTQ+ community will find everything wrong with that. The ALA’s Librarian Bill of Rights interpretation states that “ libraries and librarians have an obligation to resist efforts that systematically exclude materials dealing with any subject matter, including sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation” (ALA, 2020).
Reason for Inclusion:
This book kept me interested the entire time and there were so many laugh out loud moments while I was reading this so I thought students would thoroughly enjoy a light-hearted take on something so serious to the protagonist: his art of embroidery. This is not a coming-out or a coming-of-age type story but more a story of coming into oneself and being enough. Our students need to hear more of this message.
This book kept me interested the entire time and there were so many laugh out loud moments while I was reading this so I thought students would thoroughly enjoy a light-hearted take on something so serious to the protagonist: his art of embroidery. This is not a coming-out or a coming-of-age type story but more a story of coming into oneself and being enough. Our students need to hear more of this message.
Ryan La Sala talks about his books
Watching Ryan La Sala talk about his experience in his writing journey is so entertaining and useful and I can hear Raffy's voice (Ryan La Sala, 2020)
REFERENCES
ALA. (2020, October 20). Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights. Advocacy, Legislation & Issues. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations.
La Sala, R. (2021). About [Web log]. https://www.ryanlasala.com/about/
Overdrive. (2021, February 22). Past Titles. Big Library Read. https://biglibraryread.com/past-titles/.
Ryan La Sala (2020, August 12). How I got my book deal and sold my first book [Video file] YouTube. https://youtu.be/XEyfZVYbRlg
Teachingbooks.com. (2021, March 5). Literary Text Complexity Measures. TeachingBooks. https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tcid=73860.
Wellman, T. (2021, January 15). Author Ryan La Sala on Being a Menace to Reality. Lambda Literary. https://www.lambdaliterary.org/2021/01/ryan-la-sala/.
La Sala, R. (2021). About [Web log]. https://www.ryanlasala.com/about/
Overdrive. (2021, February 22). Past Titles. Big Library Read. https://biglibraryread.com/past-titles/.
Ryan La Sala (2020, August 12). How I got my book deal and sold my first book [Video file] YouTube. https://youtu.be/XEyfZVYbRlg
Teachingbooks.com. (2021, March 5). Literary Text Complexity Measures. TeachingBooks. https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tcid=73860.
Wellman, T. (2021, January 15). Author Ryan La Sala on Being a Menace to Reality. Lambda Literary. https://www.lambdaliterary.org/2021/01/ryan-la-sala/.
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