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A review by jessferg
Baby Be-Bop by Francesca Lia Block
3.0
Once again I find myself struggling with the finer points of what is, essentially, a really beautiful book. The imagery is just delicious and the overall message is right on.
But....
The main character's "solution" to finding himself is magic. Not like he learns to be a magician, but an actual magic lamp that shows him things to help him figure himself out. That won't work for the rest of us. If the book wasn't so rooted in the "real world" until that point, I think it would be easier for the reader to take. I am reminded of Alice Hoffman but where Hoffman preps you ahead of time, Block doesn't lay the groundwork for moving into magical realism as deeply as she does.
It's also a little disheartening that as one of the first widely published books for YAs with a gay character and a driving theme that there are no realistic takes on how to come out, come to grips yourself, and be comfortable with who you are.
I was also confused by the tales that lead Dirk to his wholeness. All of them are stories of heterosexuals with identity issues one would not equate to sexuality. The last story is about a young gay man but it is (in this book) someone Dirk doesn't know or identify with in any way.
This is a better read in along with the rest of the Weetzie Bat series as a pre-quel that gives Dirk's story, but as a stand alone touted as the "fearless YA book with a gay theme" it doesn't work.
But....
The main character's "solution" to finding himself is magic. Not like he learns to be a magician, but an actual magic lamp that shows him things to help him figure himself out. That won't work for the rest of us. If the book wasn't so rooted in the "real world" until that point, I think it would be easier for the reader to take. I am reminded of Alice Hoffman but where Hoffman preps you ahead of time, Block doesn't lay the groundwork for moving into magical realism as deeply as she does.
It's also a little disheartening that as one of the first widely published books for YAs with a gay character and a driving theme that there are no realistic takes on how to come out, come to grips yourself, and be comfortable with who you are.
I was also confused by the tales that lead Dirk to his wholeness. All of them are stories of heterosexuals with identity issues one would not equate to sexuality. The last story is about a young gay man but it is (in this book) someone Dirk doesn't know or identify with in any way.
This is a better read in along with the rest of the Weetzie Bat series as a pre-quel that gives Dirk's story, but as a stand alone touted as the "fearless YA book with a gay theme" it doesn't work.