Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - Be Dazzled

Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala

15 reviews

angelicathebookworm's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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olivialandryxo's review against another edition

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I liked Raphael, the protagonist, as well as La Sala’s writing style. I just wasn’t invested in the story or any of the characters, and decided to put it down in favor of books I’m more interested in reading.

Representation

gay protagonist with anxiety
bisexual love interest
lesbian side character

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irisheyz77's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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madamepincers's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I really enjoyed Be Dazzled and found it a quick, engaging read. The book is split between two timelines: the first is "now" which is over the course of a weekend at a major convention with cosplay and the second begins from 13 months prior to "now" and goes until the break up of the main character and his partner (his competition for the cosplay contest-- thus the premise of the book).

This is marked as light hearted and funny, and it was. It was funny and made me smile often and the alternating timelines made the pacing really interesting. However, as someone with various issues with panic and anxiety, I was slightly triggered by the constant anxiety and compulsions that Raffy, our main character, experiences throughout the course of the book. It was written so well into the book that it was like getting a second-hand panic attack-- which of course means it was compelling writing and also, that I was panicking, which I did not like so much. XD.

<Spoiler>I also felt a bit frustrated by the ending, which gave us a lot of hope for the future of our main character and his beau, along with their friends, but also, some of the major issues throughout the book were just conveniently discarded as a result. Suddenly, the need to prove himself and the constant compulsions to tick off to do lists and get so lost in his work that he forgets to check his phone are seemingly forgotten because he's "having fun" again. This, along with the fact that they never really address the serious violations by certain friends (who lied to the MC, stole a cosplay idea and made it came to life, gave the MC's ex-beau a whole complex about not being able to do anything and being a "drain" on energy and work, etc etc) and go out to karaoke with her at the end really frustrated me... her competitiveness, in my mind, didn't give her an excuse for that level of repeated violation.

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perpetualpages's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted tense medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

CWs: Instances of parental neglect, explorations of mourning a break-up, mentions of being closeted and coming out (from a secondary character), descriptions of anxiety and anxiety attacks

"I used to think I always knew what came next. I used to think that my plans were as good as destiny, but that’s never been true. I’ve just always been determined, and lucky, and determined to be lucky. But you can’t design a future and expect it to just happen. Like art, you can only start with intent. Your hands build the rest."

Ryan La Sala has done it again. He has proven himself as someone who can traverse genre and voice and pretty much do whatever he wants, because he can pull it off. Whether he's writing about interdimensional collapse or fashion reality show drama, you are guaranteed a phenomenal and effervescent story.

Be Dazzled is pitched as Project Runways meets Comic-Con and that's exactly what it is. It's about Raffy, who’s poised to take the crown at the season’s biggest cosplay competition—until he realizes that he’ll be competing against Luca, his ex-boyfriend and former cosplay partner. Throw in the fact that his elitist mother doesn't see cosplay as "real art" and the fact that winning this competition could open a ton of doors to sponsorship and art school and you have a high-stakes story about Raffy desperately trying to prove himself in the world of crafting.

This book is exuberant, exciting, joyful, and (pun intended) wonderfully crafted. The pages practically turn themselves as you get deeper into this cosplay competition and as the zany design challenges get harder and harder. Not only that, but the emotional stakes get more and more complex the more you learn about Raffy and his relationship with his ex, Luca.

I thought Raffy's perfectionist personality and anxiety was really well-explored and portrayed. When his thoughts are spiraling and he begins to feel like he's losing control, you really feel that alongside him. The narration does such a good job of mimicking how the world funnels itself into a microscopic lens that prevents you from seeing anything but your own short-comings and failings up close. At the same time, while you feel for Raffy, the people around him are definitely challenging him on his self-centeredness and his tendency to assume the worst of himself and others when his anxiety kicks in. Part of it is that he needs to learn how to manage it better, but also that he can't use that as an excuse to hurt people. I really appreciated that self-awareness he slowly grows into by the end.

And that's also a big part of what led to the end of his relationship with Luca—how he was so singularly-focused on his creativity while not affording enough grace to their difference in skill level. To further emphasize that divide, the story is told in alternating dual timelines. One half of the story is hurtling through this intense series of cosplay challenges and the other half is a series of flashbacks showing Raffy and Luca slowly but surely edging closer to their breaking point. So as you see their relationship falling apart, you also get to see it evolving and being rebuilt in the present. There’s such a beautiful symmetry to the story that not only heightens the emotional stakes, but also really drives home Raffy’s character growth in a visceral way.

Be Dazzled is a story that's flamboyant, fun, glitzy, and dramatic, but it's also heartfelt. I think it's a story that has a lot to say about how the value of what we create is not defined by *how* we create, and how our dreams and the relationships in our lives are also things that we build for ourselves. This is a story that celebrates creativity, authenticity, and fearlessness, especially when those things are hard-won in a world that often demands our conformity or compliance. It's a story that says the things that matter to us will always have value, and I love it so much for that.

In case it wasn't clear, I highly recommend Be Dazzled for fans of queer contemporary stories with second chance romances. (I also highly recommend Reverie, for the record.) There is so much to love in this book, and I can't wait to see what other stories Ryan has in store for us!

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