Baby Be-Bop
Dangerous Angels, No. 5
By Francesca Lia Block  

      So far, this series--apart from being the epitome of cool--has tended to focus on the female characters. This, to my mind, has been the only real flaw in an otherwise seminal series, but in the fifth and last novel, Block is redressing the balance and letting one of the most minor characters tell his story.

     We first met Dirk when as Weetzie's best friend, but what was his life like before then? Living with grandmother Fifi in the lovely cottage by the bay sounds idyllic, but Dirk has a secret that makes him feel different and ashamed—he’s gay. He is afraid to tell anybody lest they judge and so he goes looking for his identity. Who is he? Where does he fit in? He is going to find some answers in some unusual places in typical Dangerous Angels style!

     Like Witch Baby, this is a novel about being different. Some teen books tackling difficult issues make life seem very depressing; this book refreshingly does the opposite. Some might say that it puts a candy coating on things, but not in the places where it matters most. Beneath the candy is a hard core of wisdom and experience, imparted in the most delightful and accessible ways. To say more about Dirk’s voyage of discovery would spoil the story, but, as usual, there is a lot to admire in the way Block looks at teen issues. All this leaves me wondering whether there might one day be more Dangerous Angels books and if there are, I hope there will be at least one more with a male protagonist.

     Still probably the best teenage fiction I've ever read, hitting the spot that others miss.

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