From the Bookshelf of Queereaders…

Loveless

Alice Oseman

Discussion: group reads

Why we're reading this: As an asexual biromantic non-binary person, I really loved this book and the representations! There are m…more
[close] As an asexual biromantic non-binary person, I really loved this book and the representations! There are many LGBTQIAP+ characters (an Aroace lead character, a lesbian, a pansexual, an asexual homoromantic non-binary, an aromantic bisexual and a gay person.

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What Members Thought

Sep 08, 2020 Thomas rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, realistic-fiction, own-physical, lgbtq

I loved the aromantic and asexual representation in this novel. Alice Oseman does a fantastic job of showing our main character Georgia’s messy yet beautiful journey from frustration to confusion to self-acceptance regarding her aro ace identity. I liked reading about the multiple layers that complicated her path to self-love regarding her identities: the pressure the media and society in general exerts to force all of us into romantic and/or sexual relationships, the way some of Georgia’s frien I loved the aromantic and asexual representation in this novel. Alice Oseman does a fantastic job of showing our main character Georgia’s messy yet beautiful journey from frustration to confusion to self-acceptance regarding her aro ace identity. I liked reading about the multiple layers that complicated her path to self-love regarding her identities: the pressure the media and society in general exerts to force all of us into romantic and/or sexual relationships, the way some of Georgia’s friends tried to push her into romantic and/or physical relationships with people, and just the lack of representation surrounding aro and ace identities. Oseman highlights how as an amatonormative society we glorify romantic relationships above all other forms of relationships. I most enjoyed the privileging of friendship in this novel and how much the friendships mattered, even above the romantic relationships. In particular, one scene with Georgia and Rooney with flowers toward the end of the book filled me with lots of joy.

I will say that I felt like the book’s aro ace representation carried it for me. For most of the novel I leaned toward a three-star rating because the characters came across as kinda flimsy to me in terms of their characterization. For some reason I struggled to connect with the characters, perhaps because I felt that they lacked compelling backstories that made me want to invest in them more (Rooney later on in the novel is revealed to have some interesting backstory with an old friend named Beth, but that doesn’t receive much development.) The novel felt so grounded in the present moment, which isn’t necessarily bad, yet the combination of that focus on the here and now and Oseman’s sometimes obvious writing (e.g., using dialogue clearly for the purpose of explaining certain identities) made it difficult to fully feel entrenched in Loveless.

Would recommend for those searching for aro ace representation or want to learn more! Reading this novel even helped me realize that I am indeed not aromantic (which in some ways feels unfortunate to me because I’m attracted to men, though of course I recognize the unique stigmatization of aro people in society too). Curious to see what Oseman releases next and how her writing style will develop over time. ...more

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Oct 07, 2023 Kate rated it it was amazing

This book is so important. For me it was a 4 star read but we need more aro-ace representation so that gets it a 5. I am so glad that this exists for all the sweet aro-ace kids who are growing up now.

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