Asexual Reviews Loveless by Alice Oseman

It's my second time reviewing a book from an asexual perspective, this time with an aro-ace protagonist! I absolutely adored Loveless by Alice Oseman and it reminded me just how important representation is 💜💜 ~crying hours open~ stream Feel Special by Twice

*this review includes discussion of the main character arc, that could be considered spoilers*

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📚 BOOKS MENTIONED 📚
✿ Loveless by Alice Oseman

[HeartFullOfBooks]

Hello! It's Bee~ I thought I'd just add my thoughts to Maddie's review, as I was unable to finish the book in time to join her video. In case you weren't aware, or didn't catch Maddie saying it, I'm aromantic asexual. To be honest, I don't think even if I had finished the book, that I would've been able to appear in video form to talk about it coherently because I've been a blubbering mess through every word I've read so far. Alice gave me my first 'relatable' character in Tori from her debut Solitaire. I'd never felt so strongly aligned with a protagonist before, and now I have Georgia who reaches a whole new peak of relatable. Put Tori and Georgia together and you basically have me haha! Loveless is almost /too/ true a reflection of my own thoughts and life experiences. Reading it so far has been incredibly healing, but also sent me into a pretty nasty spiral. It made me realise that I'm still struggling with a lot of internalised asexual phobia, and am holding on to harmful expectations that are not helpful in the slightest to personal growth or accepting myself. It scared me a lot, because I've been living with an understanding of my sexuality for around five years, and I've been happy, comfortable, and proud of it (!!) but only recently have I had my own 'face yourself' experience where what I knew was the truth, was only confirmed tenfold. So Georgia's story struck a little too close to home in the best possible way. Without knowing it, this book came out exactly when I needed it and I could not be happier with the outcome and overall message of Loveless. And while of course I wish 18 year-old Bee (make that 15 year-old Bee!!) could've had this book in her life, the fact that this book - I just know it - will mean the same as it does to me now to afraid and questioning teens, makes me so unbelievably happy. Like Georgia, I'm very lucky to have people in my life who love and understand me, and thankfully I, too, found my soulmate friend while at university and she makes a future of loneliness - the only future I saw for myself a few years ago - completely impossible. I urge you to read Loveless! It's perfection! x

[cefwyn]

I'm probably twice your age and ace/aro wasn't a thing when I needed it. I used to drink so I could kiss someone. Every momemt I would be thinking 'I should be feeling something. Anything'. I wish this was over'. I didn't know what was 'wrong' and just assumed I was frigid. Interestingly I have 2 aunties who have never married and while we have never discussed the issue, I suspect they are on the spectrum too.

[bimbitashaikh]

the only bad thing about the book was that it ended a lot quicker than i would have liked. i want MORE of them. please give me more of them.

[satinahall]

I’ve not heard of this one before but I’ll absolutely be picking it up. I’m Asexual and haven’t come across any books about people like me before, and this sounds extremely close to my own experience.

[lotti]

I can't even express how good representation felt as an aro-ace but I feel like you've summed it up pretty well so I'm just gonna dedicate this comment to Sunil. I mean how can a person be so cool and so freaking awesome??! I wish I've had someone like him when I started questioning my sexuality. Someone who is nothing but pure support but now I kinda have even if it's just on paper❤️. I really am platonic in love. I've liked characters of other books before but all of them seemed so unrealistic like no person is like this but Sunil just felt so real and so great at the same time. Ajdhdusheu I can't describe it.

[Tokengaycharacter]

I think this video and book just made me realize I’m asexual... wow... I’m glad I found this, and I’m definitely going to need to read this book.

[TheSecondsMoveOn]

Just finished it yesterday and loved it sm. As a bi ace-spec person my experience is a little different than Georgia’s (although we’re similar in a lot of other ways including name!), I still felt overwhelmingly seen and emotional about it too. Great review!

[nukurasdump]

I honestly love this book, it was the first book i found on aroace and i wish there was **a lot** more. I just love these stories and it's probably the closest I've gotten to reading anything that involves romance(but also doesn't').

[aninvisiblepotato]

This review was the best!!
I'm gonna buy this book rn
And honestly it felt as if you were holding back tears at some points in the video....
Just know that you are not the only one suffering and that we are here for you.

[TessoftheTales]

Ill definitely have to read this! I’m a questioning asexual and I think reading more books about ace characters might help me identify whether I am ace. I’d recommend reading the book Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann; the MC is an asexual biromantic character so there is some romance but it’s a cute story and I definitely related to Alice very much!

[LilyEleanorReads]

loved this review so so much and im so happy you both felt so seen and understood by it! i definitely think im on the spectrum somewhere but not completely ace/aro as i definitely related to some of what georgia said but not other things but seeing those things in writing that i DID relate to was SO validating and has made me sit back contemplate a lot. I was so teary during Rooney's speech at the end, it was so lovely! 💜

[carolcvargas]

it took me almost 2 minutes to realize that you're also army hahaha I was like "hoseok looks fine in that wait, hoseok??"
I'm gonna add here that I finished this book just days ago and I cried for about 75% of it. I've been questioning my sexuality for years now and even though I fall more on the gray-ace category, having Georgia constantly saying her reactions are a result of being "nervous" felt so real to me, this book felt like she was holding my hand while we tried to figure out why we feel different from what we were taught to believe was the "normal"

[tainaship]

i had such an intense time reading this book, i loved it so much! i had a much easier time figuring out and accepting that i'm ace, but still, i have never felt so much that a book was written for me, and i loved everything about it.

to me, the biggest wish-fulfillment part are the deep, meaningful, intimate friendships. i'm so happy about them, it was wonderful to read. it's something i really wish i had, too.

[janey]

Just finished this book and absolutely loved it! It was exactly what I needed to finally accept that I am aro ace because it was like reading my own thoughts. I wish I had been able to read this when I was younger but I'm so glad that it's here now (I'm only 22). Reading about her cousin realising that their were other people like her made me cry a bucketload as well. Anyway, great review!

[keelinover]

I loved this review, thank you for sharing! I can't wait to read Loveless when it comes out and this just makes me even more excited for it.

[Killianthegreat]

I related sooo much to this book. I've been reading it for the last few days. I can't wait to finish it.

[annagarza]

I'm asexual and questioning my romantic orientation and I'm relating alot to Georgia about wanting a relationship but can't feel being with someone specific. I got this book, and I'm excited to read! Thank you!

[Meemstation]

This is my comfort book, can't wait for uni, aiming for durham, in year 9 and bisexual. 🤞

[camilahopper]

I truly want to become an author so write now i'm writing a story with the main character finding there true self and finding out that they are Aroace, (there is more to the book but i wanted to say that) I fell in love with this book and I'm constantly thinking about it! I'm so happy that more people love it <3 I like how Georgia didn't accept herself right away when she found out she was Aroace, because I didn't either. I put it off for a couple weeks but then I was like "I need to accept who I am" and I'M VERY PROUD of who I am!!! It's scary figuring out your sexuality so I really enjoyed that part. I also loved Rooney's journey and how she and Georgia's relationship shows soulmates don't need to be lovers <3333

[EricBryan]

Great review! It was a brilliant book from beginning to end, especially that end scene with Rooney and Georgia. Unforgettable!