Even with all the LGBTQ+ representation in books and TV these days, some identities and experiences rarely get their time in the spotlight. Aromanticism and asexuality are two such identities, and in Alice Oseman's Loveless, they get the attention and love they deserve. Many people will recognize Alice Oseman as the author of the Heartstopper graphic novels, which also feature many LGBTQ+ characters. In Loveless, Oseman focuses on the aromantic asexual spectrum.
Georgia Warr has always believed that one day she'll have her first kiss, get her first boyfriend, and find that Hollywood romance she's always watching on TV or reading fanfiction about. Unfortunately, a few things are getting in the way: 1) she's never had a crush on anyone, and 2) the first time she tried to kiss someone, she almost set him on fire. Going off to Durham to begin university with her two best friends, Pip and Jason, seems like a great opportunity for a new start where she can have those experiences she craves. With her new roommate Rooney by her side, they set off to find Georgia a boyfriend, but it isn't as easy as they imagined. When Georgia makes new friends and learns about some of the other identities under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella, she starts to wonder if the reason she's struggled so much to find love is deeper than just not finding the right person yet.
As I mentioned, aromantic and asexual stories and characters aren't discussed much, so I was excited when my sister recommended this book. Witnessing Georgia's journey—and that of the other characters—was exciting and fun and taught me more about different sexualities than I could have learned from an article on Wikipedia. Even with an aromantic character, there was so much love in this book that it filled me with hope and happiness. As one of the characters says about the play they're performing, "it's pure joy."
The book is very sex-positive, which is fitting for its themes of self-discovery and self-love. The characters are quirky, relatable, and quick with witty banter that they felt like they came to life before me. As a bonus, they all enjoy performing live theater, which thrilled me as an actress. While I occasionally wanted to yell at them for being stupid, I loved each character and just wanted to see them find the love they deserved.
Loveless by Alice Oseman was a joy to read. I am happy to rate it 5/5 stars. If you enjoy queer stories and want to learn more about LGBTQ+ people, give it a read.
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