Reviews with content warning for Toxic friendship - Loveless

i really loved this, the characters were loveable, the plot was interesting and fun, and the ending felt really perfect for the story. this is such a perfect YA.

Content Warnings

cdoubet's review against another edition

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emotional tense medium-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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awxhhlilla's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense slow-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? No

5.0

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theaceofpages's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

"I was really quite lonely, and I wanted to be loved. Was that such a bad thing? To want an intimate connection with another human? I didn’t know."

This was a bit of a tough book to rate. I can tell why some people hate it, but I loved it.

So. First from a technical aspect. I can tell why some people don't like this book. The writing is a little frustrating at times. And the pacing was a little annoying. It started off kind of slow and repetitive. Until she realised she was ace. Then it picked up! I liked the pacing in the middle of the book but then the end felt rushed. And the ending was not the greatest?

I'm happy Georgia found happiness but it felt too neat, but at the same time incomplete? I don't know if that makes any sense.

The representation however? So good! And I think that this is exactly why the book is so popular. That confusion and desperation to feel like you belong. That's you're normal. A lot of her feelings and emotions are definitely high school me. Although I went the opposite route and told myself that I didn't want a relationship because I needed to work on myself as it's not fair for someone to have to deal with the wreck I was. But that the right person would come along eventually and if it happened, it happened. So I never really went through that "oh my goodness I need to find someone" experience. Despite that, I still related to her. And both those experiences simply stem from a lack of representation. I'm glad people can at least find things online and in books now, even if it's still not taught in schools. But yes. Seeing someone who's emotions are the same as mine in a deep level for the first time is great, even if they manifest themselves differently! But I do also think that this is where a lot of the hate comes in from ace readers. One of the biggest complaints about the book I've seen is that it doesn't represent their experiences. I'm pretty sure it was clear that there are multiple experiences through other characters, especially Sunil's explanations! And they are also not aro and Jess is aro but not ace, so there's that. I've also seen that some people are unhappy with how other identities are represented. I mean, I kind of get it, but all the characters are well-developed. We also need to remember that the book focuses on an aroace person - and a lot of us have a lot of confusion about why romantic and sexual love are placed on such a pedestal and are such a focus for some people. That being said, I loved the focus on friendship. It's so often underplayed and represented as lesser, even though it can be just as if not more powerful than romantic love.

I feel like Georgia is the type of person who would actually look up what asexual means so I feel like her discovery was a bit drawn out. I would have loved it if she had found the term, panicked, and then tried to convince herself that nope, she can have those things! She got got on my nerves a bit at times, but it's okay. Her cousin seems cool. I liked that that was a way to show how verbally aggressive parents can be. Although, again, why does no one in this book seem to do any research? I love Sunil! Can we please have more about them? I just resonated so deeply with a lot of what they said. I just want to be their best friend and give them a big hug. I definitely preferred them to Georgia. I'd LOVE a book about them. And how they learned to accept themselves. And about how they help others accept themselves too. It's sad that everyone uses he/him pronouns though (although they are okay with either)

Be aware that this book contains a lot of internalised aphobia (as well as some external aphobia, including from parents and LGBT spaces) and can be rather painful to read at times. I had to take breaks to process at times.

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pich's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

a pretty basic but enjoyable read. i liked gaining an understanding of how difficult it is to truly be comfortable with your own sexuality, no matter if you choose to label it or not.

i won’t lie and say the reminders that georgia read fanfic weren’t a little annoying, but i’m glad they stopped mentioning it once the plot actually ‘started’.

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percys_panda_pillow_pet's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Ever since I read Alice Oseman's Heartstopper comic online, I really wanted to dive into her other works. I was especially excited for Loveless, as there aren't many books out there that focus on an aromantic asexual (aroace) main character.

I'll admit my first impression within the first couple of pages was low. I had a hard time getting into Oseman's writing style, which I found a bit juvenile at times, and had me questioning the placement of the book in my local library (it was in Adult fiction since the main character is 18 and entering college, as well as presumably due to the mentions of drinking). However, it was easy to get into the rhythm of the tone and feel of Georgia's voice as the narrator.

I also felt unsure about relating to the story. I identify as aromantic aceflux at this point in time, but my journey was not typical. Whereas I feel like Alice Oseman, who might've been pulling from her own experience, wrote Loveless with a more common lens. I was also much farther into my journey than Georgia who didn't even know what aroace is at the beginning of the book. However, I held on and found I loved the relationships between Georgia and her friends. The feelings Georgia has about being "broken" or "loveless" are very much relatable and caused some mistiness in my eyes.

Even though I have known about my identity for most of my life before I recently started using specific labels, and though it's been a long while since I entered college, I felt connected to Georgia on a deep level and rooted for her at every turn and twist. I definitely recommend Loveless if you are even a bit curious about the aroace identity. Except for my own personal hang-ups, I think this could've been a solid 5-star book.

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melsage1823's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Wow just wow a book has never left me so speechless before. As much as I would be interested in Heartstopper I'm tired of reading the same old Lgtbq+ stories with two yt gay boys falling in love. I want to read more stuff that represents me and as a Aromantic Spec Asexual I can Loveless definitely didn't disappoint I could absolutely relate to Georgia's experiences.
I do have some issues but they don't bring down the book for me. As a Nonbinary person I thought Sunil was a very good character but I felt like he should have balanced between both He or They or just specified one set of pronouns. I know they're not a main character but I felt like his gender journey could have been a bit more of a side plot. However I did enjoy his experiences as a Gay Asexual Enby partly being able to help Georgia though. Same with Jason apart from his huge spoiler subplot with Georgia we didn't get to know too much about him and explore further. Also would have appreciated TWs for when extremely awkward chapters came in the book for the sex repulsed Ace peeps considering the audience but it was authentic and I liked that. If you have issues with the book its understandable like hopefully they'll be more Aro Ace Spec own voices where they can add more diverse books and experiences like Demiromantic Asexual character pls. All I'm saying is that especially if your on the Aro Ace spec and this book doesn't rep you authentically your feelings are valid but I'm in the area I think Oseman tried to target as that's her own experience too. Also if your not Autistic that's why you might struggle with this as Georgia Warr is definitely Autistic coded and the rep makes me so happy I wish it wa actually cannon.

Onto positives. Alice Oseman created a small cast of amazing and well developed characters that were highly entertaining. She knows how to write teenagers and I was glad that everyone acted like human teens struggling with emotions. None of the drama in the book felt forced at all.
I'm not a fan of Shakespeare but Oseman managed to hugely get me invested in the play subplot and how much the group comes to mean to Georgia.
Speaking of Georgia I absolutely loved her character development and the fact that due to us already knowing we as the readers are like supportive invisible friends cheering from the sidelines. She's so human with her struggles and I like that through her and I guess to an extent Pip and Rooney we get to see how damaging heteronormitivity is and how important it is to spread awareness. With how all the characters act in the book it makes you want to try get rid of your own heternormativity that you've picked up.
Book was accessible for those who are neurodivergent and definitely made it clear when Georgia was texting and receiving messages in a really creative way.

However in terms of accessibility I definitely I advise to read this book in parts as the Acephobia and internalized Acephobia is so raw and authentically true that especially when it was Georgia's own self hatred for herself it hurt like an absolute saw thumb but seeing Georgia get rid of her own internalized Aromantic And Acephobia made you feel proud. Oseman made it really clear in her writing it's ok to have internalized self hate and that getting rid of it is a process.

Don't want to spoil the major Pip x Rooney spoilers who haven't read the book but think Enemies To Lovers but spicy WLW. It's a Pan + Lesbian relationship which I think is incredibly unique rep.

Overall and absolutely incredible standalone book that I would absolutely love a sequel too about Georgia maybe accepting to not be too clingy with her friends as beautiful as Platonic relationships are or a spinoff with Sunill or even Elis Georgia's cousin. Might be a while before I reread because it was so authentically raw but if your an Aromantic Asexual spec person, questioning or an ally looking for a good own voices book I definitely recommend.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Five Stars In My Opinion Absolutely.

Content Warnings

bimess_'s review against another edition

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sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

After taking into consideration many of my fellow poc who are on the aroace spectrum, I do not recommend this book to anyone who's figuring out their sexuality. To anyone that expects for the side characters (specifically the poc characters) to have any development outside the main character, they don't.

I did want to know more of the sidecharacters. Especially Pip since I'm a latine person myself. I don't think it was even mentioned which country her family is from either which angers me.

At the end of the day, I enjoyed the book because I had a similar inner war with myself. In terms of being aro and bi simultaneously.

It's true Oseman could've done more. My hope is for this book to be saved and given a sequel that focused on Pip and Sunil. Since they're the ones who had the potential to have powerful stories. But again, Oseman is white. So I'm weary of this as well. Perhaps an adaptation of their stories would be better.

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