A review by moonlightreads007
Loveless by Alice Oseman

emotional funny informative lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

This is one of those books that has remained memorable in my mind long after reading it. It highlights how we live in a culture that romanticizes and glamourizes romantic love above all else, and how we live in a society that judges peoples' worth based on superficial things like relationship status and experience. I really liked how a variety of experiences were represented and accounted for in this book, and how the characters grow to love, accept and respect each other and their differences. And yes, Georgia makes a lot of mistakes with her friends while pursuing what she thinks she wants, but she also grows and learns from her experiences (which is one of my main takeaways from this book - people grow and learn from mistakes and experiences). In that respect, this book demonstrates that identity, personal growth and self-expression are worthwhile values to have, and that people can learn about what these concepts mean to them personally not just through relationships, but also through any kinds of new experiences generally.

Before reading this book, I thought this was going to be a book focused on romantic love and friendships, but I personally find that it's so much more than that. This is a book that not only accounts for LGBTQ+ and aro-ace experiences, but also encourages readers to challenge cultural and societal norms by expanding their ideas and definitions about what the concepts of love, friendship and family mean to them and learning about what these concepts mean to other people as well. When we take the time to learn about others' experiences, we learn about ourselves and the world as well, and this can help us to develop a greater amount of appreciation and respect for others' choices and perspectives. For that reason, I honestly think people of all gender identities and sexual orientations could benefit from reading this book.
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