Let's Talk About Love

Reviewed by: Sarah Cropley - Scarborough Public Library, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 9, 2018

Review

Alice already knows she's biromantic (able to fall in love with people who have the same gender as her or who don't). And she's known for a really long time that she's asexual (someone who doesn't experience sexual attraction). But she hasn't been able to share that last bit with anyone but her best friend. After another rough break up thanks to her lack of sexual interest, Alice feels about ready to swear off dating altogether, until Takumi shows up at her work. He's so cute that he exceeds the Cutie Code she's always used to define her aesthetic crushes in the past. But Alice worries that Takumi, like everyone else, won't understand. Add on top of that parents pressuring her towards a career choice she doesn't think she can stand, and a huge fight brewing with her best friend, and Alice isn't sure she'll make it through the summer.

Kann's Alice is a lively character with a charm and spunk. She leaps off the page as a fluffy, sometimes spoiled character, with a huge heart and a lot of endearing qualities. Both in text and on the front cover, Alice is portrayed as a dark-skinned black girl. Takumi is Japanese and other characters, in explicit text and contextual clues, are suggested to be several other ethnicities and religions.

Most important is the example that is set with Alice's asexuality. Though she experiences misunderstanding and outright aphobia from friends and partners, Alice never doubts her asexuality or right to feel that way. Additionally, Kann explores the many ways that asexual people can and do show their partner that they are cared for and loved. Vital for all YA and NA collections.

Overall Book Score: excellent