BEING ACE

A multigenre anthology of short stories for teens that centers asexual protagonists.

A teen Slayer who is repulsed by sex is the target of monsters attracted to her virginal blood—until she deconstructs her community’s buy-in of the heterosexist concept of virginity in “Smells Like Teen Virgin” by S.E. Anderson. In S.J. Taylor’s “The Witch of Festa Falls,” a girl living in 18th-century Norway is able to save her community from a fossegrim, a terrifying creature from folklore, because she’s immune to his charms. “The Third Star” by RoAnna Sylver follows an aro-ace, agender, autistic teen who is worried about their queerplatonic relationship when their two partners go through rough patches, all while surviving on an emergency craft in the depths of space. The Little Mermaid is rescued from the clutches of exploitation and finds an unexpectedly platonic alliance with a merman prince in Moniza Hossain’s “The Mermaid’s Sister.” Themes of grief, community expectations, resilience, self-esteem, and queer joy are woven throughout this anthology. The stories range widely in tone and genre, although the majority are speculative. While some are immensely satisfying, others feel noticeably underdeveloped and rushed. But readers hungry for intersectional ace (and frequently also aro) representation will be pleased to see a range of queer identities, racial backgrounds, and disabilities (including a protagonist with hyperacusis and cerebral palsy who uses a power wheelchair).

May not take the whole cake, but asexual readers hungry for representation will find some outstanding pieces to dig into.