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New YA Novel With Openly Asexual Character


Sciatrix

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So yeah, I recently purchased Karen Healey's new YA novel Guardian of the Dead, on the theory that I had heard that there might be some asexual representation in it and also it had been compared to Neil Gaiman's American Gods, which is one of my most favorite novels ever. And it got in to my mailbox today, so I curled up on a couch and read it.

I was not actually expecting one of the supporting characters, Kevin, to come out to his best friend as asexual within the first couple of chapters. As in, I think this may be the second explicit "I identify as asexual" character in media that I've ever heard of. And the scene is done wonderfully--the main character has a lesbian older sister and it is implied that her parents reacted uncomfortably, so she makes a point of not questioning his experiences or telling him he's wrong or anything else.

The asexuality isn't really connected to the main plot of the story, mind. I find it interesting that the story is set in New Zealand and written by a New Zealander--I wonder if the author saw Short Street at some point? And the character's orientation becomes very much tangential about midway through the book, when the circumstances surrounding the main character change somewhat and Kevin sort of gets left behind a little. I'm not saying this is the Great Asexual Novel or anything, but it's really refreshing to actually see a character treat asexuality like a real orientation and not a "X is uniquely odd in this way" sort of thing.

And the novel itself is really good, too. (The Gaiman comparison is pretty apt towards the end, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes myths, particularly Maori myths, which are mostly what the author is drawing from.) If you're a fan of YA urban fantasy, I'd give it a shot.

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New Zealand novel. American Gods similarities. Asexual character.

TO THE BOOKSHOP

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Amputation Defenestration

Logging on my library site right now. Thanks for sharing :]

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TO AMAZON!

(My bookshop doesn't stock stuff like that, and Amazon is cheaper. Yeah, I know I should shop local. *hangs head*)

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Herr Joseph von Löthing

TO AMAZON!

(My bookshop doesn't stock stuff like that, and Amazon is cheaper. Yeah, I know I should shop local. *hangs head*)

If they don't stock it its their loss :P

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Somehow New Zealand just became even cooler in my estimation. AVEN field trip anyone? ;)

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asexual cake

Somehow New Zealand just became even cooler in my estimation. AVEN field trip anyone? ;)

I am in support of this.

Now, to find parental support, both general and financial, for me to organize a trip across the Pacific ocean with a bunch of strangers from the internet... hmm.

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I will definitely have to read this. I saw it at Borders the other day but unfortunately didn't have the money to get it

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Somehow New Zealand just became even cooler in my estimation. AVEN field trip anyone? ;)

I am in support of this.

Now, to find parental support, both general and financial, for me to organize a trip across the Pacific ocean with a bunch of strangers from the internet... hmm.

Everyone can come and stay with me! You can hide under the bed when Dad walks past my room. :P

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Somehow New Zealand just became even cooler in my estimation. AVEN field trip anyone? ;)

I am in support of this.

Now, to find parental support, both general and financial, for me to organize a trip across the Pacific ocean with a bunch of strangers from the internet... hmm.

Everyone can come and stay with me! You can hide under the bed when Dad walks past my room. :P

I am going to hold you to that.

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I am going to hold you to that.

And I am taking that as permission to try to jam you under there. :P

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I am going to hold you to that.

And I am taking that as permission to try to jam you under there. :P

Which still means I am going to be in New Zealand in your house in your bedroom at some point. *scribbles signature that legally allows Tanzaria to shove a pear under her bed by force*

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Aw shucks! It's not out in the UK yet!

I must admit, I do find it amusing how this one post has caused ALL of us to want to buy it now.. Note to future-author-self: include an asexual character in whatever you are writing (I was really considering that anyway..) It'll sell like hot cakes on AVEN. :P

PS. Second dibs on the under-your-bed scenario... :P

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I have the book! It was actually really easy to find, seeing as NZ authors are a big deal and the books must be dislayed prominently when they come out.

The part that I read on the bus on the way home was pretty good, even if the main character seems to dislike my city. XD

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I actually work in a bookshop so I can tell my collegue who runs the children section to stock up on it and then all of you who live in the uk can come and buy it!

On a similar note I recently started an asexual bookclub in London. It's only two of us at the moment but if any one feels like joining they are more than welcome.

Have a look in the meet-up section for more details.

We already decided on next month's book ( The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith) but we could make Guardian of the Dead the book to read for june!

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Everyone can come and stay with me! You can hide under the bed when Dad walks past my room. :P

If you have a closet, I'd like to hide in there. Not ready to come out yet. *bricked for the bad pun*

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asexual cake

Everyone can come and stay with me! You can hide under the bed when Dad walks past my room. :P

If you have a closet, I'd like to hide in there. Not ready to come out yet. *bricked for the bad pun*

Nice. :lol:

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Everyone can come and stay with me! You can hide under the bed when Dad walks past my room. :P

If you have a closet, I'd like to hide in there. Not ready to come out yet. *bricked for the bad pun*

I do! You'll have to fight my coats and hockey stick for space though. :P

Sudden thought: Some of you could probably fit under my couch. XD

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Ooooh...I must find this. The title itself looks awesome.

Yay!! AVEN field trip! :lol: *starts packing* Who will be the chaperones?

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Ooooh...I must find this. The title itself looks awesome.

Yay!! AVEN field trip! :lol: *starts packing* Who will be the chaperones?

Now that Tanzy has started this she's going to have to organise it. XD

Her pet doggie, Buster the hover doggie, will be chaperone.

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Now that Tanzy has started this she's going to have to organise it. XD

Her pet doggie, Buster the hover doggie, will be chaperone.

Uh oh. Have you seen me try to organise anything? D:

If Buster is the chaperone we'll end up feeding him cat food while he uses Zeph the kitty as a cushion.

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Miselle Serafine

Oooh! My dad goes to NZ regularly! I'm getting him to send that to me!

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Now that Tanzy has started this she's going to have to organise it. XD

Her pet doggie, Buster the hover doggie, will be chaperone.

Uh oh. Have you seen me try to organise anything? D:

If Buster is the chaperone we'll end up feeding him cat food while he uses Zeph the kitty as a cushion.

That sounds like fun.

Practise makes perfect. Get organising.

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That sounds amazing. Maybe I'll search this summer.

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  • 2 months later...

I just got the book! I was happy reading the part (It's page 13, but she hints at it from the beginning)

It was cool! I'm not done with the book yet, so no review. I'm still at the beginning. I'm so glad my library has it!

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