Listopia > Asexuals In Fiction
Open a can of 100% ace, demi, and grey-ace characters. No guessing, no maybes, only confirmed characters on the asexual spectrum. Please don't add books unless you'd bet money it's canon. ** NOTES ** This list is no longer checked for a modded database visit here: https://tinyurl.com/Fyeahlist Our books: https://artoverchaos.com
448 books ·
599 voters ·
list created January 22nd, 2014
by Rose Sinclair (votes) .
Tags:
ace, actually-aseuxal, asexual, asexuality, demisexual, diversity, grey-asexual, lgbta, queer, representation
Rose
169 books
174 friends
174 friends
Saros
274 books
12 friends
12 friends
Christy
7507 books
2606 friends
2606 friends
S
2187 books
135 friends
135 friends
Rainbowheart
2035 books
152 friends
152 friends
Jessica
618 books
94 friends
94 friends
Meghan
1123 books
119 friends
119 friends
Controlled Abandon
1563 books
0 friends
0 friends
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Rainbowheart
(last edited Aug 31, 2014 02:34PM)
(new)
Aug 31, 2014 02:22PM
Should all the Sherlock Holmes books be on this list? I thought his asexuality was assumed rather than stated outright.
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Rainbowheart wrote: "Should all the Sherlock Holmes books be on this list? I thought his asexuality was assumed rather than stated outright."Technically Sherlock isn't confirmed in canon and shouldn't be on the list. As much support as there is for it in canon, I'm with you on this.
No problem at all! I deleted them, and you can let me know if you notice anything else that doesn't belong. :)
Jesse wrote: "Heyyy so Vitality's issues are finally on goodreads. I added the one with an asexual story! :)"wunderbar!
It's totally possible to play any character in To Be Or Not To Be as asexual but the actual word is only used once (in one of Hamlet's paths) and in a funny but sort of insulting way so I don't know if it should be on here...
I added Soulless because it has a secondary char who is asexual (possibly also aromantic) and is very important to the story. HOWEVER this book comes with a huge TW for domestic abuse, rape, graphic violence, torture, and gore, which mostly takes place within the context of one relationship in the story, and is not romanticized in any way. Also it centers around a sexual m/m relationship (which might be iffy for some asexual readers). But the ace character's role in the story is vital and she is definitely (platonically) loved and cared for, and gets a happy ending. :)
Also added The Alpha and His Ace. It's gay paranormal romance about an allosexual werewolf and the asexual guy who is destined to be his mate. I hear SUCH GOOD THINGS about this book but it's not out yet for me to read *whines* It should be free to download when it comes available, though!UPDATE 1/12/16 - Have read this book. It's way cute, definitely a bit heavy-handed with its explanation of what asexuality is, but it also wasn't written for an ace audience. It's still great, though, the way they navigate their relationship. :)
Hey does anybody remember which character was an ace in daughter of smoke and bone? If so, please reply!
Nat wrote: "Hey does anybody remember which character was an ace in daughter of smoke and bone? If so, please reply!"I've been told it's Liraz
Liraz is demisexual if you want to read her that way; I read it more as she finally opens her heart and is capable of heteronormative romantic love after all, she had just been too scared (and of course she hadn't met the right guy yet).
Tiffany wrote: "Nat wrote: "Hey does anybody remember which character was an ace in daughter of smoke and bone? If so, please reply!"I've been told it's Liraz"
Liraz is described using the adjective "asexual" in Days of Blood & Starlight, but it's not confirmed as her identity. While I'd argue with anyone trying to suggest that Liraz isn't ace, I also wouldn't consider her a 100% canon confirmed character.
Rainbowheart wrote: "No problem at all! I deleted them, and you can let me know if you notice anything else that doesn't belong. :)"Hello again, could please remove Doña Luz for me?
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a good series, but if you read it looking for ace representation you're going to be very frustrated.Liraz is v. minor as a character and she sort of 'learns to feel' @ the end of the series.
I second Shiloh that it's not confirmed canon.
Jaylee wrote: "I added Soulless because it has a secondary char who is asexual (possibly also aromantic) and is very important to the story. HOWEVER this book comes with a huge TW for domestic abu..."It's been a bit since I read Soulless, remind me which character is ace?
Celestine wrote: "Jaylee wrote: "I added Soulless because it has a secondary char who is asexual (possibly also aromantic) and is very important to the story. HOWEVER this book comes with a huge TW f..."It's the human protagonist's assistant/student. She talks about her lack of desire or interest in sex, and the platonic relationship she has with the human protagonist is essential to the story's plot. It's set in the 1800s so it doesn't use the word, but I read her as ace and also possibly aro, but def. ace.
Jaylee wrote: "Celestine wrote: "Jaylee wrote: "I added Soulless because it has a secondary char who is asexual (possibly also aromantic) and is very important to the story. HOWEVER this book come..."Ooooh, no wonder I was confused. Wrong SOULLESS. XD
Added The Haters by Jesse Andrews because of Ash. I don't think she ever actually describes herself using the term but she does say early on: "I thought maybe I was gay because I didn't want to hook up with boys. But after a while I realized that I didn't want to hook up with girls, either."It's probably worth mentioning that she does actually hook up with a guy in the book but later states that she does it out of loneliness rather than desire.
Helia wrote: "Could someone change the description to say that this list covers the ace spectrum? Because the characters in Radio Silence and The Foxhole Court are demisexual :)Also what is considered 'confime..."
I'm a bit confused about your demisexuality comment... I'm demisexual, it falls under the "ace spectrum," which also includes grey-asexual.
The question was asked earlier but doesn't seem to have been answered - how explicitly does a character's asexuality (or demisexuality etc.) have to be identified for a book to be counted for this list? I assume actually using the term as a cutoff would be too stringent (because it would cut out a lot of historical/fantasy works where it would be anachronistic).
Keith wrote: "The question was asked earlier but doesn't seem to have been answered - how explicitly does a character's asexuality (or demisexuality etc.) have to be identified for a book to be counted for this ..."It has to be on page or word of god and match the 20th century queer definition of asexual.
I love this list. This is where I discovered Every Heart A Doorway, Bittersweet Symphony and Tash Hearts Tolstoy. It makes me feel like I'm not alone.
An interesting book I am not going to add to the list is Staring At The Sun by Julian Barnes. The main character is very obviously an ace woman, but it isn't stated (she would not have had the word for much of her life). I think I actually need to reread this one myself; I may have hit on it a little too early in life to actually appreciate it last time I read it. Anyway, just leaving it here in case anyone is interested.
Helia wrote: "Could someone change the description to say that this list covers the ace spectrum? Because the characters in Radio Silence and The Foxhole Court are demisexual :)Also what is considered 'confime..."
Neil Josten isn't demisexual at all. He was beaten habitually by his mother when he was interested in a girl/boy so he viewed having sexual/emotional feelings for an actual person to be dangerous to his well being, when before he could feel attraction to strangers very easily.(Basically she conditioned him to feel the way she wanted him to feel) But later in the series, Neil realizes he views Andrew as sort of a safety net from all his fears as well as the love of his life, so Andrew kind of breaks Neil's conditioning a little bit. It has nothing to do with sexuality, and everything to do with abuse.
Honestly, The Foxhole Court should not be on this list. Nobody in it is Asexual or demisexual. Everyone is just pretty gay lol
Just found this list - I'm so excited to add these titles to my to-read shelves!! Question about one of the titles - who in Percy Jackson #3 is asexual? I'm actually rereading the series right now so maybe I'll figure out the answer myself
Kenna wrote: "Just found this list - I'm so excited to add these titles to my to-read shelves!! Question about one of the titles - who in Percy Jackson #3 is asexual? I'm actually rereading the series right now ..."I haven't read the series but a google search shows that the author described someone as asexual on a panel. Unsure if it's actually on the page, though!
The Earl of Brass - I just finished this one and have no idea who is supposed to be asexual or why it's on this list.
Linda ~ chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny ~ wrote: "The Earl of Brass - I just finished this one and have no idea who is supposed to be asexual or why it's on this list."Eilian is asexual. As the series develops it's explored a lot more, but it's included in the list because it's the first in these series!
Sawkill Girls, off the top of my head, and mayb Dread Nation? it's about zombies but not sure if that's your kind of 'horror' or not
The rockabilly werewolf from Mars wrote: "Would it be acceptable to add Edward Gorey's work? He was openly asexual, although I don't know if any of his work specifically involves it (not that much sex occurs in it)."This list is for books with asexual characters, not ace authors. So unless a character specifically identified as ace on the page, or discussed their feelings about sex in a way that we would classify as ace today, it wouldn't be on this list. Hopefully that makes sense!
The rockabilly werewolf from Mars wrote: "Also, is there any horror fiction with asexual characters? I'm asexual and I mostly read horror, so I just thought I'd ask.""Soulless" by T. Baggins (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...) is a deeply messed up vampire horror m/m romance with an asexual supporting character. There's graphic sex in the book that is more like body horror as the vampires take their undying nature to twisted places sexually (like, one guy gets fucked in the ass with an actual chair leg until he dies). But I really loved the asexual character - she's a scientist's assistant, and has a dark/morbid curiosity streak. Haha. I really liked the book but it's REALLY not for everyone.
Kenna wrote: "Just found this list - I'm so excited to add these titles to my to-read shelves!! Question about one of the titles - who in Percy Jackson #3 is asexual? I'm actually rereading the series right now ..."No one. I have no idea why it's on this list; the instructions specifically state "only confirmed characters." Furthermore, the characters are only ~13. If a 13-year-old doesn't experience sexual attraction, it could be because they're asexual, but it also very well could be because they are 13.
Vicious and Vengeful should not be on this list, either.
i agree that percy jackson shouldn't be on this list. the hunters of artemis are kind of 'coded' as asexual but i'm pretty sure rick riordan has said himself that he did not considerit official rep. the mc of vicious (and venegful) is ace though - confirmed by the author - so they should definitely be on the list.
I agree the Hunters in Percy Jackson 3 are not asexual (later in the combined series, we meet a pair of lesbian Hunters), but (view spoiler)
Séverine wrote: "Hello everyone, I'm just wondering who in Good Omens is ace?"Crowley and Aziraphale - it's not explicitly canon, just a common interpretation (so maybe could be removed?). Gaiman said they're in love, but not in a sexual relationship.
Kathryn (Dragon Bite Books) wrote: "I agree the Hunters in Percy Jackson 3 are not asexual (later in the combined series, we meet a pair of lesbian Hunters), but [spoilers removed]"OMG which book?
Séverine wrote: "Hello everyone, I'm just wondering who in Good Omens is ace?"Aziraphale and Crowley (mostly Aziraphale though)
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