“I’ll Call it Platonic Magic”: Queer Joy, Metafiction, and Aro-Ace Autofictional Selves in Alice Oseman’s Loveless

Abstract

This article examines how Alice Oseman’s novel Loveless employs both metafiction and autofiction in its narration to establish queer joy. Metafiction hereby connects to romance tropes that are both employed by and reflected on by the protagonist, while the presence of autofictional selves of Oseman relates to asexuality and aromanticism. The analysis considers the struggles, confusion, and pain as depicted in the protagonist’s story, specifically in (autofictional) connection to Oseman and their statements about their own journey as an aromantic and asexual (shortened as aro-ace) person. Most centrally however, both the self-awareness of metafiction and the authenticity of autofiction are read in close connection to queer joy . Ultimately, this article argues that Loveless functions as an alternative love story to the heteronormative script, furthering aro-ace representation and offering hope to any reader seeking love beyond heteronormative romance.