ARC Review: Ace Voices by Eris Young
Genre: Nonfiction Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rep: A-Spec
After receiving a promotional email from Goodreads, which recommended Ace Voices by Eris Young, I knew I wanted to read it immediately! I’m always looking for more books by and about a-spec people, and I was excited to find another nonfiction book on the topic. I never imagined it would turn out to be one of my favorite nonfiction books of all-time!
One of my favorite aspects of the novel was that it doesn’t read like a textbook. Sometimes nonfiction books can feel really boring, but this book was filled with emotion and soul! I loved that the author spoke to a large group of a-spec people when writing the book, incorporating their different experiences to show a more comprehensive look into what it’s like to be a-spec.
Additionally, Young provided helpful interpretations of different terminology that is frequently used in the a-spec community. I found it very helpful to have multiple clear perspectives on these terms. While I had already heard many of them, I think this feature would appeal to people who are not very familiar with the a-spec community. Likewise, those who have had more experience with the a-spec community will likely enjoy the diverse experiences and nuances that Young references in relation to each term.
On top of that, there were discussion questions at the end of each chapter that really added to the feeling of reflectiveness and introspection. I love that Young wants readers to think, not only about what being ace means, but also about many different aspects of orientation and gender identity. The questions were simultaneously thought-provoking and easy to understand.
The thing that made this book really stand out was the emotions, from those who participated in the creation of the book, from the author themself, and from me as a reader. This made the book very powerful, and I found comfort in many of the things that were shared by other ace people. So many experiences described in the book, from having a fear of being alone forever to not feeling an urge to dive into microlabels, really resonated with me, and made me feel a deeper connection to the a-spec community.
Overall, this is a book that I will be recommending for a long time to come! I’m hoping to add a signed copy to my a-spec bookshelf soon, and I know I will feel a sense of wholesomeness and hope every time I see it on my shelf!
