3 stars - I liked it

This is a very simple and easy to understand comic about what asexuality is and some common questions about it. This is a great beginners guide for those who don’t really understand what ace is and gets rid of some of the common misconceptions about them. But, don’t expect a lot of in depth information about the different types of asexuality.

I thought this was a very informative book and I highly recommend checking this out, even if you aren’t asexual. It discusses asexuality on a very positive note and constantly reassures readers that their feelings are valid. I think this is a great beginner’s guide! The authors split the book into sections so they cover lots of different aspects of asexuality that I had never considered before. They also include a list of helpful resources at the end if you want more information and they also include a disclaimer at the beginning stating that they tried to cover everything and some things may be triggering. Overall a really good book.

4.5/5 Stars

There just aren't that many books out there about asexuality so I jumped at the chance to review this one. It was a good decision! A Quick and Easy Guide to Asexuality is short but sweet and filled with lots of important information. First and foremost, it demystifies asexuality, responding to FAQs and dispelling myths (i.e. about asexuality, dating and sex). It flows very smoothly between different sections, from growing up ace, the difference between asexuality and aromanticism to media representations of asexuality. Muldoon and Hernandez fall on different points of the asexuality spectrum (demonstrating that there is a spectrum) and are very honest about their own experiences, even mentioning that publishing this book is a kind of coming-out experience, so kudos to them! That's brave!

They're also very kind and humorous throughout the guide and they make excellent points in a very simple, accessible way (it is a "Quick and Easy Guide", after all). A lot of the material they cover was already familiar to me, personally, but some terms were new, like "allosexual", "gray-a" and "split attraction model." I also didn't realize that demisexuality is on the ace spectrum? As a result, I'd recommend A Quick and Easy Guide to Asexuality to both readers who already know a bit about the subject and complete newbies. The wholesome writing and charming art style also make it suitable for a range of ages. It would be perfect for ace people, people questioning their sexuality and allies/friends/family members or anyone who wants to be better informed about the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. There's also a list of resources at the end for more in-depth information and online tools and forums for community-building and more direct support, like The Trevor Project, which I really appreciated.

My only caveat is that, due to their super upbeat approach, Muldoon and Hernandez are perhaps a little optimistic about ace inclusivity in queer spaces? They acknowledge that online LGBTQ+ spaces can be hostile, but assert that their real life experiences with the community have been universally positive. Given the history of the L and G of LGBT (but especially the white male "G", let's be real) dominating the conversation, I worry slightly that they may be setting up overly-optimistic expectations (see Queer: A Graphic History for more info). But, to be fair, the aforementioned extra resources they list may well tackle those issues in more depth. And there is definitely a need for purely affirming, encouraging educational literature for LGBTQIA+ (and especially ace) readers, It also feels a bit curmudgeonly to complain that they're too nice (perhaps I'm too cynical). Either way, this is a great, handy primer to asexuality. 5/5, would recommend.

This is a great conversational graphic novel that covers the basics of what it means to be asexual. Asexuality is rarely discussed and it's great to make sure people are aware of what it means. The authors are the main characters and narrators in this title and they talk to their readers as equals and answer questions from confused characters in the book. The authors discuss their personal experiences and use metaphors to make sure the topic is easy to digest. I think this would be a great resource for anyone.

A Quick Overview about what asexuality is not is not, this short book, drawn in little comics, is an easy introduction for those who want to know more about the asexuality spectrum. Whether for people discovering their asexuality, or for allies, friends & family who want to to support someone, but don't actually know much, this is a great start.
It focuses on demystifying the spectrum of asexuality, and dispelling the common tropes asexuality is surrounded with.

A well-written and concise description of what it means to be Asexual. Great examples are included in the book to help with the understanding of the topics discussed. I personally enjoyed the illustration style and the presentation of the material. I found it extremely accessible. This book is a great way for members of the Ace community to find validation of themselves, and for the greater population to understand what Ace means and how to support people who identify as Ace.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I truly loved this book. I really liked the art style of the graphic novel. And just like the title said it is a quick and easy guide to asexuality, for everyone. All thought I understand that this is far from a complete guide to asexuality but I learned a lot. As an allosexual I learned a lot about something I only read about, like the term allosexual. This book helped me understand what asexuality means. It was explained on a very basic level and makes me want to research more about the topic.

This book did a great job of explaining asexuality. As an orientation that is still, unfortunately, not well known, it’s nice to see that there are resources people can turn to when they are in need of answers. The art was simple but effective; the two main characters did a good job informing the reader what they needed to know about being ace, adding their experiences growing up, of feeling different and “broken.” I saw myself reflected in them and it made me emotional, remembering going through what they did and questioning whether there was something wrong with me.

The book only goes into the basics, touching on orientations related to asexuality—like being demi, gray-a, and aromantic—but not going into much detail with them, which would have been nice. I also wish we could have seen more positives related to being ace, like where and when the term originated, the great online community of ace people, and how we claimed our unofficial symbols like the black ring (which wasn’t mentioned at all, unfortunately), cake, and axolotls.

It’s a great book into the basics of being ace, for anyone who is questioning their identity and wants to know more about it, or for those who know someone that is or might be and they want to educate themselves so as not to get sucked into believing the harmful stereotypes we so often see from people who don’t know much about it. Though more detailed and in-depth answers might be best found elsewhere, this book is a good start.

Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for an ARC of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

I think the fact that it's a "quick and easy" guide makes it a hit or miss for me. I did already know just about everything in this guide but I do think it would be an important book to have in libraries and classrooms. The art for the comic could've been more engaging and fun but nonetheless it worked for the purpose of the guide.

Side note: Some people mention how ambiguous the "A for Asexual" chapter is and I agree that chapter may confuse readers further since there's no clear answer given (and therefore no purpose for that chapter).

Working with my school’s GSA and also based on student requests, there is definitely interest and a need for more books related to various sexualities, relationships, and identity. Other than being included in more broad books, I don’t have any books specifically on asexuality and so this caught my eye. It’s a quick read but I think that it would definitely be helpful and high school appropriate. My own understanding is more clear after reading this. It helps with basic understanding and demystification.

I really loved this quick and easy guide! It covered a lot of what it is to be ace, as well as explaining it in relation to other identities, and doing so in a way that non-ace people would understand, giving great examples and analogies! I really loved reading this!

A simple, accessible, and well-explained introduction to asexuality. I feel like this might be most helpful to young kids and teens exploring their own sexual identities, but it's also a great resource for anyone who doesn't know a lot about asexuality and wants to learn, especially to support an ace friend/family member/partner/etc. The art style was not necessarily my favorite, but I think that was more than made up for by how clearly and non-judgmentally the concepts were presented. A great little guide to asexuality that will definitely helpful a lot of people out, ace and allo alike!

A Quick & Easy Guide to Asexuality is an easy-to-digest graphic novel using a conversational style, breaking the fourth wall, to talk about asexuality. The meaning of asexuality and its permutations are clearly explained in a very open way. This would be great for middle-grade and up collections, as I think there are even parents and other adults who should have access to this book.

Short and accessible guide that tries to demystify what being asexual and aromantic are for people. The graphics and design are simple and effective, and it does a good job of taking someone through the various parts of what it would mean.

This perhaps isn't the book if you have read up on it before, but a great primer to get you started if you haven't, and it is short enough that you can give it to someone who might want to know more.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick introduction to asexuality that covers the main aspects of asexuality. This book did not really teach me anything that I did not learn from reading various asexual websites when I was coming to terms with my own asexuality. But that kind of is the point of the book. This book will be very useful to those who have never heard of asexuality or do not know what the term really means. It quickly covers all of the important information and the narrators/authors do a great job of relating their personal stories to the audience. The art is simple but easy to understand. Enough people have discussed the "A means ally" problem with this book, so I will just cosign those points that also disagree with that assertion. They also did a great job discussing the online toxicity related to asexuality. Overall, 4/5 because it is a useful book for asexuality, even if it is not groundbreaking. If this book helps one person come to terms with the weird feelings they have about their sexuality, then the book will have succeeded.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read A Quick and Easy Guide to Asexuality by Molly Muldoon.
I was drawn to this book initially as I have a good friend who identifies as Asexual. We have had many conversations together, and I have always understood their views and feelings, but seeing this book gave me the opportunity to widen my knowledge on the subject and have a better understanding not only for my friend, but for any other people I may meet in my life who identify as asexual.
This was a brilliantly informative book, formatted like an easy-breezy graphic novel 0r comic book. The book was like an education lesson disguised beneath a fun and interesting comic book style.
I would recommend this to anyone.

Shortly putting me as a reviewer in context: I currently identify as a straight ciswoman. I honestly struggle with it sometimes but then I stay at identifying that way.

Anyway I wanted to read this book to be the best ally and supporter to friends that I have in my life or might come in the future. I am trying to be as aware as possible and I am happy I have friends I can openly ask if I have questions. Still I want to do a bit more than just asking and maybe making them uncomfortable.
This book helped me to understand quite a few things, while I knew other things beforehand. I think this book should be in school libraries and other public facilities to give people and especially children or teens the possibility to learn early on. This book is definitely helpful and the illustrations make it kinda funny at times. I hope to buy a physical copy for myself and maybe also for friends and donate one to my hometown's library. The message of this book is important and lovely and it really does not matter what you identify yourself to read this book.

A Quick & Easy Guide to Asexuality is a graphic novel covers some of the very basics of what it means to be asexual, how it differs from being aromantic, and how it fits in to people's lives. The two authors, Molly Muldoon and Will Hernandez, are both on the ace spectrum themselves (Molly's demisexual, and Will's much closer to the solidly asexual range of the spectrum), which I did appreciate.

Although I did like this book, I had quite a few qualms about it. As a demisexual (demibisexual actually) person, I always get very excited for any book related to the ace spectrum and am usually disappointed, so I will say that this book didn't do that.

My main issue with the book is that it very much feels written for allosexual people. If you already know you're on the ace spectrum, or have any exposure to the topic whatsoever, it will not have any clarification or new information for you. I also can't really see an occasion where somebody suspects they might be ace and goes straight to this book; the internet has so many good resources that cover the same range of information more concisely and with greater clarity.

There were a lot of things I would have expected to be discussed in greater depth, or even touched upon at all but weren't. The split-attraction model was not covered as it should have been, and more specific identities on the ace spectrum were not discussed to the extent that I would have expected them to be; demisexuality and gray-asexuality were barely touched upon, and then identities like reciprosexual, akoisexual, and cupiosexual weren't even mentioned, even though they're definitely part of the ace community. As part of that, the book often used the ideas of asexuality and the ace spectrum interchangeably, which seemed to imply that most people in the community, even if they're sex-positive or at least not sex-repulsed, never feel sexual attraction, which was something that surprised me considering that one of the authors is demisexual. Additionally, there was no discussion of sexual attraction being a fluid thing throughout one's life, which, while I can understand omitting for simplicity's sake and to prevent people who don't understand it by using that to invalidate ace identities, still felt like too much off a blanket statement.

There was also a comment about how some people say the A in LGBTQIA* stands for "ally," which really bothered me because the only people I've ever heard say that are the so-called allies, and almost never queer people. Allies aren't queer; they aren't part of the community, even if they're welcome in many spaces.

However, there were also some things that I thought the book does well; in particular, it does go into the range among ace people between being sex-positive and sex-repulsed, which I do think is a big misconception that people have about asexuality. There were some issues with it; it seemed to imply that gray-ace people were those that fall between sex-positive and sex-repulsed, rather than those two qualifiers being able to act independently to just discuss anybody on the ace spectrum's willingness to have sex with somebody they aren't sexually attracted to, but the fact that those two terms were mentioned at all was still something I greatly appreciated.

Despite all of my issues with it, I do think this book is a really good introduction to the topic if you have absolutely no idea what asexuality is. It is very clear on the most important aspects, and really anything else can be cleared up later. While I wouldn't ever recommend it to somebody who thinks they themselves might be ace, I'd absolutely recommend it to an allosexual person (particularly a cishet one, since most queer people have at least some exposure to ace identities) who wants to learn more about the subject. However, due to all of my aforementioned problems, I am only giving it a three star rating.

As someone who identifies as ace but hardly knows anything about asexuality, I was really excited to be approved for this arc so thank you so much!! It really helped figure out where I stand on the spectrum. I think this book will do a great job educating everyone on what they might need to know. I already recommended it to a couple people. It's easy to read and everything is broken down wonderfully!

This graphic novel tells about asexuality, what it is, and how asexual people feel. This book would be good to give a young person who is questioning their sexuality, or lack of sexual attraction.