*spoiler-free*
Heartstopper tells the story of Charlie and Nick, 2 boys who are at the same school but have never met, until one day they are put in the same form group and are made to sit together. They quickly become friends and Charlie starts falling for Nick, even though he doesn’t think he has a chance. Soon enough, Nick becomes closer to Charlie and is more interested than either of them first realises.
I am so late to the trend on Heartstopper, but I finally got around to watching the Netflix series and fell in love with it so knew I had to give the book a go. This is the first graphic novel I’ve read in a long time, and I really enjoyed the format and pacing. Being able to see the story in a visual capacity brought the book to life and allowed me to get through the book super quickly.
I liked how similar the Netflix series is to the book as the story is so heartwarming, I’m glad this was depicted well in both formats. Heartstopper is still able to discuss more serious issues around sexuality and gender identity by normalising these topics in a school environment, making them a lot more approachable. You feel for Charlie, who is openly gay, and how he handles being vulnerable to bullying but also for Nick who is questioning his sexuality.
The cliffhanger at the end of the book worked well and despite knowing the story from the Netflix show, I’m super excited to read the other graphic novels. I also enjoyed reading Oseman’s past drafts of drawings and more details of Nick and Charlie’s story which is a nice addition. This is a lovely, comforting book that I’d definitely recommend, even if you are new to graphic novels.
5/5 stars
Soph's Library 