Heartstopper: Volumes One – Five – Alice Oseman
The only reason I picked up this series is because #Bookstagram made me do it. For years, readers of all identities have heaped praise upon the YA graphic novels, and with the recently released Netflix adaptation it felt like the timing was right to see what the fuss was about.
Overall, I’d rate this a solid effort. Each volume is good, and three are great, but it also felt like there was a lot of filler, which made the more emotional moments feel hidden. I say this fully recognizing that the length of the series — about 1,700-pages — is what allows the relationship between Charlie and Nick to unfold in a natural, unrushed way, however.
Alice Oseman shows progress with each volume, both in how she writes all the characters and deepens their relationships. It is a view of first love that’s not about grand gestures or big moments (although there are several), but in learning how to open yourself to someone knowing you could be hurt in the long run.
What I liked most about this series is how Oseman bluntly and unapologetically discusses homophobia and what true allyship looks like versus virtue signaling. It provides a clear message to queer kids that it’s okay to forgive but not to forget and that there’s no need to apologize for being yourself.
While this isn’t a “must read” recommendation for me, I’m positive any reader that picks up the series will have a hard time stopping at “Volume One.”
[minor spoilers below]
Volume One
100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: 14-year-old Charlie is the only “out” student at his British all boys’ school, bringing with it ridicule and secret relationships. A change in schedule means he’s now partnered with Nick, a rugby star who takes Charlie under his wing. Is he simply friendly or interested in more?
My Take:
With no-frills animation and limited text, the story moves along quickly — I finished it in less than an hour — but that doesn’t mean you don’t get invested in the story.
Charlie and Nick are both likeable, and Oseman explores themes of owning your truth and discovering who you are without emotional manipulation or heavy-handedness. It was refreshing to see frank and nonchalant conversations about sexual identity and stereotypes represented that weren’t paired with a Big Lesson™.
Everything about it felt organic, especially for those of us that harbored unrequited crushes on classmates, but I found it lacking in emotional heft. Oseman threw out several nuggets of information — Charlie’s bullying after coming out, Nick questioning his sexuality and Charlie's assault by Ben — but none were explored in depth.
My lower rating for a book I enjoyed is simply because I have no other basis to judge the series other than what is presented here, which is incomplete. It very much feels like an appetizer whose sole purpose is world-building and character introduction, and in that respect, Oseman succeeds.
Rating (story): 3.5/5 stars
Rating (narration): N/A
Formats: eBook (library loan)
Dates read: April 9 – April 10, 2022
Multi-tasking: N/A
Volume Two
100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: After confessing their interest in one another, Charlie and Nick now must contend with a clandestine romance and coming out to family and friends.
My Take:
Picking up where “Volume One” left off, the story starts as a continuation of that story before shifting to the core plot: acceptance of oneself and coming out.
While I felt the first volume left too much unexplored, “Volume Two” begins to peel back the layers, diving into Charlie’s experiences being bullied and giving Nick additional backstory. As the relationship grows between Charlie and Nick, I’m becoming more invested in the story.
Here, the spartan animation and short text is a benefit since it allows the reader to project their own feelings and hopes onto Charlie and Nick. What queer reader wouldn’t have loved a positive and validating story like this as a teen?
Oseman often toes the line of hackneyed YA but pulls back at the right times. Thankfully, pop culture is used sparingly helping to give the story a timeless feel. The lack of genre trappings keeps the story solely on our main characters, and it’s refreshing to see how whole-heartedly Charlie and Nick support one another — there’s no manufactured drama here.
It’s also nice to see secondary characters get a little bit of the spotlight, specifically Tara and Darcy, and Tori — Charlie’s sister — used for comic relief.
Rating (story): 4/5 stars
Rating (narration): N/A
Formats: eBook (library loan)
Dates read: April 17 – April 18, 2022
Multi-tasking: N/A
Volume Three
100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: A school trip to Paris affords Charlie and Nick the opportunity to be a couple with fewer prying eyes, but more time together also exposes a few areas of concern as the two learn more about one another.
My Take:
“Volume Three” has darker elements as Nick begins to recognize signs of depression and disordered eating in Charlie, but overall, this one felt a little long.
I enjoy the character development that comes with not rushing through a story but stretching this out over four books means we’re sacrificing emotional heft for page filler.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the spotlight on secondary characters and watching Charlie and Nick navigate typical teen activities (in this case sleepovers, underage drinking and truth or dare), but it felt these elements — and really, the whole Paris trip in general — were included to move a single plot element forward: coming out as a couple. Did we need 384-pages for that to happen?
My favorite parts were with the adults this time, and how Miss Singh, Mr. Ajayi and Mr. Farouk were all able to openly show support and solidarity with Charlie and Nick. It’s a reminder of the importance of having positive queer role models for kids and teens, something that is, unfortunately, under attack in school systems today.
Rating (story): 3.5/5 stars
Rating (narration): N/A
Formats: eBook (library loan)
Dates read: April 19 – April 20, 2022
Multi-tasking: N/A
Volume Four
100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: Multiple stressors are making it difficult for Charlie to keep his mental health struggles under control, while Nick feels it is his responsibility to help him get better.
My Take:
I devoured “Volume Four” in a single sitting. It is easily the strongest of the series.
It reminded me of “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” in that it starts light-hearted (a trip to the beach), but then takes the reader down a somewhat dark road before reaching the end.
Finally, Oseman fully explored the honest emotion that I found lacking in previous volumes by giving readers a realistic portrayal of living — and loving someone — with mental illness.
I wasn’t expecting the story to go where it did — with Charlie receiving inpatient treatment for an eating disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While it was central to the plot — Charlie’s and Nick’s alternating POVs brought tears to my eyes — Oseman was able to maintain the lighthearted tone that is a hallmark of the series while weaving in adult themes and lessons. That’s not an easy task.
While there is a tease for “Volume Five,” I feel like we’re leaving our characters in a good place. Nick addressed the bullying of his brother and came out to his father; Charlie is learning to manage his mental illnesses; and the support of most friends and family members hasn’t wavered.
If Oseman continues to take the narrative deeper, I’m eager to keep reading.
Rating (story): 4.5/5 stars
Rating (narration): N/A
Formats: eBook (library loan)
Dates read: April 23, 2022
Multi-tasking: N/A
Volume Five
100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: Charlie and Nick start navigating the next steps in their relationship – more intimacy and a potential long distance future.
My Take:
It was a delight to revisit Oseman’s world of queer acceptance. While I often struggle with saccharine stories, there is undeniable charm in Nick and Charlie that melts my bitter 40-something heart, so I can only imagine what this series does for younger readers.
Once again Oseman emphasizes there is no right way to “be,” tackling complex — and frequently overwrought — situations, like choosing a college and losing your virginity, without preaching or pandering.
Hyper-focused on decisions Nick and Charlie need to make in their relationship, means a lot of supporting characters fall by the wayside, but that’s okay. I felt this was more aligned to “Volume Two” and “Volume Four,” which tackled heavier topics versus the typical YA tropes.
With a two-year gap between “Volume Four” and “Volume Five,” I was a bit rusty on all the details, but in reality they weren’t really necessary. In some ways this felt like a contained story within a broader universe, although Oseman teased a sixth – and final – volume on the horizon.
Sign me up.
Rating (story): 4/5 stars
Rating (narration): N/A
Format: eBook (library loan)
Date read: January 20, 2024
Multi-tasking: N/A
