Book Review: 'Heartstopper' is the Heart-warming LGBTQIA+ Teen Romance You’ve Been Waiting For
If you need a wholesome teen romance to soothe your COVID-anxiety nerves, look no further. Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series Heartstopper will make you want to hug the current volume you’re reading in an effort to infuse its innocence and sweetness into your life.
The five volume series, four volumes of which are out now, follows Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson as they explore romance for the first time. They attend Truham Grammar School for Boys in England, in years 10 and 11 respectively. Charlie is the only openly gay boy at the school, and Nick soon turns out to be the perfect person to help Charlie cope with the difficulties that comes with.
In Volume 1, we first learn that Charlie has a make-out partner, Ben, who isn’t particularly nice and who doesn’t want anyone to know that he’s interested in boys. When Charlie is seated next to Nick during their first day in English class, he realizes from Nick’s kindness that he deserves to be treated better. Charlie and Nick just exchange pleasantries at first, but their subtle chemistry is enough to start butterflies fluttering.
Nick rescues Charlie from being harassed by Ben, and what follows is a learning experience for both boys. They open up to each other about past problems and new insecurities, and discover that their unlikely pairing is the perfect combination to figure out both of their problems. Charlie may be a scrawny, drums and Mario Kart loving nerd, and Nick may be a popular rugby player, but their friendship begins to inspire other boys to re-evaluate their own pre-conceived notions about LGBTQIA+ romance and the support that friends should offer.
The drawing style is simple but effective. Only using black, white, and turquoise, Oseman creates beautiful scenes that highlight dialogue and body language. The two boys adorably blush quite a lot, and they find little ways to brush up against each other. The focus on people rather than background precision allows the reader to become fully absorbed in the emotions of the scene and the nuance of bodily expression.
Heartstopper originally began as a serialized webcomic in 2016 that then started being published physically in 2018 via Kickstarter. The fifth and final volume is expected in 2022. There is also a Heartstopper coloring book and a comic written with Charlie and Nick as characters in the video game Detroit: Become Human. Oseman has also published four contemporary YA novels: Solitaire (in the Heartstopper universe), Radio Silence, I Was Born for This. Her most recent YA novel, Loveless, was published in March 2022.
Netflix has optioned the rights for a Heartstopper series, which has finished filming and is set to release in Spring 2022. The 8 episode first season features Joe Locke as Charlie and Kit Conner as Nick. Not to be forgotten, Nick’s adorable pup Nellie will be played by Echo, a beautiful brown and white Border Collie.
Heartstopper: Volume 1 is available now.