Heartstopper Volume 1 by Alice Oseman Review
Rated 4/5
Charlie Spring is an openly gay year ten at Truham Grammar School for boys. This year hasn’t been a great experience for him, but he’s not being bullied as much anymore. At the start of this new school year, he sits beside Nick Nelson, a soft-hearted rugby player in year eleven. Nick has heard about Charlie, but he’s never had the opportunity to talk with him until now; as they continue to hang out, a friendship blooms that may develop into something more. But Charlie thinks he doesn’t have a chance as he believes Nick is straight. At the same time, Nick starts to struggle with his sexuality which pushes him away from Charlie. Their fears and worries may prevent their friendship from becoming more, but as they take up the challenges, they soon realize that love works in surprising ways.
“Heartstopper Volume 1” by Alice Oseman is a high school LGBTQ+ romance between the relationship of two boys and the difficulties they face. I have watched the show on Netflix, and I thought it was a sweet show but significant as it talked about issues in today’s world. I was interested in how the book looked compared to the show, so I read it. The art was cute, and it was cool to see how the characters looked compared to the actors on the show. I also liked how it explained that being gay doesn’t have a look and showed Nick’s struggle with his sexual identity. The issues presented in this book are still happening today, and I’m glad that books and shows like this exist to spread awareness. Overall, I enjoyed this quick read and recommend it to anyone who likes graphic novels, LGBTQ+ contemporary romance, and a high school setting.