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Heartstopper #1-4
Heartstopper Series Volume 1-4 Books Collection Set By Alice Oseman
Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more...?
Written and illustrated by the author of 'Solitaire' and 'Radio Silence'. Updates three times a month (from Feb 2017), on the 1st, 11th, and 21st.
Written and illustrated by the author of 'Solitaire' and 'Radio Silence'. Updates three times a month (from Feb 2017), on the 1st, 11th, and 21st.
1260 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2016
241 people are currently reading
5607 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,074 reviews
August 29, 2023
Binged the Netflix adaptation of the first book as well and really liked it! The second season was a bit less eventful, but still very solid.
Totally adored and binged the entire series, loved both Oseman her art style and how she woven in hard themes in an essentially very fluffy, heartwarming love story
Erm.. aren't I a bit small and weak for rugby? - Charlie
Well, this is only a school team - Nick
So you're saying I am weak? - Charlie
No!! - Nick
Gay nerd and rugby lad meet each other in this graphic novel, but then with much more depth and a cuteness overload that is hard to beat. Alice Oseman does a masterful job of making both Nick and Charlie real characters, but also sketches a diverse cast of side characters, including goth sister Victoria, sarcastic teacher Farouk and his counterpart, whose character I got in a quiz.
Charlie especially has quite a lot of depth (and major nerd vibes with a gay NASA wallpaper on his phone) with lowkey heartbreaking quotes like:
All of the older boys kinda remind me of the people who used to bully me.
And reactions on his rugby "mate" Nick that basically boil down to: just tackle me.
In some kind of way he does seem to be good at everything, but certainly in the fourth volume he is imbued with a fragility (You're kind of a stressed out person generally as Nick remarks) that makes him endearing and human as a character.
Meanwhile Nick has quite a complicated relationship with his father (with best platonic bros as a cover up) and he is scared of horror movies. Also there is some delightfully dry comments like:
Since when is your dad French?
Eh, since his birth.
There is also a lovely Paris trip, which involves comments of classmates like: Oh. You're being gay. Good job. Carry on. I must say that the multiple lines that led to a lot of snogging during this schooltrip made me low key want an asexual character just for variety sake, but again Oseman does an excellent job of incorporating a trans character in a completely normal manner. And I must say in general these boys are very restrained in sexual terms.
In general the environment of the boys is quite supportive, if not with some struggles and exceptions (I'm glad you've realised the error of your ways - but it's not my job to give you a gold star), leading to one of them musing exasperated: We're probably gonna have to come out hundreds more times in our lives!!
Also one of the mothers very wisely remarks that love can't fix mental illness and also really important messages like needing other people as support in healthy other than romantic relations instead of putting all the balls on the romantic relations, are expressed in an effective way.
What's the appeal to straight girls is something that I did wonder while reading Heartstopper Series Volume 1-4 Books Set By Alice Oseman since a lot what for me resonates is the familiarity of coming out and the insecurities that follow you around as a queer teen.
For me this was a series full of very recognisable feelings, told in a convincing manner, with an accessible art style that supports the wholesome message. Warmly recommended!
Totally adored and binged the entire series, loved both Oseman her art style and how she woven in hard themes in an essentially very fluffy, heartwarming love story
Erm.. aren't I a bit small and weak for rugby? - Charlie
Well, this is only a school team - Nick
So you're saying I am weak? - Charlie
No!! - Nick
Gay nerd and rugby lad meet each other in this graphic novel, but then with much more depth and a cuteness overload that is hard to beat. Alice Oseman does a masterful job of making both Nick and Charlie real characters, but also sketches a diverse cast of side characters, including goth sister Victoria, sarcastic teacher Farouk and his counterpart, whose character I got in a quiz.
Charlie especially has quite a lot of depth (and major nerd vibes with a gay NASA wallpaper on his phone) with lowkey heartbreaking quotes like:
All of the older boys kinda remind me of the people who used to bully me.
And reactions on his rugby "mate" Nick that basically boil down to: just tackle me.
In some kind of way he does seem to be good at everything, but certainly in the fourth volume he is imbued with a fragility (You're kind of a stressed out person generally as Nick remarks) that makes him endearing and human as a character.
Meanwhile Nick has quite a complicated relationship with his father (with best platonic bros as a cover up) and he is scared of horror movies. Also there is some delightfully dry comments like:
Since when is your dad French?
Eh, since his birth.
There is also a lovely Paris trip, which involves comments of classmates like: Oh. You're being gay. Good job. Carry on. I must say that the multiple lines that led to a lot of snogging during this schooltrip made me low key want an asexual character just for variety sake, but again Oseman does an excellent job of incorporating a trans character in a completely normal manner. And I must say in general these boys are very restrained in sexual terms.
In general the environment of the boys is quite supportive, if not with some struggles and exceptions (I'm glad you've realised the error of your ways - but it's not my job to give you a gold star), leading to one of them musing exasperated: We're probably gonna have to come out hundreds more times in our lives!!
Also one of the mothers very wisely remarks that love can't fix mental illness and also really important messages like needing other people as support in healthy other than romantic relations instead of putting all the balls on the romantic relations, are expressed in an effective way.
What's the appeal to straight girls is something that I did wonder while reading Heartstopper Series Volume 1-4 Books Set By Alice Oseman since a lot what for me resonates is the familiarity of coming out and the insecurities that follow you around as a queer teen.
For me this was a series full of very recognisable feelings, told in a convincing manner, with an accessible art style that supports the wholesome message. Warmly recommended!
June 23, 2021
THE BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL EVER
January 17, 2022
Toplumun genel kurallarının dışında olma, dışlanma, akran zorbalığı, aile ilişkileri ve bunun sonucunda oluşan stres, anksiyete, yeme bozuklukları gibi psikolojik sorunlara değinen ama çok da derinlere inmeden bilinçlendiren tatlı bir hikaye. Bazı bölümleri klişelerle dolu olsa da okuması keyifliydi.
April 5, 2023
*4.75 stars, rounded up
Volume one: 5 stars
Volume two: 5 stars
Volume three: 5 stars
Volume four: 4 stars
Volume one: 5 stars
Volume two: 5 stars
Volume three: 5 stars
Volume four: 4 stars
January 8, 2026
I felt like reading it…since I was in a reading slump. a friend recommended it to me, so thank you 💛
It was really sweet, comforting, genuine and entertaining. I don't usually read comics or anything which has visual artwork, but this one was....wow, really, really cool. I liked how the author touches upon the various issues and it was...uplifting, in a lot of ways I didn’t even expect-
Often, a lot of novels I've heard, seen and and read - especially, contemporary young adult fiction tends to revolve around the plot being centred around just fun romance (a lot of them with repetitive plots and quite shallow except a very handful of them - from the ones I've read), or the flip side: filled with trauma and all the "darkness" that drowns teenagers, or...the middle: maybe a bit of an entertaining plot, but excessive amounts of swearing, all things not-quite-exactly teenager stuff (but I'm sure all of that does occur to some extent in schools around the world). Instead of relying on all that or even cheap plot twists, this is a simple, heart-warming story with life in it.
It has this optimistic and such a hopeful tone, and the fact that characters can bear burdens and not break under them - fills me with this zeal and enthusiasm for just living and hands the power to change your fate by your own hand. It instils faith that there's always a way somehow and also, coming to terms with self-acceptance as well, like really accepting yourself. It touches on real, dark issues, not only the theme of coming out, but a whole lot of other ones (I mean, a huge amount of them) - like bullying, self-hate, body image issues, and the general teenager angst ( the other lot-which a lot of people kinda suffer(ed) from too ).
But, it was definitely really nice, and maybe a bit unrealistic (and sure, a little idealistic too) and just exploration on the top, but maybe that's all is needed sometimes, for a spark of change, a little push to keep going and igniting hope in people.
this story… it felt liberating, and makes me feel like I can breathe again.
It was really sweet, comforting, genuine and entertaining. I don't usually read comics or anything which has visual artwork, but this one was....wow, really, really cool. I liked how the author touches upon the various issues and it was...uplifting, in a lot of ways I didn’t even expect-
Often, a lot of novels I've heard, seen and and read - especially, contemporary young adult fiction tends to revolve around the plot being centred around just fun romance (a lot of them with repetitive plots and quite shallow except a very handful of them - from the ones I've read), or the flip side: filled with trauma and all the "darkness" that drowns teenagers, or...the middle: maybe a bit of an entertaining plot, but excessive amounts of swearing, all things not-quite-exactly teenager stuff (but I'm sure all of that does occur to some extent in schools around the world). Instead of relying on all that or even cheap plot twists, this is a simple, heart-warming story with life in it.
It has this optimistic and such a hopeful tone, and the fact that characters can bear burdens and not break under them - fills me with this zeal and enthusiasm for just living and hands the power to change your fate by your own hand. It instils faith that there's always a way somehow and also, coming to terms with self-acceptance as well, like really accepting yourself. It touches on real, dark issues, not only the theme of coming out, but a whole lot of other ones (I mean, a huge amount of them) - like bullying, self-hate, body image issues, and the general teenager angst (
But, it was definitely really nice, and maybe a bit unrealistic (and sure, a little idealistic too) and just exploration on the top, but maybe that's all is needed sometimes, for a spark of change, a little push to keep going and igniting hope in people.
this story… it felt liberating, and makes me feel like I can breathe again.
October 10, 2021
Since I have read and reread this series 3 times already in the first half of 2021, it is safe to say that this is one of my favourite stories! I love love stories and Alice Oseman has an amazing cast of characters who are so much fun and so nice to hang out with.
You can find the webcomic on https://tapas.io/series/Heartstopper/... That is where I first read the first 3.5 volumes. I ended up buying them because I love them so much. Really recommend it if you just need a quick, lovely story about two boys who become more than friends.
You can find the webcomic on https://tapas.io/series/Heartstopper/... That is where I first read the first 3.5 volumes. I ended up buying them because I love them so much. Really recommend it if you just need a quick, lovely story about two boys who become more than friends.
July 20, 2021
Very wholesome🥰
April 29, 2022
*5 stars
Best. Graphic. Novel. Ever.
Best. Graphic. Novel. Ever.
October 16, 2023
okay! i had a silly brain moment reading this and accidentally logged the first volume as volume one! so that's already been reviewed in depth (but i'm not going to do the same for the other three haha sorry). as i said there, i've already watched the series so that slightly influenced my opinion.
new review format!
★★★★★ - 4.75 stars
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚The Characters˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
🎧 - Charlie: Is it a good thing that I find Charlie extremely relatable? Very much no. I think his story was done very beautifully. A lot of LGBTQ+ books have really bad cliches when it comes to teenage gay boys, but the way Charlie's was done was really respectful and actually meaningful. You could see how the struggles he went through were genuine and he had real consequences from them. It was genuinely heartbreaking to watch him try and find his way through them.
🐕 - Nick: NICK IS SO PURE. HE'S LITERALLY A HUMAN PUPPY. He's such a compassionate person and the kind of partner we all deserve. His struggles as well were very relatable and well-written. I think Alice Osman is just a magician. He also is so good at sticking up for himself and other people. I envy this man.
🎨 - Elle: I wish Elle had more of her storyline shown! Obviously it's not possible for Osman to give every character a super in-depth story, but what I did see I loved! I really appreciated how it wasn't just her struggles as a trans girl shown, but just her normal life and the positives. A lot of the time we only see the negative bits of a trans person's experience in media and it was really great that she was just treated as... an actual person.
🎞 - Tao: I loved Tao SO MUCH MORE in the books rather than the show. He was kind of an unapologetic douchebag in the show, and he seemed a lot more justified and genuinely remorseful of his actions in the book. Here I'm actually like.. okay he deserves to be with my girl Elle. He definitely didn't have as much of a character in the book in the show, similar to pretty much everyone besides Nick and Charlie (love them though), but it was actually really cool reading this after the show, because I had different elements of his character to give him a little backstory in my head.
🩰 - Tara: I loved how much she was there for Nick and genuinely his biggest support. This was kinda split into two characters in the show (Tara and Imogen), but I really like how Tara served that role in this book because she actually had gone through a pretty similar thing to Nick and could give him real-world advice. She was also a lot bolder in the books than in the show!
🎺 - Darcy: I'm really sad that Darcy didn't get so much time in the books! I really appreciated her arc in the show with her mom, and that was sort of brushed over in the book. There's nothing negative about it though! That's why it's so great that there's an adaptation!
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚The Plot˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
The plot of this book is so freaking pure, yet deals with difficult topics. It was really amazing to see the characters and their relationships grow and develop throughout all the chapters. You can tell all the care and respect that Osman put into writing this book. She made believable and relatable characters who make you laugh and pull at your heartstrings. I'm trying not to spoil this but... chapter 6 will require tissues. Sorry not sorry. At the forefront it's about two young boys who are trying to deal with coming out and how that impacts them... but behind that, it's just a beautiful and very nuanced romance with some KILLER side characters.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚The Tropes˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
🐕 - Golden Retriever Boyfriend: in the best way
📚 - British School: No explanation need. These are the best kind of books.
🌈 - GAY: Not really a trope but still good. I'm impressed if you got this far without knowing.
🧠 - Mental Health: Yeah it does feel pretty... icky to put this in tropes, but it is worth pointing out. If you're reading the web toon, it DOES have trigger warnings at the top of sensitive chapters. I'm not sure about the print books though.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚The Quotes˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
**i didn't write too many down for this 😢 i sorry**
🌃 - "I'm gonna fall asleep too but I just want you to know that you're the best and I'm gonna kiss you a lot tomorrow"
I’d Recommend This Book if…
You liked… Heartstopper (the show)!
You like… Cute teen gay romances. Romances in general. LGBTQ+
You want… To feel all the feels. Something dreadfully relatable.
It’s... Honestly the whole year. I think maybe spring is the most vibey time for this but. It's just good always
new review format!
★★★★★ - 4.75 stars
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚The Characters˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
🎧 - Charlie: Is it a good thing that I find Charlie extremely relatable? Very much no. I think his story was done very beautifully. A lot of LGBTQ+ books have really bad cliches when it comes to teenage gay boys, but the way Charlie's was done was really respectful and actually meaningful. You could see how the struggles he went through were genuine and he had real consequences from them. It was genuinely heartbreaking to watch him try and find his way through them.
🐕 - Nick: NICK IS SO PURE. HE'S LITERALLY A HUMAN PUPPY. He's such a compassionate person and the kind of partner we all deserve. His struggles as well were very relatable and well-written. I think Alice Osman is just a magician. He also is so good at sticking up for himself and other people. I envy this man.
🎨 - Elle: I wish Elle had more of her storyline shown! Obviously it's not possible for Osman to give every character a super in-depth story, but what I did see I loved! I really appreciated how it wasn't just her struggles as a trans girl shown, but just her normal life and the positives. A lot of the time we only see the negative bits of a trans person's experience in media and it was really great that she was just treated as... an actual person.
🎞 - Tao: I loved Tao SO MUCH MORE in the books rather than the show. He was kind of an unapologetic douchebag in the show, and he seemed a lot more justified and genuinely remorseful of his actions in the book. Here I'm actually like.. okay he deserves to be with my girl Elle. He definitely didn't have as much of a character in the book in the show, similar to pretty much everyone besides Nick and Charlie (love them though), but it was actually really cool reading this after the show, because I had different elements of his character to give him a little backstory in my head.
🩰 - Tara: I loved how much she was there for Nick and genuinely his biggest support. This was kinda split into two characters in the show (Tara and Imogen), but I really like how Tara served that role in this book because she actually had gone through a pretty similar thing to Nick and could give him real-world advice. She was also a lot bolder in the books than in the show!
🎺 - Darcy: I'm really sad that Darcy didn't get so much time in the books! I really appreciated her arc in the show with her mom, and that was sort of brushed over in the book. There's nothing negative about it though! That's why it's so great that there's an adaptation!
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚The Plot˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
The plot of this book is so freaking pure, yet deals with difficult topics. It was really amazing to see the characters and their relationships grow and develop throughout all the chapters. You can tell all the care and respect that Osman put into writing this book. She made believable and relatable characters who make you laugh and pull at your heartstrings. I'm trying not to spoil this but... chapter 6 will require tissues. Sorry not sorry. At the forefront it's about two young boys who are trying to deal with coming out and how that impacts them... but behind that, it's just a beautiful and very nuanced romance with some KILLER side characters.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚The Tropes˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
🐕 - Golden Retriever Boyfriend: in the best way
📚 - British School: No explanation need. These are the best kind of books.
🌈 - GAY: Not really a trope but still good. I'm impressed if you got this far without knowing.
🧠 - Mental Health: Yeah it does feel pretty... icky to put this in tropes, but it is worth pointing out. If you're reading the web toon, it DOES have trigger warnings at the top of sensitive chapters. I'm not sure about the print books though.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚The Quotes˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
**i didn't write too many down for this 😢 i sorry**
🌃 - "I'm gonna fall asleep too but I just want you to know that you're the best and I'm gonna kiss you a lot tomorrow"
I’d Recommend This Book if…
You liked… Heartstopper (the show)!
You like… Cute teen gay romances. Romances in general. LGBTQ+
You want… To feel all the feels. Something dreadfully relatable.
It’s... Honestly the whole year. I think maybe spring is the most vibey time for this but. It's just good always
April 25, 2022
reread all four graphic novels since I’m currently in the middle of a heartstopper tv show hangover and am unable to consume any other media that’s not osemanverse related
January 28, 2023
Esta es una novela gráfica que me recomendaron mucho y no había tenido la oportunidad de leer completa (o casi completa). Los dibujos son bonitos y la trama principal está bastante bien, (considero que a adolescentes les iría mejor), pero a mi parecer el volumen 4 cambia el rumbo de la historia.
August 13, 2023
Juvenil y muy bien llevada historia, el volumen 4 trata la salud mental de una manera notable.
June 21, 2022
I just finished vol 4 on webtoon, and I'm crying. This comic was so sweet, and it brought me so much joy. I love the characters in this novel. They're flawed and very sweet. I love the mixture of light-hearted scenes, with ones that are very raw, and very real. The writing and art in these comics is fantastic, and both really help to tell the story. The romance between Charlie and Nick is very sweet, and I love the other romances in this book as well. I recommend this book if you enjoy queer stories or graphic novels.
May 6, 2022
It's unreal how obsessed I am with this.
BRB gonna be making pastel leaves to put on my bedroom wall.
BRB gonna be making pastel leaves to put on my bedroom wall.
December 21, 2022
my babies
August 22, 2023
I did not intend to read all 1400+ pages of this all at once. I did not intend to read it at all. But once I started I couldn't stop because I was so desperate to find the thing everyone else adores about these stories. I did not find it, and I feel as if I lost years of my life.
There just wasn't a plot. At the beginning there was some conflict with the whole "is Nick straight?" decable, but that was resolved rather quickly. Then there was defining the relationship and such, but that was also resolved very fast. After the first two or so chapters it became very repetitive. Charlie and Nick kiss. There is a mild conflict. It's resolved in a few pages with the power of friendship or whatever. Nick and Charlie hug. Then this is followed by a series of cut-and-paste romantic situations that are straight out of a fluffy fan fic. It was so saccharine my teeth were practically hurting. Until it isn't anymore.
The book took a somewhat sudden dark turn in the fifth or sixth chapter (it's all a bit of a blur to me now). I am not against the representation for mental health, and I do believe it can have a place in a story like this. It just seemed kind of strange to me that Charlie's severe mental health issues were told through a journal entry written from Nick's perspective. Those few chapters read more like a mental health brochure, it lacked a narrative. It was all about how important a support system is when recovering, which is all good and fine, but it was off putting to be told that explicitly instead of having it shown. And after the few chapters it kind of just went back to how it was before. Those chapters were important to both Charlie and Nick’s development but the effects were hardly shown. Again, I think Charlie's mental health struggles are important and people who can relate deserve to have their stories told, I simply think the execution of it was odd.
The other major problem I had was the complete lack of personality for all characters. Charlie is an insecure nerd. Nick is a friendly sporty dude. These things are established in the first few chapters and that's all we get to know about them. They are both flawless, and neither undergoes a significant change (Charlie beings therapy, but I don't think that mental health issues count as a personality trait). Their lives completely revolve around each other. If they are not together they are thinking about each other or talking about each other. Their friends, who are supposed to have significant meaning in their individual lives, only make appearances when one of the main two needs to talk about a problem they are having in their romantic life. None of the friends have defined personality traits, they are practically interchangeable. They hardly make any appearances at all.
Which brings me to my final point. A lot of things happen off screen (which is understandable, as I know comics take a lot of time and effort). I just wish that there had been more effort put into expanding the world. I have a hard time caring for all these things when I am simply being told about it and it isn't shown to me. For example, Elle and Tao's relationship. The reader is supposed to care but we hardly see them interact. We don't even know anything about them. We are told they are best friends, we are told they like each other, we are told that they start dating. I cannot bring myself to care about them at all. I really wanted to care about all these people and events, but there wasn't any reason to.
I guess there was nothing really wrong with it. Sometimes a person just wants to read something light with a happy ending. It's my fault for reading over 1000 pages of something I didn't like.
There just wasn't a plot. At the beginning there was some conflict with the whole "is Nick straight?" decable, but that was resolved rather quickly. Then there was defining the relationship and such, but that was also resolved very fast. After the first two or so chapters it became very repetitive. Charlie and Nick kiss. There is a mild conflict. It's resolved in a few pages with the power of friendship or whatever. Nick and Charlie hug. Then this is followed by a series of cut-and-paste romantic situations that are straight out of a fluffy fan fic. It was so saccharine my teeth were practically hurting. Until it isn't anymore.
The book took a somewhat sudden dark turn in the fifth or sixth chapter (it's all a bit of a blur to me now). I am not against the representation for mental health, and I do believe it can have a place in a story like this. It just seemed kind of strange to me that Charlie's severe mental health issues were told through a journal entry written from Nick's perspective. Those few chapters read more like a mental health brochure, it lacked a narrative. It was all about how important a support system is when recovering, which is all good and fine, but it was off putting to be told that explicitly instead of having it shown. And after the few chapters it kind of just went back to how it was before. Those chapters were important to both Charlie and Nick’s development but the effects were hardly shown. Again, I think Charlie's mental health struggles are important and people who can relate deserve to have their stories told, I simply think the execution of it was odd.
The other major problem I had was the complete lack of personality for all characters. Charlie is an insecure nerd. Nick is a friendly sporty dude. These things are established in the first few chapters and that's all we get to know about them. They are both flawless, and neither undergoes a significant change (Charlie beings therapy, but I don't think that mental health issues count as a personality trait). Their lives completely revolve around each other. If they are not together they are thinking about each other or talking about each other. Their friends, who are supposed to have significant meaning in their individual lives, only make appearances when one of the main two needs to talk about a problem they are having in their romantic life. None of the friends have defined personality traits, they are practically interchangeable. They hardly make any appearances at all.
Which brings me to my final point. A lot of things happen off screen (which is understandable, as I know comics take a lot of time and effort). I just wish that there had been more effort put into expanding the world. I have a hard time caring for all these things when I am simply being told about it and it isn't shown to me. For example, Elle and Tao's relationship. The reader is supposed to care but we hardly see them interact. We don't even know anything about them. We are told they are best friends, we are told they like each other, we are told that they start dating. I cannot bring myself to care about them at all. I really wanted to care about all these people and events, but there wasn't any reason to.
I guess there was nothing really wrong with it. Sometimes a person just wants to read something light with a happy ending. It's my fault for reading over 1000 pages of something I didn't like.
April 11, 2022
THIS SERIES IS SO CUTE OMFGGEJGÒUHWÈUHFWPIURGIPWRGBIYWRUFY
December 7, 2023
Vol. 1 - This was charming and delightful. Lighthearted and hopelessly romantic. My only problem is that it felt ... inevitable. These two people are going to be together, end of story, period. Not to say it felt forced, just inevitable. There’s an afterword note from the author, she offers that these characters are supporting characters from another novel (one I haven’t read) and after she’d finished that book, she was drawn to this relationship and decided to tell how these two met and fell in love. And there it is. Hence my feeling of inevitability. This story wasn’t quite organic in evolution and development. Perhaps volume 2 will progress things beyond the events of that earlier novel and we will then be on fresh ground. In any case, I’m looking forward to vol. 2.
Vol. 2 - Another solidly good read. This is a really entertaining series. I love the characters and while the events and situations don’t quite feel “genuine” I don’t think it really matters. Charlie is just too darn mature for his age. And it does still have that feeling of inevitability, but to be honest, I don’t really care. Bring on Heartstopper: Vol. Three! I’m hooked!
Vol. 3 - This series is immediately addictive and charmingly sweet. My one complaint is that it feels unauthentic. These kids don’t feel like any kids I’ve ever known. They seem to be wiser, more worldly and far more mature than any teenagers I’ve known. There are moments which ring absolutely false, but these are outweighed by those that feel very genuine. I do love this series and I’m already eagerly awaiting Heartstopper, Vol. Four.
Vol. 4 - All very fluffy and wonderful. 💜 This volume felt a bit less like I was reading fan-fiction and had some qualities that felt more authentic than earlier volumes. I’ve enjoyed reading this series enormously, but vol. 5 still can’t get here quickly enough.
Vol. 2 - Another solidly good read. This is a really entertaining series. I love the characters and while the events and situations don’t quite feel “genuine” I don’t think it really matters. Charlie is just too darn mature for his age. And it does still have that feeling of inevitability, but to be honest, I don’t really care. Bring on Heartstopper: Vol. Three! I’m hooked!
Vol. 3 - This series is immediately addictive and charmingly sweet. My one complaint is that it feels unauthentic. These kids don’t feel like any kids I’ve ever known. They seem to be wiser, more worldly and far more mature than any teenagers I’ve known. There are moments which ring absolutely false, but these are outweighed by those that feel very genuine. I do love this series and I’m already eagerly awaiting Heartstopper, Vol. Four.
Vol. 4 - All very fluffy and wonderful. 💜 This volume felt a bit less like I was reading fan-fiction and had some qualities that felt more authentic than earlier volumes. I’ve enjoyed reading this series enormously, but vol. 5 still can’t get here quickly enough.
June 6, 2022
damn son binged the whole thing in one morning. v nostalgic 2019 tumblr vibes
June 20, 2025
I feel like I'd like this a lot more if it was written in prose
March 28, 2024
exceptionally mid.
May 2, 2022
As with a lot of people, I gave in after watching the Netflix adaptation and read all chapters in the span of a few hours. And as always with Alice Oseman, I absolutely LOVE their character work, especially with Nick and Charlie; mostly because the comic format allows them to focus on the characters' expression and their gestures. While I usually criticise her other novels for being a tad too dramatic, exactly this is only touched upon with the comics. They don't shy away from depicting Charlie's insecurities, his eating disorder, and how his trauma impacts his life but also don't show him at his lowest point as we see in Solitaire. I think this really helps the comics to keep this overall uplifting and sweet spirit - its cute, it's fluffy, it's a very sweet and hopeful depiction of a mlm highschool relationship with actual communication and effort.
I did miss a deeper exploration of the side characters but then again, I don't think the format would be suited for that, so I'm very happy that the adaptation also focused on Tara, Darcy, Tao and Elle. Even if they replaced Aled (my beloved) with Isaac. (really rooting for a Radio Silence adaptation!!)
I guess now the only thing left to do is wait for more chapter updates. And a potential season 2. And also the re-release of Solitaire (i'm actually really interested in seeing what editorial changes Alice will make to the depiction of Charlie's ED and other things, guess we'll see.)
I did miss a deeper exploration of the side characters but then again, I don't think the format would be suited for that, so I'm very happy that the adaptation also focused on Tara, Darcy, Tao and Elle. Even if they replaced Aled (my beloved) with Isaac. (really rooting for a Radio Silence adaptation!!)
I guess now the only thing left to do is wait for more chapter updates. And a potential season 2. And also the re-release of Solitaire (i'm actually really interested in seeing what editorial changes Alice will make to the depiction of Charlie's ED and other things, guess we'll see.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2022
Five reasons to read Heartstopper:
1) It's all very cute, from the artwork to the idiots in love.
2) It's the kind of story you want to read in a single sitting (which is why I'm reviewing the four books at the same time because I did, in fact, read the whole thing in one go).
3) The characters are incredibly relatable, sometimes annoyingly so. They're all fleshed out, each with their own problems and personalities. None will leave you feeling indifferent.
4) I'm not used to reading graphic novels or webcomics, and I'm not necessarily suited to it. I focus a lot more on the writing than the drawings, but that wasn't a problem here because the dialogue conveys everything.
5) Amazing as the romance aspect is, that isn't all this story is about. For something that took me about three hours to read, it covers a lot of topics. Mental health, eating disorders, coming out, etc. are all dealt with exceptionally well. I especially appreciate how the creator captures the feeling of gay panic and the stress and awkward Googling that comes with figuring out who you are. I also love the accurate description of bisexuality.
Two drawbacks to Heartstopper:
1) There are quite a few moments that made me cringe. That happens often when I read romance, but I felt it more with this series. On the one hand, I hate feeling embarrassed for characters; on the other, the characters are teenagers, so cringing is a realistic reaction.
2) It is not the kind of series I would buy or even borrow. I read it because it's freely and easily available online. That has a lot to do with what I look for in books. I need more action, more tension, more plot than what this series offers. Yes, it's cute and easy to read and I understand how it can feel like self-care to some people, but it doesn't offer much more than that.
1) It's all very cute, from the artwork to the idiots in love.
2) It's the kind of story you want to read in a single sitting (which is why I'm reviewing the four books at the same time because I did, in fact, read the whole thing in one go).
3) The characters are incredibly relatable, sometimes annoyingly so. They're all fleshed out, each with their own problems and personalities. None will leave you feeling indifferent.
4) I'm not used to reading graphic novels or webcomics, and I'm not necessarily suited to it. I focus a lot more on the writing than the drawings, but that wasn't a problem here because the dialogue conveys everything.
5) Amazing as the romance aspect is, that isn't all this story is about. For something that took me about three hours to read, it covers a lot of topics. Mental health, eating disorders, coming out, etc. are all dealt with exceptionally well. I especially appreciate how the creator captures the feeling of gay panic and the stress and awkward Googling that comes with figuring out who you are. I also love the accurate description of bisexuality.
Two drawbacks to Heartstopper:
1) There are quite a few moments that made me cringe. That happens often when I read romance, but I felt it more with this series. On the one hand, I hate feeling embarrassed for characters; on the other, the characters are teenagers, so cringing is a realistic reaction.
2) It is not the kind of series I would buy or even borrow. I read it because it's freely and easily available online. That has a lot to do with what I look for in books. I need more action, more tension, more plot than what this series offers. Yes, it's cute and easy to read and I understand how it can feel like self-care to some people, but it doesn't offer much more than that.
October 14, 2025
HEARTSTOPPER. HEART. STOPPER. HEART. STOP. ER.
✨
A.K.A. My heart stops every time I read this wholesome, heartfelt, tender book that is filled to the brim with love.
I can't express how happy this book and these characters make me. I can read heaps and heaps and heaps of content related to them and still not be (even slightly) bored. And I can't express how soft this book is, how understanding. Especially for a teenager, someone who may be going through similar things and how important some of the things said in this book can be for them.
✨
Beautiful. Heartfelt. Significant.
✨
A.K.A. My heart stops every time I read this wholesome, heartfelt, tender book that is filled to the brim with love.
I can't express how happy this book and these characters make me. I can read heaps and heaps and heaps of content related to them and still not be (even slightly) bored. And I can't express how soft this book is, how understanding. Especially for a teenager, someone who may be going through similar things and how important some of the things said in this book can be for them.
✨
Beautiful. Heartfelt. Significant.
July 6, 2024
Possiamo definirla la lettura a fumetti più dolce che ci sia? Sì, sì e sì.
Le tematiche sono importantissime e vengono presentate con delicatezza, vorrei avere 16 anni per sentirmi dire che ognuno di noi può essere e amare ciò che vuole.
Le tematiche sono importantissime e vengono presentate con delicatezza, vorrei avere 16 anni per sentirmi dire che ognuno di noi può essere e amare ciò che vuole.
May 6, 2023
This is just too CUTE! This warmed, melted, & stopped my heart 💓🫠🥹
I genuinely love how supportive the characters are.
I genuinely love how supportive the characters are.
Read
August 6, 2023idk how i ended up binge reading this but. me and who
September 21, 2023
Love all 4 volumes! Great and comfy read with such good vibes of accepting and supporting ❤️The last volume was a bit more serious than others, it’s about dealing with eating disorders, which I find really important in teens’ comics. Overall, it was such a pleasant read ❤️
October 11, 2023
Nick and Charlie are such cuties, I wish I found this series earlier in life
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