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sashabaker177's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I enjoyed how it tackled subject matter that hadn't been touched on in the previous texts. While I always enjoyed Heartstopper, I have always been slightly bothered by the degree to which its sexlessness is praised. I have found its chasteness fine as a feature of the graphic novel, as it focuses mainly on Nick and Charlie, and we have less idea if the other couples are having sex, but the focus on the wider cast in the TV show makes it feel slightly unrealistic at times that no one is really talking about sex. I appreciate this text for modelling healthy discussion of sex, what 'counts' as sex, and the sweet and non-graphic portrayal of Nick and Charlie's developing sexual relationship. I also appreciated the inclusion of gentle ribbing about who has or hasn't had sex from some of Nick's classmates, as it helped to ground the story in reality without portraying more bullying. Nick's realisation that he wants to go away for university was also handled well, and I enjoyed his developing friendship with Tara and Elle. Quite a few of the plot lines had already featured in the show and I preferred the way they were handled in the book, from Nick's coming out to his father, to Elle's desire to go to art school. Charlie's body image issues were handled well in the early part of the text but did seem to fall by the wayside a bit towards the end. It's great that he overcame them but I would like to see more of *how*. The insertion of the therapist character felt a bit too neat, especially as he wasn't used a great deal. My favourite plot point was probably Tori's coming out as asexual to Charlie, which made me well up a bit. She is always so protective of him, it was nice to see a bit of a role reversal where where he could comfort her. Overall, I enjoyed this, and thought it largely handled its subject matter well, but my enjoyment of it was (perhaps unfairly) coloured by my antipathy towards the second season of the TV show, and some of the purity culture in the fandom.
Content Warnings
Minor: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Confinement
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