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A review by bianchibooks
Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman
4.75
i think this volume redeemed itself from volume three. in the previous installment, i felt like oseman undermined the reality of mental illness and how important seeking help is, but this volume is almost completely focused on charlie's recovery. he sees a doctor, he spends 7 weeks in a psychiatric ward, he begins to journal again, he finds a therapist he connects with and meets with regularly. i think this is all a way better message on finding support when dealing with mental illness.
i also like that we got to see more personally how charlie's mental illness has affected nick. the scene of nick writing in his journal about charlie is one of my favorites in the series. i think it is really important to show that someone's hurt can be transferred to others who are supporting them, and that it is crucial for all parties involved to take care of themselves.
there was a fair bit of character development for tori in this volume as well - between her and her new "friend" michael and her sticking up for charlie and nick to his brother, david. there were also large developments in nick's relationship with his father and why they are not as close as they once were or could be.
but i think my favorite thing is the relationship between nick and his mom, and not only how he feels so comfortable confiding in her but how she is willing to give him real, raw advice instead of sugar-coating it like i believe a lot of parents do to their teenagers, especially when it comes to a topic as dreaded as mental health conversations.
this is my favorite volume so far, barely beating out volume two (hence the weird rating), but i cannot commit myself to fully giving it 5-stars as the time skips make it feel like all of this progress charlie is making and the development of all of the characters is happening way quicker than it actually is in real-life. as miserable as it is and as boring as it would probably be to read, i wish the reality of the slow burn receiving help for your mental health actually is was shown in deeper detail (or at all, for that matter).
i also like that we got to see more personally how charlie's mental illness has affected nick. the scene of nick writing in his journal about charlie is one of my favorites in the series. i think it is really important to show that someone's hurt can be transferred to others who are supporting them, and that it is crucial for all parties involved to take care of themselves.
there was a fair bit of character development for tori in this volume as well - between her and her new "friend" michael and her sticking up for charlie and nick to his brother, david. there were also large developments in nick's relationship with his father and why they are not as close as they once were or could be.
but i think my favorite thing is the relationship between nick and his mom, and not only how he feels so comfortable confiding in her but how she is willing to give him real, raw advice instead of sugar-coating it like i believe a lot of parents do to their teenagers, especially when it comes to a topic as dreaded as mental health conversations.
this is my favorite volume so far, barely beating out volume two (hence the weird rating), but i cannot commit myself to fully giving it 5-stars as the time skips make it feel like all of this progress charlie is making and the development of all of the characters is happening way quicker than it actually is in real-life. as miserable as it is and as boring as it would probably be to read, i wish the reality of the slow burn receiving help for your mental health actually is was shown in deeper detail (or at all, for that matter).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Self harm
Minor: Bullying