Book Review: HEARTSTOPPER by Alice Oseman

Hey pals, 

We are finally here. I’ve seen a lot about Heartstopper on the Twitter, because I follow a lot of queer people in the book blogger/booktube community and also the author Alice Oseman (duh) of the web series. I felt like I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into whilst also not actually knowing a thing about it! (Besides it being a spin-off to a novel and that it was gay, you know, the important things!)

 Check out my style challenge video where I style my clothes like characters from the books

I finally got to reading it because I was DETERMINED to have read it before I went to the book signing in Piccadilly… and I was surprised. The art style really reminded me of manga and even some of the dramatic ‘omg am i gay do i love this boy’ moments felt SUPER rom-com manga. I love the blend of the art style I normally associate with japanese culture, and VERY BRITISH plot points and language. Never did I think I would see boys playing rugby and saying the word ‘lad’ whilst also looking like the cast of OHSHC. 

Check out my reading Vlog here.

Heartstopper is actually very different from what I thought. I imagined it was more of a whole story (I thought they would be together by the end of part 1) but I’m actually pretty excited about it being more episodic. I haven’t read anything like that in years, and it felt really packed with beautiful art and TENSION… ooooo gay tension.

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Without trying to spoil the book, there is a page near the end of volume 1: we see Nick, head-to-toe, at a party, and boy does he look like a bisexual icon. The characters have been trying to convince me this boy ‘looks straight’, please. Rolled up short sleeves, cuffed jeans and VANS? This boy has stolen my look and I am CONFIRMED bisexual. You couldn’t convince me this boy was straight by his fashion choices alone, thank you very much. Good thing it was near the end!

Need more book recs? Check out this video!

It took me two weeks to get around to reading volume 2. And that isn’t a bad thing. Actually, it was like when I would buy manga books and couldn’t afford many of them. If i knew I had one book left before I’d have to buy more, I’d drag out the time it took to read it because I didn’t want it to be over. At least if I had it, I knew I had the answers to my questions. Reading Heartstopper is super nostalgic for me because I read it similarly to how I read manga. I read one book in one sitting (4 hours tops) and always had an emotional roller-coaster, wrapped up in bed in the dark. It’s so hard to explain the tension without ruining it! But the art compliments the plot so well that you just get a big old punch to the gut when bad things happen and your chest hurts when something adorable happens. I’ve lost my capacity to talk about this because it just makes you feel things so strongly, and it’s only an experience I’ve ever had whilst reading manga/graphic novels. 

You can also come along with me to the Brighton Stop of the book tour for volume 3

I’ve also found I have a favourite boy, which I think it pretty common for the readers of Heartstopper, but I just didn’t think I would? But, I do indeed. My heart cries for our giant buffoon, Nick in volume 2. He’s truly just so loveable.

Alice said in the talk before the signing that these books obviously have it’s twists and turns, there’s angst but not too much that the tone is heavy. And she really works it so well that the overall feeling is light and fluffy, even when our boys are sad. It’s the perfect series for those who love the friends-to-lovers with a bit of ‘they’re almost happy’, because you won’t be depressed for long and if you really can’t wait for the next book, you can always read the webcomic! (I’m going to do my best to hold back!!)

~ Artie

https://www.aliceoseman.com/

check out my reading vlog here!