Review: Heartstopper, Vol. 2 | Alice Oseman

This review is spoiler free.

“I like Charlie Spring! In a romantic way, not just a friend way!”

Series: Heartstopper
Published: 2019, by Hodder Children’s Books.
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Genre: Sequential Art, Romance, Graphic Novels, LGBT, Young Adult, Contemporary, Comics, Queer, Fiction
Contains: Strong Language, Anger, Violence, Homophobia

‘Heartstopper, Vol. 2’ is the second instalment of the Heartstopper series, continuing the story of Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring. Love works in surprising ways in this series, and Nick is discovering all kinds of things about his friends, his family, and most of all, himself.

So, I finally got around to the second volume of this series after having read it initially a while ago. I was so enthusiastic about returning to Nick and Charlie’s worlds and needless to say, this volume was a whirlwind from start to finish.

Our perception of Charlie develops beautifully in this volume, highlighting his strength and perseverance in the face of adversity. He knows Nick’s friends aren’t supportive of him, and yet he still tries his hardest to be involved in Nick’s life. It’s truly beautiful to read and I deeply enjoyed reading about his life.
This volume, however, was really Nick’s story, as we learn more about his own life and sexuality and witness him delving more into acceptance of himself. It was wonderful to read, it being incredibly heart-warming to see the man remain true to himself and be brave.

The writing itself is extremely simplistic, it reading more like a fan fiction that a piece of contemporary literature, however, that isn’t a complaint, as it made the story enjoyable and easy to follow. Oseman’s illustrations made this story work, bringing the characters to life and watching them flourish.

Overall, I deeply enjoyed this volume, even more than the first and I’m quickly becoming addicted to the world of Heartstopper, being desperate to read the third.

5/5