REVIEW || HEARTSTOPPER VOLUME 1

Title: Heartstopper (volume #1)
Author: Alice Oseman
Genre: contemporary, young adult
Summary:
Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Truham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn't been too great, but at least he's not being bullied anymore, and he's sort of got a boyfriend, even if he's kind of mean and only wants to meet up in secret.
Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He's heard a little about Charlie - the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months - but he's never had the opportunity to talk to him. That is, until the start of January, in which Nick and Charlie are placed in the same form group and made to sit together.
They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn't think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and sometimes good things are waiting just around the corner...

Plot:
After a rough break-up with his kind-of boyfriend Ben, Charlie seems to have a rough time at school. Though he's not being bullied as much anymore for being gay, it's still not easy and Ben keeps bothering him over and over. Then comes in Nick Nelson, rugby player and assumed straight guy. Over some time, the two boys become friends.
Heartstopper is a story about struggling with your identity and sexuality, featuring a bisexual character who never realised they were bisexual and allows for its characters to develop and grow even in such a "short" limit of pages. It may sound like a simple premise, but it's effective.

Characters:
Our main character is Charlie, a fast runner and a bit of an outcast. He was bullied when it became clear to the school that he was gay and still seems to struggle a little. We learn a lot about Charlie through his interactions with other people but also in what he tells us about what happened between him and Ben.

Because Charlie is a very fast runner, we are soon introduced to rugby player Nicholas (Nick) Nelson. They are seated next to each other in class and, after Nick sees Charlie running, he manages to get Charlie into rugby. Nick is a sweet character, something we see in how he interacts with people but also in how he's drawn at times. Despite his stature and the sport he plays, he's allowed to have several softer moments.

There are a few side characters in the story, the amount probably held back because of the graphic novel format of the story. The most important probably being Ben, Charlie's somewhat ex, about whom we learn a lot just from what Charlie tells us and how Charlie reacts to him.

Art:
The art of this book to me resembles the way the story is being told. Again, it may seem simple but it's effective and allows for a lot of showing rather than telling. We see Charlie and Nick get closer, we see how they behave and react and it allows for the art to speak and add to the characters.

Things I like: 

1. The characters are allowed to breathe and grow and just be who they are.
2. The art fits the narrative and characters so very well
3. It made me giggle, it made me sad, it just made me feel

Things I didn't like:

1. Ben. I kind of get what Alice wants to do with Ben, but I wasn't the biggest fan of how he behaved and treated Nick. I know it can be realistic and people can be like that, I just. . . didn't particularly like it.

Who I'd recommend it to:
If you're looking for a soft, LGBT-focused graphic novel, then this will definitely be something for you.

Rating: