Heartstopper #1 by Alice Oseman

Genre

Young Adult Graphic Novel

Target Age Group

13+, 9-12 grade

Summary

Heartstopper follows Charlie and Nick as the two become friends and slowly start falling for one another. Charlie is openly-gay and has been bullied for it in the past, while Nick is a sweet rugby player who suddenly finds himself drawn to Charlie. 

Justification for Choosing

I selected this graphic novel due to the popularity it has been receiving on social media, which has only increased since the book was adapted into a show on Netflix. I have also read an Alice Osman novel in the past, and I was interested in seeing if her style of storytelling varies with graphic novels and novels. 

Evaluation

For this review, I will be evaluating the book's plot, characters, and illustrations. 

Plot: 

Heartstopper has a heartwarming plot that is suitable for young adult and adult readers. This story is relevant for young adult readers as the main characters, Charlie and Nick, are in high school and experiencing many firsts when it comes to love and friendship. This story is especially relatable for teens who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community as Charlie and Nick are learning more about their sexual identity throughout the story. The story develops fluidly as the reader is first introduced to Charlie, and then meets other characters as Charlie does. The story is easy to follow, and the illustrations help the reader easily follow the relationship developing between the characters. As the story is a graphic novel, the book is fast-paced and ends with readers wanting more due to this only being the first book in a series of graphic novels. 

Characters: 

The characters in Heartstopper, particularly Charlie and Nick, are complex as they are going through a period of self-discovery in their lives. The characters are believable and relatable for teenagers due to their imperfections and sometimes dramatic personalities. Teens will easily relate to the characters in this book with their experiences of first love and discovering their true identity. While the characters discover a lot about their sexuality through the course of the book, there is a lack of character development due to the length of the book being quite short. 

Illustrations: 

The illustrations in this graphic novel propel the plot forward and add to the cute aesthetic of the story. The illustration style is on the simplistic side as Oseman only uses black and white to give the illustrations a doodle-like style. The style of the illustrations create a relaxed and cozy vibe for readers as the characters are easy to pinpoint and grow attached to. The illustrations allow readers to easily visualize the characters and the world, but its simplistic style gives readers the ability to imagine the visuals of small aspects of the story, such as the color of the characters’ clothing. 

Overall Rating: 4/5

References 

Oseman, A. (2019). Heartstopper. Hodder Children's Books.