I think it was around two years ago when I heard about Hearstopper for the first time and it was a year ago that I bought the first book of this series. I think at that time I wasn’t even aware of what the books were really about. I mean, I guessed it was about two boys falling in love and that the books were comic books based on the covers. But that was the only thing I knew. But it did not disappoint me at all. Today I am giving you 4 reasons to read Heartstopper.
WARNING: this blog post contains spoilers.
What is Heartstopper about?
The comic books are about Charlie and Nick. Charlie is gay and everyone knows it at school. He got bullied for it last year and still people make fun of him. Charlie is the cool guy and plays rugby. One day they sit next to each other in class and they become good friends. They start to hang out more and Charlie has a huge crush on Nick. Everyone thinks Nick is straight and that Charlie has absolutely no chance with Nick. One night at a party they are alone and they start talking about love and kissing. They end up kissing each other.
That is just the first book. In the other books, Nick is trying to find out his own sexuality while Charlie is struggling with his own problems. Of course, we also have Elle, Tao, Tara, Darcy and Isaac. At this moment, they are four books but the fifth is coming out next year on 2 February.
Reasons to read Heartstopper
1. It is so cute
I like to read cute books, like very cheesy and romantic stuff. And this series is definitely very cute. Of course, in the first book the cuteness is mostly because they are becoming such good friends and they are hanging out aloud. And it ended with a kiss. But were also the little things that made it cute like playing in the snow and being there for each other. Sometimes I read a book that is supposed to be roman, but sometimes I don’t feel any chemistry. But I can tell you there is a lot of chemistry between Charlie and Nick. If you like to read cute stuff, read these books.
2. Relevant and major themes
I already thought it was good that Sex education existed and I feel the same way about Heartstopper. I think I am straight because I have never had feelings for a woman even though I find a few women very attractive. But I still I wished had books (or movies/series) when I was younger. I think it is also necessary to know that there is more than just being straight or gay. The books also include transgender and bisexuality. It also covers other themes like eating disorders (this is one of the themes in book 3/4). It is also good that they show that not just girls can get an eating disorder but also guys.
3. The characters
I think I like Nick the most because he is so cute. But the other characters in the book are amazing and very likeable too. They all have their own stories too. Even the teachers are likeable and have their own little stories. There are just a few characters like Harry that weren’t nice and cool. Harry is probably the most annoying and stupid character I’ve read about in a while.
4. The style
Okay, I am going, to be honest here. This is the only comic book I’ve ever read so maybe it is hard to compare for me. But I know if I like something when I see it. And I liked it a lot! The style is very simple but very nice. The story itself is very fast-paced which I like very much. I like to read fast-paced books. Also, the little details are cute. And there were a few doodles like those leaves, sparks and little hearts that made it extra special. I don’t how to explain it but they even use those doodles in the Netflix series adoption from these books. So if you have watched the series and read the books, you probably know what I am talking about.
And yes, as I mentioned above, there is also now a Netflix series about these comic books. And I can definitely recommend it. They have done an incredible job with it. The casting and everything are so great! If you read all of the books, you can watch all of the episodes over and over again until next year when book 5 is coming out.