Summary from Goodreads:
Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between: this is the fourth volume of HEARTSTOPPER, for fans of The Art of Being Normal, Holly Bourne and Love, Simon.
Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Charlie's beginning to feel ready to say those three little words: I love you.
Nick's been feeling the same, but he's got a lot on his mind - not least coming out to his dad, and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.
As summer turns to autumn and a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick are about to learn a lot about what love means.
Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.
This is the fourth volume of Heartstopper, which has now been optioned for television by See-Saw Films.
Review:
I really love these books. I think this one was my least favorite. However, I still loved it. It was very much the most serious of the books so far. It delved the heaviest into the world of Charlie’s mental illness. While all the sweet things about about Charlie and Nick are still there. And the two of them learning to navigate their relationship is what makes this books so great, some of the parts about mental illness felt a little forced to me.
Some of the way Charlie’s mental illness was written felt a little dated and cliche. I have been around mental illness my whole life. I know there are all different kinds and different treatments. Yet, all the books and movies seem to talk about the same ones. And I feel like some of the decisions made for Charlie were so extreme. Maybe it’s the way the book was setup or how it the timeframe worked, but I found it so jarring. I was upset with his family.
However, the love that radiates from the pages held strong and kept me going. I loved watching Nick come more and more into his own. And I loved that Charlie was finally getting help for things he should have been getting help for all along. Why did no one notice things about him, except for Nick? And why is no one noticing anything about his sister?
All in all, the love story is so sweet. I’m finally ready to start the Netflix series…I think. I cannot wait for the next installment of the books. I think it’s supposed to the be the last one? I’m not totally convinced of the author’s portrayal of the mental illness aspect of things, but I’m glad the characters are getting the help they need. I give this one an 8/10.
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