Graphic Novel Review – Heartstopper Vol 4

From Goodreads:

harlie 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

Trigger warnings: Mental health, eating disorder

These graphic novels are just the most heart-warming and beautiful reads, they really just refuel the soul. This one takes on a more serious note focusing on Charlie’s eating disorder and the general mental health of all the characters. It lovingly and beautifully decribes the struggles not only for Charlie but for Nick trying to be his support structure and the strain that puts on his mental health too, how Charlies family react and cope too. It has a loving message of how healing can be a life long pursuit, that relapses happen and that there is a different method of healing for each individual. This makes it really powerful and moving story.

Again like the other novels in this collection we have all kinds of beautiful representation and getting to see the glimpses of all different kinds of relationships and the many forms they take is just great. I also like that the ugly side of society isn’t sugar coated. They still face prejudice, snide comments and problems at home, but we also see examples of how friends and family can build support systems to help people through.

Overall I really enjoyed this instalment and I am really interested in how the TV show will portray these same issues. Hopefully with the same tact and caring lens as the graphic novels.