Hai Cuties!

Caution: Drama Ahead!

Another amazing instalment in the Heartstopper series *heart eyes emoji*

Blurb: 

In this volume, we’ll see the Heartstopper gang go on a school trip to Paris! Not only are Nick and Charlie navigating a new city, but also telling more people about their relationship AND learning more about the challenges each other are facing in private…

Meanwhile, Tao and Elle will face their feelings for each other, Tara and Darcy share more about their relationship origin story, and the teachers supervising the trip seem… rather close…?

I know that most of my reviews are generally spoiler-free but I’ve been in a rut recently with writing vague reviews to avoid spoilers, so I’ve made this one with spoilers. If you don’t want that, please click out. I have many other reviews on here for you to read if you please xx

If you would like a Heartstopper Review that is spoiler–free you can check out my review for Heartstopper Volumes 1 & 2 that I posted back in September 2019!

REVIEW!

Every volume in the Heartstopper series so far has shown a clear difference in themes. This one has a new theme and a new setting! This time, Nick, Charlie and all of their friends are off on a join school trip to Paris. How exciting!

The main issue that this volume deals with is coming out, being out, who to tell and when people should know. Now I would say, in an ideal world, no one would give a shit who you fancied and just accept the fact that everyone loves who they love. But this world or the Heartstopper universe isn’t an ‘ideal world’.

Much like the real world and the one that Heartstopper is set in (being contemporary and all), there are some people who just can’t accept that others, even their own family, don’t conform to their idea of normal. It sucks ass but Nick and Charlie learn to deal with it.

Nick & Charlie
The lover boys are back in another volume of the Heartstopper comic, except this time, they’re jet setting off on an inter-school trip to Paris.
Okay, I’m a sucker for convenience, especially in contemporary novels. What I mean by this is the fact that the year 10 and 11’s from the boy’s school and girl’s school are going on an overseas trip together! As someone who went to an all-girls school myself, I could never see this happening. It would be far too problematic.

Nick and Charlie start off the novel discussing their relationship, coming out and trying to determine who they should tell and when as to face the least amount of backlash. This really hurt me to read because as I said above, I hate that people have to come out and in turn be scared of people hating them. This sets the entire mood and premise of the story.

After much discussion with Nick and conflict about his choices, Charlie chooses to tell his friends about Nick and his relationship. It starts off easy and he receives amazing feedback but also a warning about telling others. Others who he may trust and respect but also have an unconsciously harmful habit of not being able to keep secrets.

Nick’s brother
I didn’t even realise Nick had a brother until he was introduced and I didn’t expect him to be a huge d.i.c.k since Nick himself is such a sweetheart and his mother seems super accepting of him and Charlie.

I’m glad he only appears in a small section of the comic or I would have a whole lot more to say about him and his douchiness. It makes me angry!

Here’s a cute pic to lighten the mood. It’s a photo of Heartstopper and The Vanishing Deep that I took on the day I bought them. The lighting was amazing x

Tao & Elle
Two of Charlie’s friends who are obviously in love with each other but won’t admit it to either one and it’s so cute to watch! Charlie, Nick and some of their other friends who can so obviously see the attraction between the two, plot to set them up, encouraging the two to have time alone.

I found this really cute and it just screamed High School. I love living vicariously through character’s high school drama because I never had any of that cute ‘shipping my friends’ stuff myself. Not saying I wanted any form of high school drama! It’s just so cute!

I loved how we were able to get glimpses into their time together and have a little side love story to enjoy, especially with the bonus comic that goes along with this volume.

“No mixed dorms!” “Couples can’t share rooms” *gay and lesbian laughter*
This doesn’t need an explanation. I see quotes like this all over the internet and just, it happened in a book, in the most wholesome way possible. I can’t.

The Teachers!
Just. The teachers! The fact that they had their own blooming relationship. It is a cute happy boy x angry soft boy relationship.

If you were like me and my friends in school where we had nothing better to do than ship teachers, it is a thing people do. Often times, we think teachers are just part of the furniture and incapable of emotions. I like the fact that they had their time to shine and were able to find happiness out of a trip meant to entertain and teach the students.

Closing Note
Also, who tf is just able to take a casual class trip to Paris!?

What kind of privileges do kids in the UK get that they’re able to just wander over to Paris for a couple of days with school? I am so jealous! I literally live on the lowest point of a huge ass island at the bottom of the world and to go overseas with the school you have to be 1) taking the language subject of the country you’re travelling to, and 2) put in an application, competing against fourteen other girls in your year level to go.

That’s my little rant over. I’m really happy to live where I live and have the opportunities I do. I also find great enjoyment in reading about the experience of others around the world within their works of fiction.

★ Rating ★

I rated this book a ★★★★★ (4.5/5 stars) because I can’t find it in my heart to take that full star away. I love this series and the issues it deals with but just one just didn’t hit the mark and I’m not sure why. There really is no justifiable reason for it not being a 5 star read, so it’s a 4.5 rating with 5 stars. I honestly cannot get enough of this series.

More Heartstopper!

Alice Oseman has the full Heartstopper comic up on her Tumblr and posts updates on her art Instagram stories, @aliceosemanart if you want to read it online. She also posts a mini-comic series on that same Instagram, a crossover between Detroit Become Human x Heartstopper, an AU that she has been working on for a long time (I believe it has been completed now, check her highlights for the full comic).

I read Heartstopper as they’re released in print so please, no spoilers in the comments.

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See you back here on Monday’s (book reviews), Wednesday’s (storytime/ writing updates) and Saturday’s (other bookish content).