I am a gigantic puddle of emotions and it is all the fault of Alice Oseman. Not only was Volume 4 of this series adorable and poignant and thought-provoking (like they always are), but the thought that the series will end at Volume 5 makes me sad...although we have a while until that’s published. (There is a Netflix adaptation with live actors coming and I cannot wait.)
In Volume 4, Charlie is struggling. He really wants to tell Nick he loves him but he’s afraid it’s too soon in their relationship, he’s afraid Nick might not feel the same way, he’s feeling all the things we might have felt when wanting to say that first “I love you.”
Once that hurdle is cleared (so adorably), Charlie’s eating disorder starts to get worse and his anxiety and depression intensify, as does his tendency to self-harm. He doesn’t know what to do about it but he knows it’s becoming more of a problem and he knows Nick is scared, too.
Nick is so worried about Charlie but doesn’t know how to help him. His mother helps him understand all the ways he can help, and that sometimes he can’t.
This is divided into two parts—the first deals with the two saying “I love you” and the return of Charlie’s struggles, the second deals with Charlie’s journey and further developments in their relationship. It’s a more serious installment of this series but they’re just so darned adorable and the supporting characters are amazing. (Plus there's a mini-comic which features the teachers who chaperoned the gang's Paris trip, and that is just adorable, too!)
If you’ve thought about getting into graphic novels I’d definitely encourage you to try this series. It’s definitely more a Heartmelter than a Heartstopper.
No comments:
Post a Comment