The second volume of Alice Oseman's gorgeous, life-affirming, squee-inducing graphic novel, Heartstopper picks up where the last one left off. Charlie and Nick's friendship has been growing closer and closer, and Charlie definitely has a huge crush on Nick, despite the fact that Nick is straight. Or is he?
Nick can't get Charlie out of his mind. He just wants to be with him, and he's happiest when they're together. Why can't he stop thinking about him?
Charlie's friends are afraid that he's making a mistake falling for a straight guy. Even if Nick is nice to him now, his friends are homophobic bullies, and at some point they figure Nick will turn on Charlie. They don't want to see that happen. Charlie thinks Nick is different. At least he hopes he is.
Nick needs to figure out what he wants, and what that means about his identity and his sexuality. Is he gay? Bisexual? Straight? Does he need to make a decision? The one thing he knows is that he wants Charlie.
I remember having crushes like this, but when I grew up (in the dark ages) there weren't options to date or even admit you had feelings for someone of the same sex. But I can only imagine that jumble of emotions Charlie and Nick feel. I also remember the internal pressure of trying to define your sexuality, while at the same time trying to convince yourself that your sexuality is only one component of who you are, and it doesn't change everything.
Heartstopper Volume 2 is just so beautiful, warm, and full of emotions. I can't recommend these graphic novels enough, and you can bet I'll pre-order Volume 3 as soon as I can! (It's due out in early February.) Thanks, Alice Oseman, for creating an amazing and utterly necessary story that I can't stop thinking about!!
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