Heartstopper: Volume 2 by Alice Oseman (review)

This second in a series of three graphic novels picks up where the first volume (Heartstopper, BCCB 6/20) left off: Charlie Spring has finally kissed new best friend and long-time crush Nick Nelson, and now he’s worried he’s destroyed everything. Fortunately, he hasn’t, and delightful vignettes follow the boys’ efforts to date on the downlow, and images of afternoons in the park, study sessions turned make-out sessions, and adorably awkward nights out with respective friends allow readers to revel in their simple, but never trite, happiness. In between, the couple engages in honest conversations about love, dating, and sexuality as Nick grapples with his feelings, his shifting sense of self, and the painful realization that his friend group may include a few homophobic jerks. Simple two-tone drawings continue to keep the focus on faces and phones, prioritizing the interpersonal even as the twosome out themselves to family and friends, and the storytelling moves effortlessly from tearful poignance to laugh-worthy moments to stirring romance. The novel also broadens its queer representation with Nick’s bisexuality, Charlie’s trans friend Elle, and the return of Nick’s lesbian ex Tara, this time with girlfriend in tow. Not likely to work as a standalone novel, it’s instead the perfect bridge story, full of heartfelt sweetness that will have readers ready and waiting for the final volume. Post-narrative extras, meanwhile, like journal entries from the leading men and a mini-comic about the first kiss between Tara and her girlfriend, add to fan appeal.