Dave Schaafsma's Reviews > Heartstopper: Volume Five

318 pages of adorable in one sitting?! Yup. So the first half of this book is a lot of kissing, mostly that, after the slow buildup of the first four volumes. So I was a little impatient with the pacing. Then in the second half lots of things happen! Among them, we approach the Big Subject of Going All the Way! Nick and Charlie and a sleepover, ok. But as we all know, many teens do have sex, so others in their friend group are dating and kissing and having sex, and trying to figure out what to do, with all the emotions and complications. So it's not just Nick and Charlie; others have to figure out what to do, too, among their friend group. And many are not dating at all, of course.

But this all happens in the midst of maybe even more serious discussions about Nick going away for uni. Does he stay close, so he can be close to Charlie who has to finish his last year? Other friends who are dating also face this issue and will solve it in various ways, as happens.

Another thread: As we know, Charlie has had real challenges with eating disorders and anxiety, but he's applied for Head Boy at his teacher's urging, and he plays a set at drums with his band at a festival, so things are getting better for him in every way.

Alice Oseman is very good at capturing the layers of complexities of teen emotions, and also is sensitive to mental health issues, obviously. So we know Charlie is gay and Nick is bi; in this volume we find others who are bi/asexual and so on. So many ways to be in a relationship!

In the midst of so much hate today, and with the banning of so many books such as this, this is a wonderfully positive series I wish many more people would read. One last volume, gulp!