Back in 2022, our bestie Netflix released the cuteness aggression-inducing and inclusive TV series, Heartstopper. For the LGBTQI+ community, it was hurrahed as the romance series many needed in their teens, even dreamt of. And like many great movies and TV shows, Heartstopper is actually based on a book series, or more accurately, a webcomic by Alice Oseman.
Tonight, the swoonworthy event that is Season 2 will grace your Netflix account. So if you already know you’re going to binge Season 2 in a single night and want more, here’s everything you need to know about Heartstopper.
Just a heads-up, you might stumble on a potential spoiler for the books or show, so read on at your own risk.
What is Heartstopper?
Heartstopper is based on a webcomic by Alice Oseman that was published into a graphic novel and now has two seasons on Netflix. That’s why you’ll see all those adorable little hearts float around Charlie’s head when he looks at Nick, or flowers and sparks whenever the two share a kiss. It’s an ode to the original illustrations in Oseman’s work!
The plot follows the budding romance between the sweet, sensitive and openly gay, Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), and rugby player, Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), one of the popular guys at the all-boys school they attend. Why popularity and football are always paired together will forever be a mystery in our minds.
Heartstopper is another one of those awesome self-publishing journeys that have given rise to popular adaptations such as Beth Reekles‘ The Kissing Booth series and E.L. James‘ Fifty Shades of Grey movie franchise.
Oseman originally started uploading the webcomic to her Tumblr and Tapas accounts back in 2016, before she decided to self-publish physical copies of her first two chapters. Two years later, she was offered a publishing deal by Hachette Children’s Group and the rest is history.
As you would expect from a series called Heartstopper, it follows how the two fall in love along with a few blips along the way. Namely, a certain scene when Nick has to Google for an “Am I gay?” quiz on Google. Bless his cotton socks.
Running in tandem with this beautifully queer love story are a couple others. There’s Tao, who’s best friends with Charlie but becomes anxious when he notices his friend group is beginning to drift apart. While another character in their friend group, Elle, has moved to an all-girls school after coming out as transgender while befriending two girls (Tara and Darcy), who have been keeping their relationship in the closet.
So, um, where was this representation when we were all in high school, figuring out our sexualities for the first time? Instead, the closest we ever got was that one semester of sex-ed in science class and an uncomfortable cartoon doco on puberty.
Will there be more seasons of Netflix’s Heartstopper TV series?
You betcha! In fact, Netflix has confirmed that there will three seasons in total centring on the young lovebirds, with Season 2 set to drop tonight on Thursday, 3 August.
The second season will see the lovers head to Paris (as per Volume Three) and deal with all sorts of trials and tribulations, including Nick coming out to his certain homophobic members of his family. This was confirmed by the author in an interview with Digital Spy: “If we do get a future season, we’ll be moving into volume three of the books.”
According to Netflix, we’ll get to explore other significant LGBTQI+ relationships more in-depth through the new season, and get a closer look at Tara and Darcy’s relationship as well as Tao and Elle’s will-they-or-won’t-they love story. Even Isaac (a newly invented character that’s loosely based on Aled from the comics), who had little-to-no-arc in the first season will get to explore his own sexuality this time around.
As for even more seasons? We have hope, folks. That’s right, Oseman reckons that “It would probably [take] four seasons to cover the full story.” So yes, depending on how the screenwriters pace out the next couple of seasons, we might be treated to a little extra Heartstopper before the series wraps for good.
How to read the Heartstopper books in order
Thankfully, the graphic novels have been conveniently named Heartstopper Volume One, Two, Three and Four respectively. This makes it super easy for anyone who wants to read the series in order, unlike Julia Quinn‘s Bridgerton series.
In Volume One, Charlie and Nick meet for the first time and become friends. Then in Volume Two, Nick begins to develop feelings for Charlie and starts questioning his sexuality.
In the third volume, Nick has clearly worked out his feelings and the pair are now a couple. However, the two begin to navigate their first problems within the relationship and must work it out during a school trip to Paris. C’est la vie.
Next during Volume Four, Nick prepares to come out to his father, while Charlie grapples with an eating disorder.
And if you thought there were no more books to come — you’ll be happily mistaken. The fifth and final volume of Nick and Charlie’s love story will be released on December 7, 2023. Here’s hoping our little bebes keep it together in the last book.
Where can I read the Heartstopper graphic novel series?
Oh boy, oh boy. Can’t get another of Narlie? Or Chick? (Who gets to decide official ship names, anyway?)
Then, you’ll simply need to pick up all of the graphic novels. Yes, all of them.
Below is where you can grab a physical copy to read Heartstopper:
- Amazon Australia: Volume One ($14) | Volume Two ($14) | Volume Three ($14) | Volume Four ($14) | Volume Five ($21.75) | Boxset ($65)
- Booktopia: Volume One ($19.80) | Volume Two ($19.80) | Volume Three ($19.80) | Volume Four ($19.80) | Volume Five ($21.75) | Boxset ($97.75)
- Dymocks: Volume One ($22.99) | Volume Two ($22.99) | Volume Three ($22.99) | Volume Four ($22.99) | Volume Five ($24.99) | Boxset ($65)
- QBD: Volume One ($16.99) | Volume Two ($16.99) | Volume Three ($16.99) | Volume Four ($16.99) | Volume Five ($19.99) | Boxset ($45)
To tide you over until Volume Five hits shelves, Oseman has blessed us with a lil bonus novella dubbed Nick and Charlie. In this heartfelt story, Charlie and Nick wonder how their relationship will survive after Nick leaves for university.
You can shop it from either of the retailers below:
There’s even a prose novel on Charlie’s endearingly monotone sister, Tori Spring. It’s called Solitaire and it’s about “the time she had friends” (cue teary-eyed emoji). In this book, Charlie and Nick are background characters, allowing Tori to step into her own story.
That’s the best thing about the Heartstopper universe — all of the characters’ stories intertwine.
Grab a copy below:
i’m still here pic.twitter.com/5o2czmY8AT
— best of heartstopper (@hstopperarchive) May 12, 2022
Don’t miss Heartstopper Season 2 tonight on Thursday, August 3, exclusive to Netflix.
The article has been updated since its original publication.
The post Your Ultimate Guide To The Heartstopper Books If You Know Yr Gonna Binge S2 In One Night appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
