Heartstopper - A Review

Greetings there! Today we're going to talk a about a series that I surprisingly really liked, Heartstopper. Yes, the one that you probably have heard of before. 

So, Heartstopper is originally a romance/drama comic by Alice Oseman that was adapted into a show by Netflix. We follow these two British boys, Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson, and their friendship that may start becoming something more.

                                                     

Before anything I want to say that in this review I'll focus more on the Netflix adaptation, than on the comics.

To be honest I really didn't expect to enjoy this series as much as I did. I'm not usually into romance, so at first I didn't quite know if I'll like it or not. Buuut, after I finished it I realized that Heartstopper is REALLY GOOD! Both the show and the comics are excellent! I enjoyed both of them individually. They are so wholesome and fun to watch and read and honestly the vibe they gave reminds me of Sex Education. I can't quite explain why, it just does. 

Although I didn't hear a lot of things about the actors before I've watched it, I think the casting for the show is amazing! The creators really knew who to hand the job to give us one of the best adaptations I've ever seen on television until now. I really can't imagine how it would have been like without Kit Connor and Joe Locke in the main roles. 

                                       

In addition, it looks extremely good, the cinematography is great. The warm tones created with the lighting give us a very romantic and light-hearted atmosphere that suits the series really well. I think the little references from the comics in the show, the little leaves and sparkles and stuff are very cute and they add a little pop and compliment the scenes, adding more life and emotion. And the OST is so suitable! It's incredibly good! Adiescar Chase did an excellent job with the soundtrack! Also, the artwork in the comics is very nice. 

                                        

Now, in terms of the story and of the characters, I liked the decision they made in the show to give us more context about the side characters. They expanded the narrative and I think it adds a plus. In the comics we focus more on Charlie and Nick's relationship, which is also fine, but I enjoyed more what they've done in the adaptation. I loved to see more of Elle, Tara and Darcy! In this way we received a lot more authentic LGBTQIA+ representation that we were so in need for. 

Furthermore, I think many queer teenagers can relate to the character's struggles and experiences. Aaand the way the story folds itself is beautiful. I can't quite compare what it with other films, because this is not usually my preferred genre, but with as little as I know the story feels very unique. In the show, but also in the comics, the story is a balance between triggering subjects and light-hearted ones, thus keeping its realism and making us relate more. 

                                        

I have some minor critiques about some things from the plot like (this is kind of a spoiler) how Tao didn't observe that Nick and Charlie were dating. But other than that I really liked it. I think it deserves its hype and I'm very excited for the next season and for the next volume to come out. Also, I am looking forward to read some books from Alice Oseman, because I want to see more things from this author. ;)