Nick and Charlie: A Heartstopper Novella
By: Alice Oseman
Genre: YA, Romance
Number of Pages: 176
Published: January 3, 2023 (July 16, 2015)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Dates Read: January 24, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: mention of eating disorder recovery

Nick is leaving for university soon, and Charlie, a year younger, will be left behind to finish his last year of school. Everyone keeps asking them if they’re going to stay together, and Nick and Charlie both think that’s a silly question… at first. As the time for departure gets closer and closer, the boys start to question whether or not their love is strong enough for the distance – because of this, communication is mixed up and things begin to spiral. Can the boys’ love survive?

What a cute and adorable novella in the Nick and Charlie universe! I absolutely loved the graphic novels, so I knew I would enjoy this novella too. I haven’t read any of Alice Oseman’s novels yet, so this was kind of a sneak peak for me to see her writing style outside of graphic novels – and I really enjoyed it. Oseman was able to convey descriptions of what was happening, in the various first person POVs of Nick and Charlie, well and I know that can be a bit of a challenge when writing it versus drawing it.

I’m glad Oseman still brought up Charlie’s eating troubles and what that looks like years down the line. As it was kind of mentioned, it’s not something that just “gets fixed”, and it’s something Charlie is constantly working on and something that Nick is aware of (like the eating of snacks). 

This was a nice and cute, quick and short read. Totally started the book at 9 in the evening and had it finished before bed. I highly recommend this to lovers of the Heartstopper series as you’ll get the same lovey-dovey feels you got from the graphic novels!