A review by asipofcozy
Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman

emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Caught up with my reread of Heartstopper! Cannot wait to read volume 5 🫶🏽

I will always turn to this series when I need to feel good book to re-center myself when I have a really rough day.

Serious Themes/Topics that are talked a lot about throughout this volume:
- Depression and Anxiety
- Mental Health Awareness
- Eating Disorder Awareness
- First love and saying “I love you” for the first time
- Teen love
- Unhealthy home environments
- Coming out to family members
- Homophobic comments and situations
- How mental health effects those around you
- Suicidal thoughts and actions/Self-harm
- How family members can help a loved one without inhibiting them

What I loved most about this volume, is the understanding that family members, friends, partners and teachers are not a substitute for healthcare professionals. They can be supportive, they can be there for you, but they can't cure you nor should they try. When I was diagnosed with anorexia and orthorexia, my family thought they could cure me and in the process made things worse and our relationship worse. Alice Oseman delivers this in such a practical and safe way. Oseman brought in so many important discussions on how family members can help their loved ones without inhibiting them or making it about the family. 

I also loved that she included snippets of the medical definition of anorexia and eating disorders. There are so many individuals out there that believe that those of us that have anorexia are doing it for attention or because we honestly just want to be skinny/we are vain. Trying to explain to friends and family that it's not a choice but the only source of control was difficult and Oseman shows this well. 

This is the first book/graphic novel that I have ever come across that actually depicts and talks about anorexia correctly. Most books make it seem like it's a cognitive choice, not realizing that we start off by not realizing what we are doing and even when we do realize there is a huge fear of not being in control. So a thanks to the author for finally bringing to light the realness of mental health and eating disorders and making sure to show correctly what should be done when a loved one is suffering from either.

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