So you binged ‘Heartstopper’ season 3? Time to read all the books in order! Here’s how.
Alice Oseman, author and executive producer of Heartstopper, published her first novel, Solitaire, at 19! This extremely emotional book follows Victoria Spring, Charlie Spring’s older sister, on her journey of self-discovery. Though Heartstopper Vol. 1 takes place a year before Solitaire starts, Alice wrote them in the opposite order, however Alice Oseman’s writing style, which feels timeless. Nick and Charlie’s story transcends specificities with its universal understanding of young love and teenage emotions.
All Heartstopper books in order, as well as other works with Nick and Charlie moments for all the obsessive readers like me:
Heartstopper Vol. 1
Heartstopper Vol. 1 came out in 2019 after Alice Oseman’s dedicated Tumblr fanbase crowdfunded the limited-run publication of her webcomic. Hachette Children’s Group published the first volume in its entirety with a broader release.
Heartstopper Vol. 1 starts in January of Charlie’s 10th school year and Nick’s 11th. The two boys meet when assigned neighbouring seats in their homeroom class. The graphic novel continues through February and March, ending in April at Harry’s birthday party at the swanky hotel, where Nick and Charlie kiss for the first time.
Heartstopper Vol. 2
Heartstopper Vol. 2 begins almost immediately after Vol. 1 ends and continues to nearly June. It was first released in quick succession after Vol. 1 in 2019.
The story follows best buddies Nick and Charlie while Nick tries to figure out his sexuality. We see Charlie’s 15th birthday party at the bowling alley with Charlie’s friends Tao, Elle, and Aled. Nick attempts to introduce Charlie to his friends, Christian, Sai, and Otis, but Harry ends up crashing their cinema night and calls Charlie a homophobic slur. Then, the graphic novel ends when Nick comes out to his mom, Sarah, as bisexual.
Heartstopper Vol. 3
Heartstopper Vol. 3 was first published in 2020 and continues from where Vol. 2 left off, with Nick telling Charlie that he came out to his mom the next day. The graphic novel runs from the end of May to the end of July of Charlie’s 10th year and Nick’s 11th year. Much of Netflix’s Heartstopper season 2 is similar to Heartstopper Vol. 3 with the upcoming Paris trip, Nick’s older brother being a dickhead, Charlie’s anxiety/eating disorder relapse impending, Tara’s 16th birthday party in the Paris hotel room and the iconic hickey dilemma.
Heartstopper Vol. 4 [begins]
Originally published in 2021, Heartstopper Vol. 4 follows the events of Vol. 3 in quick succession, starting in August. We follow Nick to Menorca on his family holiday, where his older brother David is once again a prick. There’s a break in the timeline of the graphic novel where it abruptly picks back up at the end of December with Nick’s flashbacks of that Fall/Winter when Charlie was away being treated for his mental health.
This Winter
This Winter is a Heartstopper universe novella set in December during the events of Heartstopper Vol. 4 and the beginning of Solitaire. The story is told through siblings Charlie and Tori Spring’s perspective about their relationship. Due to Charlie being distracted by his relationship with Nick, as well as his subsequent anxiety disorder and eating disorder relapse, Tori and Charlie’s sibling bond fell apart.
Solitaire
Alice Oseman’s debut novel Solitaire was published first but takes place later in the Heartstopper timeline due to its relevance to Charlie’s mental health journey. Although it was first published in 2014, a revised edition was published in 2020. It aligned more with the themes and dramaturgy of Heartstopper, with revised phrasing of particularly harmful subjects.
Solitaire begins in January of Tori Spring’s 12th year, Charlie’s 11th year and Nick’s 12th year. We follow Charlie Springs’s black cat sister as she flails through social environments by making and breaking relationships, platonic and romantic. Solitaire’s throughline is the existence of a gang, Tori forms a reluctant friendship with Michael Holden, a 13th-year student, as they investigate this pranking organization together. Solitaire’s runs to the end of February.
Heartstopper Vol. 4 [ends]
Heartstopper Vol. 4 continues past the end of Solitaire, running from August to March of the following year. During Nick’s flashbacks from the winter months, we see New Year’s Eve kisses between our favourite couples. Then we pick up at the beginning of March when the whole Spring family is invited to the Nelson (Nick’s) family house for dinner.
This dinner is extremely tumultuous and vaguely reminds me of that one Thanksgiving dinner scene from Gossip Girl season 3 when each character takes turns dramatically getting up and walking away to that Jason Derulo song… Mhmm watcha saaa…mmm what Do yUo SAYY!! Lol sorry, it’s very dramatic.
The Ethics of Infatuation Dynamics
The Ethics of Infatuation Dynamics is a mini-comic published on Webtoon and Tapas in 2021. The comic is written by Lauren James and illustrated by Alice Oseman. This fluffy comic follows the sticky story of Nick being jealous of Charlie’s celebrity crush. It’s just a spot of fun in the Heartstopper emotional rollercoaster.
Heartstopper Vol. 5
The most recent addition to the timeline is Heartstopper Vol. 5, which came out in 2023 just as the Heartstopper fandom grew exponentially due to the highly praised and adorable adaptation on Netflix. Heartstopper Vol. 5 begins in April when Charlie is celebrating his 16th birthday.
This latest installment deals a lot with sex and the concept of virginity while still following Charlie on his mental recovery journey. Heartstopper Vol. 5 ends at the beginning of May.
Nick and Charlie
Nick and Charlie, published in 2020, is another novella that follows the confusing period when Nick is about to go to University while Charlie is still in Sixth Form (High School). At this point, Nick and Charlie have been boyfriends for two years, and they’re seen as the perfect couple, but not everything is perfect all the time. This novella takes place from June to July.
Have a tip we should know? tips@themarysue.com
