Synopsis:

I used to think that difficult was better than boring, but I know better now…

I’m not going to think about the past few months, about Charlie and me, and all of the sad. I’m going to block it all out. Just for today.

“Happy Christmas, ” I say.

The festive season isn’t always happy for Tori and her brother Charlie. And this year’s going to be harder than most.

Review:

If you’re going into This Winter expecting it to be a cute Nick and Charlie story, it’s not. This book sits within Heartstopper Volume 4, so it deals with Charlie’s mental health issues. This Winter is not an easy read, I’ve found that Alice Oseman’s written works are far more intense than the Heartstopper graphic novels. Which isn’t a bad thing, it shows she is versatile. 

This Winter is packed full of emotion, most of it sad, but not in an overwhelming way. The balance is done just right and I feel like the casual writing style makes it seem more personal, which lends well to the overall mood of the book. You can truly understand what these characters are feeling without getting bogged down by the sadder emotions.

As always I love the visual elements of these novellas. The festive-themed pictures are so lovely and it’s always great to see the characters drawn in more detail. 

If you want more of the Heartstopper cast in your life and are open to a more emotionally sensitive read, I’d definitely recommend This Winter and the other Heartstopper novella; Nick and Charlie. I would make sure you’ve read volume four first, otherwise, this won’t make much sense.

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