Solitaire is much darker than any of the books in the Heartstopper series. I know Oseman has almost a warning at the beginning, but I still wasn’t expecting it to get quite that dark.

There are a lot of disturbing factors here. Almost every character is struggling with something heavy that they’re unwilling to discuss. They’re all metaphorical icebergs, only sharing the tip and hiding all the important shit. And even though these parents have one son with a severe eating disorder and mental illness – which they were completely blindsided by – they seem equally oblivious to Tori’s struggles. Poor Oliver – I don’t foresee a happy or well-monitored young adulthood. And so many of these teenagers are out wandering at all hours or ending up in hospital or at mysterious house parties, and no one is checking in. Everything just feels off. What Tori is experiencing is enough; all of the added complexities begin to warp the story too much, and it takes away from the seriousness of the central story.