Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - The Passing Playbook

Trigger warnings for The Passing Playbook include: transphobia, bullying, religious propaganda, homophobia and misgendering.
☆
☆
This book has so many important elements to it. It had both open and stealth trans characters, as well as a non-binary character, and gay and bisexual characters.
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It also showed the importanance of acceptance from a community, as well as how shit passive acceptance actually is for a community. The QSA as well as the principal of the school were accepting until it was inconvenient for them, and it would take more work to make a change. Acceptance shouldn't be conditional, or until it makes problems or makes it challenging.
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I loved that it showed more than one perspective to the trans experience. How being open can be a benefit, not just for that person but for all the trans people who might come after them. And I liked that it openly said that non-binary people deserve to be able to use the bathroom, and that gender neutral bathrooms benefit lots of people, not just non-binary people.
~
The scene for Transgender Day of Remembrance was really touching for me. The idea of one person saying their names and it echoing around until everyone was saying it felt really special. And it also felt fitting that it started pouring rain as the names were being read out, and it stopping when they were done.

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sisters26's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

this is so an heartwarming story. 🥺❤️‍🩹

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apology's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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chethaki's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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deadgirlwalking23's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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smasson13's review against another edition

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lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I didn't hate this book. I also didn't love it.

Technically, there was nothing wrong with it. A little cliche and as though it was filling up with as many tropes and plot devices as possible. Yet, it was so boring. The characters and writing lacked so much depth and detail.

I was expecting a YA novel and instead got a middle grade or lower reading level. As a result, the pace was slow, detail non existent, and characters were empty and unrelatable.

This might be a great option for a teen who has a lower reading level, like a high interest/low level book, but that might be it's niche.

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beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

~~Review to come.~~

The Passing Playbook is a tale that warms the cockles of the heart. It's also vitally important that trans folk have positive, uplifting stories like these. Don't get me wrong, those painful, difficult and heartbreaking stories are needed too, but it's important to have happy endings for trans folk as much as anyone else.

Of course, it isn't all sunshine and roses for our main character, Spencer, who has to deal with transphobia, and homophobia, much of it wrapped up in religious bigotry. However, author Isaac Fitzsimons treats these topics with the care and sensitivity they deserve whilst never allowing them to overwhelm the narrative.

I really enjoyed seeing Spencer's relationship with his parents - so often in YA these characters are seen as an afterthought, so it was nice to see them developed properly here. I loved how supportive they were of Spencer's transition, even if they did make mistakes and Spencer felt frustrated with them at times. Their intentions always came from a good place.

I really enjoyed this, and look forward to reading more from Fitzsimons.

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dummehure's review against another edition

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funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This is the gay trans romance we all needed!! Finally a gay romance who's main conflict isn't homophobia. This book depicts the flaws within the LGBTQIA+ community and the struggles trans and non binary people face and how they overlap and differ. The complicated Family dynamic that often occur even if you do have accepting parents are depicted realistically and giving the appropriate amount of weight. I really enjoyed this book!! but also ew straight gays and soccer

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