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A review by thewordsdevourer
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
a touching, brave, and hopeful story of a trans youth who eventually finds courage to use his relative privilege to uplift and amplify the voices of others w/ the same struggles.
the passing playbook has a cast of well-rounded characters; in addition to the central love interest, i also particularly enjoyed the relationship between spencer and his teammates, coach, and family (special s/o to the autistic rep in spencer's bro), all of whose support for spencer and his identity are esp heartwarming and affecting. the book's also effortlessly diverse in many ways.
while i also appreciate the themes of support, courage, and being true to oneself, i wish the ending was less rushed and the plotline of spencer fighting for his right to play (which comprises a lot of the book's summary) was at least a lil longer. rn it feels too hastily tacked on near the end. and though this is def spencer's story, justice's issues w/ his family and their religious beliefs feel glossed over. no one made a big deal of him not showing up to a game and quitting school, and spencer didnt reach out to him once, which i found weird. nevertheless, this is a touching and immensely important story, esp for queer and trans youth.
the passing playbook has a cast of well-rounded characters; in addition to the central love interest, i also particularly enjoyed the relationship between spencer and his teammates, coach, and family (special s/o to the autistic rep in spencer's bro), all of whose support for spencer and his identity are esp heartwarming and affecting. the book's also effortlessly diverse in many ways.
while i also appreciate the themes of support, courage, and being true to oneself, i wish the ending was less rushed and the plotline of spencer fighting for his right to play (which comprises a lot of the book's summary) was at least a lil longer. rn it feels too hastily tacked on near the end. and though this is def spencer's story, justice's issues w/ his family and their religious beliefs feel glossed over. no one made a big deal of him not showing up to a game and quitting school, and spencer didnt reach out to him once, which i found weird. nevertheless, this is a touching and immensely important story, esp for queer and trans youth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
Minor: Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content