Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons

12 reviews

ana_the_frog's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Transphobia

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Medical content, and Outing

beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Transphobia

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Outing

More detail to come.

horns_and_ember's review

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Transphobia

Minor: Bullying, Deadnaming, Hate crime, Medical content, and Outing

thewordsdevourer's review

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Minor: Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

matheo's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Outing, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Racism, Vomit, Death, Addiction, and Drug abuse

emfass's review

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Transphobia, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Medical content

Main character was threatened at his last school, I forget if the exact violence threatened was described, but it was so serious that the school went into lockdown and his parents pulled him from the school as a result.

spaghettireads's review

emotional funny hopeful fast-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? No

4.0

I really enjoyed it, and you should read their review for much more eloquent thoughts.

I am such a fan of sports books, and my brain really soaked up the story. I really loved all the characters, and I was fully rooting for all the parts of the plot, which is impressive in a relatively short book.

If you are looking for a queer YA sports book this summer, I would highly suggest this one!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Moderate: Medical content

bookcrushin's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Gosh I loved this book. Finished in one day and I haven’t done that in a long time. So important especially with all the anti-trans bills in schools and sports. Just let people play sports!! 

I also loved that we had supportive parents and even though that can also be a detrimental to teens at times too. Super important narrative and I will hold this book in my heart for sure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Child death, Medical content, and Grief

reference to being deadnamed and misgendered in the past, not on page.

readalongwithnat's review

emotional fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I just really, really loved this book and I really, really want more from these characters, but I will settle for more from this author in general. Fantastic debut.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Transphobia

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Medical content

solly's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

RTC

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry

Moderate: Transphobia, Outing, and Homophobia

Minor: Medical content

Spoiler

The outing takes place towards the end and isn't done by or to the MC, but to the LI. It's more blackmailing someone into coming out than straight up outing but same result.