Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons

124 reviews

figsofpeach's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry

Moderate: Homophobia and Transphobia

its_vendetta's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Outing, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

ravenk28's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

This is such a beautiful read about a much needed story that follows a trans boy finding his way in a world that doesn’t accept him. 

This book was so sweet in ways that as a trans man moved me to tears. The progression of Spencer as a character was beautiful but also Justice’s growth in an extremely religious family was inspiring.

This book tells the story that so many of use experience. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Deadnaming, Death, and Drug abuse

shorelinepages's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Bullying, Deadnaming, and Drug abuse

megsug's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Outing

smellymiche's review

emotional hopeful relaxing fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry

fanboyriot's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted 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? No

5.0

Read For:

⚽️ Gay Sports

🫥 Hurt/Comfort

🫶 Supportive Family

👨🏽‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏾 Secret Relationship

🤝 Wholesome Friendships

Amazing.  Absolutely such an amazing book, the plot, the characters, the relationship, and all the teammates made it wonderful to read. 

I was fully invested in this story, it was so wholesome and heartwarming.  Spencer’s parents were adorable and doing their best.  The coach too was the absolute best.  The found family and wholesome family vibes this book had was like a warm hug.

Spencer going for what he wanted in life, finding the right people to be on his side and help him along the way.  He had trouble with his old school but his new school had his back, his teammates supporting him, it was all written so well.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5)

Release Date: 31, March 2022

POV: Third Person

Spice: 🌶️ (mentioned lightly)

Rep: Black Transmasc (MC), Autism (MC’s brother), Nonbinary (SC), LGBTQIA Characters

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, and Outing

Moderate: Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Deadnaming and Dysphoria

rockythefreak's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

A wonderful read! I wish I had this book when I was a kid. As an adult, there were a few parts I might have cringed or yucked at (I do NOT want to read about teens exploring sexually, no matter how brief) but I think for teen readers, these moments are important and perfectly done. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Mass/school shootings, and Outing

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Outing, and Dysphoria

Minor: Deadnaming, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, and Injury/Injury detail

A character is outed to his parents when a girl from his church hears him dump his boyfriend. There is homophobia, transphobia, and racism throughout. The most explicit homophobia comes from a religious context, and religious trauma is a clear factor in one of the character's lives. There is a gruesome depiction of anti-abortion sentiment as well as pre-marital sex being bad, during the soccer team's visit to a haunted house. There is minor ableism to MC's autistic little brother. Someone is referenced as having died of a heroin overdose and having a painkiller addiction. There is a school lockdown when a student gets a death threat.

emily_mh's review

emotional hopeful 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? No

4.25

When I picked this book up I was looking for a tropey high school romance with a bit of cheese, and this book delivered on all fronts. The American high school setting satisfied my nostalgic cravings (think cafeterias, sports games, and biking to school). The chemistry between Spencer and Justice was great; I particularly liked how they started off on the wrong foot, but that they were also clearly into each other. My critique here is that I wanted to know more about WHY they were into each other. I also wanted the tension between them to have been better resolved. But overall their romance was sweet and ultimately happy.

I loved Spencer as the MC! I was fully invested in his story. His bravery in coming out and standing up for himself considering the transphobia in his history (and present), was incredible. Like, I was a mess as a teen, how are these kids doing it? Through Spencer’s character, Fitzsimons demonstrates how being both Black and trans impacts playing soccer. I loved seeing Spencer’s development in realising he wanted to come out again, that the cons of being in the closet outweighed the pros for him personally.

Something I haven’t read a lot about in fiction is religious bigotry, which is a major theme of this book. Justice, the LI, comes from a bigoted religious family so we really get to see “behind closed doors” with this. We also gain insight into the complex situation this leaves Justice in, as he must ensure his personal safety as a gay teen dependent on and at the mercy of the very people who seek to oppress him. Another topic Fitzsimons approached that I was gripped by was the lack of solidarity within the queer community when it comes to marginalised identities. This manifests in Spencer’s QSA not caring to fight for trans rights at their school. It was a great example of how queer people can still have privilege and work consciously or unconsciously to oppress other queer people on the basis of that privilege.

By the way, if you, as an autistic reader, are worried about the autism rep in Spencer brother, don’t be. It was characterised with care. Spencer being a glass child might be a little triggering if you are disabled with siblings, but this is a very small part of the book and I believe it was handled with care and without ableism. On a lighter note, don’t let the soccer focus put you off. I was also worried by this but Fitzsimons included this content in a very engaging way!

So this was a solid read. The reason why I docked 0.75 stars was because of my early critique of the romance, and also because the pacing did get away from Fitzsimons in the last third. It was too rushed and it felt like we needed more time fleshing out the resolution of each plot point. But overall this was a heartwarming and hopeful queer story and I look forward to see what Fitzsimons writes next.

Rep: queer trans Black MC, gay LI, Black autistic SC, Black SCs, East Asian SC

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry and Abortion

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, and Transphobia

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Racism, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: menstruation, chronic pain, loss of a loved one (child)

linnea1801's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Mass/school shootings