Book Review: Language of Limbs

A Language of Limbs
by Dylin Hardcastle
Review by Rosa

This book absolutely destroyed me- it is so, so special. Moving seamlessly across time and space, A Language of Limbs sews together two experiences of queerness; one embraced and one repressed, both equally as devastating. Alongside these ‘limbs’ are a chorus of characters who captured my heart as soon as they traced the page. Their pasts loom over them yet they manage to forge their own family and exude joy, vibrancy, and above all, a will to keep on living and to let love win. The integration of elements of queer history including the heartbreak of the AIDS crisis made me hugely grateful for the people who passed before us and fought for the fact that queer love and queer joy are to be celebrated and not chastised.

I genuinely feel so lucky that I crossed paths with Dylin Hardcastle’s work and that I could hold their beautiful words in my hands. They made me cry both happy and sad tears, reminded me of the beauty and brutality of language and living, and reinforced the reason why I love to read so much. I struggle to find the words for this book, I cannot recommend it highly enough.