Achingly beautiful. I was *that person* weeping on an airplane, highlighting every line. "Because a love that never could be, is now the love that never was." Oh, Dylin, what a masterpiece you’ve created.


My thanks to Dylin Hardcastle, Dutton & Penguin Group for the ARC.

this book is truthfully the easiest 5 star read i have ever read. this book feels like life, love, hopes, dreams.... so much more. Im in awe of authors talent and love Dylin Hardcastle really did some amazing things with this book. You are allowed to push boundaries and exist in a way that is truly authentic to yourself regardless of what others may say. In my opinion Dylin did just that in this book.

"Because a love that never could be, is now the love that never was."

This was the easiest rating and completion of a book I have had in a few months. I don’t think I could possibly do it justice by trying to write out the excellence of this book. The writing was so poetically written, the way every word touches you in the soul and truly breaks you, just to piece you back together. This story is of two different women’s perspectives, the choices they make and the way those choices change the course of their lives. Though their stories are different to the core- the pain and trauma they share is so eerily similar in many ways.

i rarely know how to properly start writing reviews, but most especially now as i start writing this one. maybe it's a good way to start with feelings, so i'm going to begin with what i was feeling throughout my reading of this novel: first i was in awe, then i was in shambles. and then, both.

let's start with the first feeling: i knew from the get-go this was an ambitious novel (in a good way!)
the characters' names weren't explicitly revealed until we get to the very end, and their initial experiences were quite similar, but the way they dealt with their experiences immediately distinguished them from each other. their namelessness didn't matter at all, because you wouldn't be able to mistake one character for another.

also awed by the narration style here: it interweaves elements of poetry into its prose, in a way that enriches the scenes rather than cloud over them like other purple prose styles usually do. i also loved how in dream sequences, the punctuations were employed to draw to what was happening: using em-dashes rather than periods to punctuate each detail in a scene, spilling into run-on (punctuation-less!!) sentences, and then breaking the entire thing off with a swift and sudden em-dash to bring us back to the waking world. and when we go back to the waking world, the character does something so unbelievably contrary to what they'd felt in the dream sequence and it's so !!! jarring

this novel didn't only focus on the two characters--all the other side characters felt so incredibly real to me. i'm not talking only about geoff and caragh (although these two are quite possibly my faves out of all the side characters) i'm also talking about han, who so very clearly expressed her (righteous!) irritation against another character's micro-aggression against her (the classic "but where are you FROM" question). han has asian features because her parents are from vietnam, but she's literally born and raised in marrickville in sydney, aus. han also pointed out that thomas (another character whose parents are immigrants) has an accent, but the insensitive character didn't ask him where he was from, cos he's white lol

speaking of other side characters whose personalities were brought to the fore so well, i'd be remiss if i didn't mention the wonderful found family in the Uranian House: big dave, marg, geoff, daphne, ruby, johnny, caragh, etc. <spoiler>they felt so vibrant and alive and real that losing half of them felt all the more painful</spoiler>

now that i've mentioned that part, let's dive deep into what brought me into shambles (while still being in awe)--i already knew from the get-go that part of this story was set in the 80s during the AIDS pandemic + the height of when people don't feel shame about their queerphobia, but reading about the characters' lives taken away both by the disease and by people's cruelty induced so much secondhand rage and grief in me.

i quite literally said <i>all cops are bad</i> out loud while reading this. outside of fiction, it was true then, and even truer nowadays. i loved that the author weaved this truth into the overall narrative, too.

i'd also like to touch on the bit about how we are given this incredible moment of meeting caragh for the very first time: it's a well-drawn out moment that spans pages (in my ebook-reader at least) and then later <spoiler>this moment is recalled in such a vivid manner, when we are grieving caragh's death. it's a beautiful, gut-wrenching parallel. </spoiler>

so many moments towards the end made me want to scream in earnest also. that's how it solidified its place in my 'favorites' shelf.

thank you so much to NetGalley and Picador Australia for e-access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Such a great book, I may not be the intended audience for the book but it was still a solid read.. I do appreciate the carefulness the author took in portraying love and difficult decision making. I do like the fact it is a period book, but not sure if limb 1 and limb 2 were needed or justified. Other than that it is well written, I do believe there is promise for the book, but again.... I may not be the type of reader this author writes for.

A Language of Limbs is a story of love found and love lost. Family found and family lost. Self found and self lost. We cycle between two queer women, one unable to stuff that part of herself away, the other threatening to burst from the suppression. It is as full of pure, unadulterated joy as it is gut-wrenching heartache. Hardcastle's writing is breathtaking in its imagery and visualization of love, hurt and everything in between. Beyond grateful that I get to live in a time where stories like this get to be written and shared.

This novel absolutely wrecked me. The peak into a world that I did not live in was hard to swallow and I’m so thankful it was. The prose was beautiful. I found myself laughing to their joy and crying along with their losses.

How can my heart and mind be so full and sad at the same time. I felt the love, I felt the heart break, and I feel the grief. The two women living such parallel lives but traveling from different directions just completely works. One world of acceptance and having to face the ugliness of the world and the other just pushing away who she truly is, or a part of her self. Phenomenal all around.

This is truly a remarkable novel. The prose is lyrical and captivating, pulling you into every page with its carefully crafted tension and atmosphere. I was completely drawn in by the way it builds suspense throughout, never letting you fully rest as you follow the characters' journeys. It’s a masterclass in storytelling, and the emotional depth of the characters is conveyed with such sensitivity.

What really struck me was how the narrative captures the queer experience in such a personal, intimate way. The focus remains on the characters themselves, their lives, and their choices. It’s a raw and moving portrayal that feels incredibly authentic, letting the characters' stories unfold in their own time, through their own lenses.

The exploration of identity, family, and the nuances of human connection is profound. I found myself reflecting deeply on how life’s pivotal moments and choices shape who we become, and how we build our own sense of belonging. The portrayal of queerness is delicate yet powerful, showing both the pain and the beauty of self-discovery and acceptance.

Overall, this novel was an unforgettable experience—an emotional journey that will stay with me for a long time. Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the e-ARC.

This is such a special novel. It’s lyrical, tender, heartbreaking, yet hopeful. I loved the unique format, with two different storylines branching from a pivotal choice at the start. The journey with the characters felt deeply personal. This novel really makes you reflect on the choices we make in life, the people we encounter, and the family we build.

Following two queer women in Australia, beginning in 1972, "A Language of Limbs" is a beautifully written novel. It is both hopeful and heartbreaking. The story alternates chapters, following the two women as they live very separate paths. Limb One lives as a lesbian, finding a family that loves and accepts her when her blood family doesn't. Limb Two shoves down her lesbian-ness and lives life as "normally" as possible. We follow these two women as they live at the same time through the same events: protests, the AIDS pandemic, and Australia's first Mardi Gras. "A Language of Limbs" is a story of love, loss, heartbreak, grief, and living joyfully and out loud.
This novel was incredible. Dylin Hardcastle is a master with words. My heart broke as Limb One and Limb Two experienced loss and pain. I celebrated with them as they found joy in their lives. The two paths are both very real realities that people have lived. After finishing the story, I had to sit and process all the emotions that came up. Without a doubt, as both a human being and a queer person, this novel will stick with me for the rest of my life.

A heart wrenching love story to queerness, self discovery, art and language; to loss, grief, and the great injustices of the world; to found family and moving on, sometimes in ways that brings us back where we started. This was beautifully written, the emotions conveyed and felt so fully. The parallel of the main characters' lives, starkly different yet similar in waves of joy and grief, was so well illustrated. This story transports you across time and oceans.

"Four decades from now, a disease will sweep across the world, and they will call it a global pandemic, and governments will act and mobilize, and borders will. Lose. The world will be locked down and people will speak of this strange and unprecedented time. Again and again, they will say, this strange and unprecedented time. And for those of us who are still alive, we will say, this is not my first pandemic."

"Some moments are felt so big that language cannot stretch wide enough to include it all."

"A Language of Limbs" by Dylin Hardcastle is a unique novel that spans multiple decades, starting in the 1970s and continuing through the height of the AIDS epidemic. The story features two protagonists whose lives run parallel until they eventually collide. The narrative alternates between the points of view of two individuals. It begins with the perspective of a person who embraces their queer identity, faces rejection from their family, finds support in a chosen family, and discovers solace through art. The other perspective is from someone who embraces a "comp-het" (compulsory heterosexuality) lifestyle, is supported by their family, and pursues art.

The novel illustrates the importance and beauty of our choices, identity, and our ability to grow and change. It also emphasizes the value of connection. While there are some tear-jerking moments, it is ultimately a beautiful story. Readers should take note of the author's content warnings.

I highly recommend this novel. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing the ARC.

SIMPLY MARVELLOUS. not because i would root for the romance or for them to stick together; quite the contrary, in fact, i imagine them drifting apart after a while. but because of the experience reading this was for me - lyrical, flowy prose that talked about life and love and friendship in beautiful ways that had me invested throughout. lovely.

this one started out strong as hell for me - I was so completely enthralled and certain it'd be in my top 10 of the year. as it progressed, I found that I liked it a little less than I expected (maybe top 15-20), but overall found this to be a really powerful & beautiful experience of a book!

I really loved the alternating between protagonists and the myriad ways their journeys overlapped over time, the exploration of how queerness can look and feel, how our choices can shape our paths so significantly. I loved the exploration of tenderness in chosen family, I loved the heaviness and beauty and poetry, I loved watching both of the limbs grow, falling into their own respective loves and figuring out who they were and who they wanted to be. the writing was gorgeous, the chapters were short and often biting, which I liked.

I think my only grievances with this book were that the themes felt a bit heavy-handed at times. also a lot a lot a lot of death/loss like holy moly. that said, it was a really great exploration of what it meant to be queer stretching back to the 70s and I recognize that such a story is destined to be heavy with a lot of that.

I think queer readers especially will eat this one up. it made me sad but also proud and empowered in my queerness, it made me want to hug all those that came before me, all those that were lost, saved, and all those yet to come.

thank you netgalley and penguin group press for the ARC!

A Language of Limbs starts in Newcastle in 1972, when two teenage girls each make a choice about love. The story spans three decades, and tracks these two lives through life, love, grief, heartbreak, happiness, and everything in between. Hardcastle carefully weaves pivotal moments in history into these characters' stories, and explores how they impact their lives in different ways.

This is really a gem of a book. The prose is lyrical and beautiful without being overdone or flowery. There are lines throughout that feel like a punch straight to the heart. The way that the language flowed from one of our main characters to the other was incredibly impactful and moving. The cast of characters is so full of life, and each brings a new perspective of the queer experience to the story. This story says so much about love and friendship, and I think there is something in here that every reader will be able to connect with in some way.

Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the Arc of this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-arc in exchange for a honest review.

This is so far above anything I’ve ever experienced in a book. Now I’m wondering if I’ll ever find another book that makes me feel this way.

For anyone who is queer or has ever found solace in a chosen family, this book will tear you apart in the best way possible. It dives deep into the beauty and pain of those connections, tugging at every emotional thread until you’re left raw but grateful.

I will be recommending this book endlessly.

“Our bodies are a photomontage of unlikely images, assembled so artfully we create a brilliant new picture, stuck together with glue and staples. We are united.
Neither their pointed eyes nor pointed fingers can tear this picture apart, because we are bolstered by our rage and our love. Because when you humiliate and make small, the rest of us become bigger to fill the space, holding the family portrait intact.”

oh my god...this was absolutely everything. just some of the most beautiful writing and storytelling. just the easiest 5 stars i've ever given.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

First of... wow.
When I first started A Language of Limbs, I got two chapters in, set it down, and seriously considered DNF'ing it right there. There was a harsh choice that Limb Two had made basically out of the gate, which seriously put me off.

And then I picked it up again. And after that, I found it very, very hard to set down.

A Language of Limbs is hard to pin down. It is poetry, it is stories, it is grief and love. I do not know how to describe it simply, for it is not a simple story: the format has been seen before, but I have never read a book quite like it.

Dylin Hardcastle has written something truly beautiful. The way every piece interacts with one another has created a story enmeshed with itself, parallels upon parallels. Limb One and Limb Two's lives are written in such a way where they are often undergoing the same beat in the story, affected by the same things -- and yet, just apart enough to give them both a compelling story. Repeating upon itself, but not repetitive.

The only true qualm I had, finishing, is that I'm not a hundred percent sure if I can picture the final pairing together. The characters felt simultaneously too similar and too unalike one another at once, and I personally cannot imagine what their life may be like after the book. I think, if the author had given us more to work with of them together, that opinion may have changed -- but they hadn't, and I do not condemn them for that. Narratively, I do think it was the correct choice... just that it didn't work out perfectly.

Saying that, A Language of Two Limbs felt like a fresh breath of air; something crisp and rich, that has filled me with a new light. I've really, really enjoyed reading it.

Thank you Penguin Group + NetGalley for the ARC - holy holy gods this is arguably one of the most beautifully written bits of prose I have EVER read. The storytelling, the bifurcated story lines presented as opposing limbs, the intertwining of prose and poetry — I TRULY could not get enough of this story. I have truly never read anything so concise yet so expansive all at once. Everyone and i mean EVERYONE needs to pick this novel up, it’s somehow both devastating and healing.