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A Language of Limbs: A Novel
"The prose is textured, viscous almost, an ooze of sweet honey shot through with golden light . . .
A Language of Limbs
is a novel of (impeccable) vibes and mood, a gay hymnal written from inside the guts of the two protagonists."—Yves Rees,
Australian Book Review
A beautifully inventive, tender novel—the author's first to be published in the U.S.—following two lives as they almost intersect over three heartbreaking yet euphoric decades
A Language of Limbs is a breathtaking spin on a will-they-won’t-they love story; it is a tender epic that explores the weight of a choice, the love of community, and how joy is found in even the darkest corners.
Newcastle, Australia, 1972. On a sticky summer night, a choice must be to give in to queer desire or suppress it? To venture into the unknown or stay the course? In alternating chapters, poetically called Limb One and Limb Two, we trace the two versions of a life that follow.
In Limb One, a teenage girl is caught kissing her neighbor and is kicked from her home; in continuing to run, she chooses a new life for herself. She lands at a queer communal home in Sydney called Uranian House, where she meets the people who will forever become her family. Meanwhile, in Limb Two, a teenage girl pushes down her lustful dreams of her best friend and eventually makes her way to a university in Sydney to study English literature.
During pivotal moments, the physical space between Limb One and Limb Two closes and they almost intersect—like when they each meet the first great loves of their lives in 1977 at a protest, or when, almost a decade later, they are both rushed to the hospital with only a curtain between them. Through the AIDS crisis—and from classrooms to art galleries, beds to bars, and hospitals to homes—we witness these two lives shadow each other until, finally, they collide.
A beautifully inventive, tender novel—the author's first to be published in the U.S.—following two lives as they almost intersect over three heartbreaking yet euphoric decades
A Language of Limbs is a breathtaking spin on a will-they-won’t-they love story; it is a tender epic that explores the weight of a choice, the love of community, and how joy is found in even the darkest corners.
Newcastle, Australia, 1972. On a sticky summer night, a choice must be to give in to queer desire or suppress it? To venture into the unknown or stay the course? In alternating chapters, poetically called Limb One and Limb Two, we trace the two versions of a life that follow.
In Limb One, a teenage girl is caught kissing her neighbor and is kicked from her home; in continuing to run, she chooses a new life for herself. She lands at a queer communal home in Sydney called Uranian House, where she meets the people who will forever become her family. Meanwhile, in Limb Two, a teenage girl pushes down her lustful dreams of her best friend and eventually makes her way to a university in Sydney to study English literature.
During pivotal moments, the physical space between Limb One and Limb Two closes and they almost intersect—like when they each meet the first great loves of their lives in 1977 at a protest, or when, almost a decade later, they are both rushed to the hospital with only a curtain between them. Through the AIDS crisis—and from classrooms to art galleries, beds to bars, and hospitals to homes—we witness these two lives shadow each other until, finally, they collide.
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First published June 25, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,639 reviews
July 13, 2024
This was hands down the best thing I’ve ever read in my entire life. I didn’t know it was possible for someone to write so beautifully and poetically whilst telling the most amazing story at the same time. Every single word broke and remade me and I think I should reread this book yearly for the rest of my life. My life goal is to be able to write, tell stories, and make people feel things just half as much as Dylin Hardcastle does. I definitely have a new favourite author. 1000000/10!
March 29, 2025
it feels sacrilegious to rate this in such a way because i had such high expectations for it. ultimately a suffocatingly overwritten book that stripped it of any real rooting in location and time. knowing and loving the venues this book was written about i felt even sadder for not having loved it… the first time i went to the bearded tit was with one of my lifelong friends who was the first person to ever refer to me as butch, and i wanted so badly to love this book for the love that i have for the places it refers to. the separate stories had no distinguishing voice between them where i didn’t realise until around the 100 page mark that it was two separate characters, instead of a ‘now’ and ‘then’ between the same character. the limb two narrative was emotionally stunted until around the last 50 pages, in which the author tried to rush tragedy in such a way that felt it had no room to breath in the context of the rest of the book. i found no connection between the two stories and found them a disservice to each other’s narratives - each connection that was made between them felt contrived, only there for the purpose of proving that the stories were truly connected. and the ending made me so angry it stripped little dave’s narrative, the only one i found any particular meaning within, of all it’s grandeur for me. this is definitely a novel that some people will love, but unfortunately that does not include me!!
June 22, 2025
C’est un chef d’œuvre je sais même pas quoi dire d’autre c’était magnifique et j’ai encore pleuré mais wow wow wow wow WOW OUAHHH wawwwww oh my god WOWWW mais WHATTT ouahhh c’était magnifique
September 7, 2024
I expected to connect with this a bit more. It felt overwritten, sentimental and at times cringey. I could not tell there were supposed to be two separate characters for a big chunk of it because their stories were told in almost the same voice. The side characters who were supposed to be living in the 70s and 80s kept verbatim repeating really distinct 21st century phrases, cultural norms and ideas and that really distracted and bothered me. The tone was overly serious inner city white queer Australian spoken word night the whole way through with no relief
September 23, 2024
Sometimes I know how I come across the books I read, this time I’m not even sure. Possibly I saw it during Pride month. I do love (that may sound strange) stories about AIDS as I too, had a family member die in St Vincent’s Sydney 1980's, as this story does. And he had ‘the cancer’ just like Thomas’s dad did right here.
This story teaches us so much. I was trying to work out what I’d say about it. Two women, one theme. Love.
Dylin wrote this as part of their PhD. I’m kind of in awe. I don’t know how writers do what they do sometimes, and they’ve done it in this book. This is a dense piece, it is serious, it is deep, contemplative, and harsh. The other moments are love and light and water and warmth.
I’m a cisgender white woman. I don’t have to explain myself or be judged. I don’t have to feel all the feelings we hear from these two women in this smashing story. And smash through it does. It teaches the reader a lot through fiction, but the reader knows there is so much poured into this of the the nonfiction variety.
A Language of Limbs to me, tells the reader what it is like to push against what everybody else does not have to push against.
A woman falling to the ground, by the hands of a man who in his day job wears a uniform, for him to have his life, for her to be no longer. (I should have written the quote down but as I was doing the audio version of this I was quite transfixed).
For a father, husband, friend to be shunned at the pub because he had the virus.
For the young girl having found her first love and her first experience to be punched to the ground by her father.
For the young girl to love her Irish family so much to not tell them the truth about her true self. For her love of her life to not be able to say goodbye because of this.
I did feel the heft at times, I was tired this week and it did weigh on me. Ironically this weight is felt by the queer community so much.
..and as he finds his way inside me I exhale all the parts of me that imagined something else.
I implore curious readers to read this book, and Dylin, you made me think, learn, and understand. What a fabulous outcome.
I listened to this via the BorrowBox app and my public library, the only minor audio observation I had was doing accents is tricky, I enjoy it when they are done well. Here there were only little twangs, and not all of the time. Apart from the accents, it was great.
##This is going to be adapted. Wow Wow!##
This story teaches us so much. I was trying to work out what I’d say about it. Two women, one theme. Love.
Dylin wrote this as part of their PhD. I’m kind of in awe. I don’t know how writers do what they do sometimes, and they’ve done it in this book. This is a dense piece, it is serious, it is deep, contemplative, and harsh. The other moments are love and light and water and warmth.
I’m a cisgender white woman. I don’t have to explain myself or be judged. I don’t have to feel all the feelings we hear from these two women in this smashing story. And smash through it does. It teaches the reader a lot through fiction, but the reader knows there is so much poured into this of the the nonfiction variety.
A Language of Limbs to me, tells the reader what it is like to push against what everybody else does not have to push against.
A woman falling to the ground, by the hands of a man who in his day job wears a uniform, for him to have his life, for her to be no longer. (I should have written the quote down but as I was doing the audio version of this I was quite transfixed).
For a father, husband, friend to be shunned at the pub because he had the virus.
For the young girl having found her first love and her first experience to be punched to the ground by her father.
For the young girl to love her Irish family so much to not tell them the truth about her true self. For her love of her life to not be able to say goodbye because of this.
I did feel the heft at times, I was tired this week and it did weigh on me. Ironically this weight is felt by the queer community so much.
..and as he finds his way inside me I exhale all the parts of me that imagined something else.
I implore curious readers to read this book, and Dylin, you made me think, learn, and understand. What a fabulous outcome.
I listened to this via the BorrowBox app and my public library, the only minor audio observation I had was doing accents is tricky, I enjoy it when they are done well. Here there were only little twangs, and not all of the time. Apart from the accents, it was great.
##This is going to be adapted. Wow Wow!##
August 15, 2025
no words, read this.
June 2, 2025
A coming-of-age story of young queer teens in Australia in the 70s, written in beautifully lyrical, endearing and heartbreaking prose.
The book is littered with poetry, fanciful experimental prose, and tragic plots. It follows two young female protagonists, and the decisions they make as they live through an environment of homophobia and violence, particularly how the gay community was affected by the AIDs crisis. While that sounds like a dark read, and it is, this novel is also so life-affirming and poignant, finding the joys in a world filled with sorrow, especially for the most vulnerable communities, that you can't help but love it. This book reads quick, many of the chapters being structured as poems or feelings more than a devoted deep dive into characterization. Less is more in this novel, and it really works.
This is a book for people who love literature packed with gut punches, flawed and complicated female protagonists, and poetic, self-indulgent narratives. This is a debut book, and reads like it, so I'll rate this a strong 4.5.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The book is littered with poetry, fanciful experimental prose, and tragic plots. It follows two young female protagonists, and the decisions they make as they live through an environment of homophobia and violence, particularly how the gay community was affected by the AIDs crisis. While that sounds like a dark read, and it is, this novel is also so life-affirming and poignant, finding the joys in a world filled with sorrow, especially for the most vulnerable communities, that you can't help but love it. This book reads quick, many of the chapters being structured as poems or feelings more than a devoted deep dive into characterization. Less is more in this novel, and it really works.
This is a book for people who love literature packed with gut punches, flawed and complicated female protagonists, and poetic, self-indulgent narratives. This is a debut book, and reads like it, so I'll rate this a strong 4.5.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
March 17, 2025
Books like A Language of Limbs are the reason I read in the first place. I feel stunned by the beauty within these pages and completely altered after finishing the very last one.
We are presented with two limbs of life; limb one, limb two. In each limb, a young woman must decide whether to act on her feelings for her best friend. From there an entire life is built, and nothing will ever be the same.
I've never read anything like this. The way the author wove small moments from both lives into one another was breathtaking and heartbreaking in equal measure. It really shows how close we always are to a life full of different choices. How a life could have been something else, entirely, if we only made one decision differently.
This will be a queer classic, mark my words.
(thank you to the publisher for an early review copy, in exchange for a review)
We are presented with two limbs of life; limb one, limb two. In each limb, a young woman must decide whether to act on her feelings for her best friend. From there an entire life is built, and nothing will ever be the same.
I've never read anything like this. The way the author wove small moments from both lives into one another was breathtaking and heartbreaking in equal measure. It really shows how close we always are to a life full of different choices. How a life could have been something else, entirely, if we only made one decision differently.
This will be a queer classic, mark my words.
(thank you to the publisher for an early review copy, in exchange for a review)
January 2, 2025
easiest 5 stars of my life.
June 15, 2025
***Longlisted for the 2025 Stella Prize***
“Because, I realise, hate and love sometimes come wrapped up and intertwined. It’s easier this way.”
Wow. And wow again.
I’m finally writing some thoughts about this, even though I finished it several weekends ago in practically one sitting. I wasn't expecting to be as impacted by this as I was. There are so many layers to the story. So much to think about. With the biggest takeaway for me being that family are those you choose.
The story starts in 1972 in Newcastle, which is a large town around two hours drive north of Sydney. Known for its coal mining and working class ethic, to be different then would have meant sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb.
Two girls, both fifteen. One is thrown out of home for being caught in an embrace with another girl. No questions asked. Gone. The other has a boyfriend and goes through all the regular rites of passage, while often daydreaming of her best friend and the crush she has on her.
The story progresses across several decades told in alternate chapters by limb one and limb two. At first I was confused and couldn’t work out if this was the same person, but as you continue reading it flows and makes sense.
The vibrancy of the gay community in Sydney of the late 70s and early 80s is brought to life. While at the same time speaking of the fear and destruction both by AIDs which was then unknown, and the harassment of law enforcement when the first demonstrations took place for equality and recognition. The violence of the average punter on the street was perhaps even more frightening. I had no idea that people were “outed” in lists that led to them losing their jobs, relationships and livelihoods. While the world today is far from perfect, it seems to have come some way, due to the people who paved the way and fought for their beliefs.
The alternate story is of the path taken of doing well at school, going to university, falling in love and having a family. Reaching all these milestones yet always having the lingering doubt that perhaps this wasn’t really your truth.
”...two things can be true at once.”
Through this novel I found out about two Avante Garde Artists, Claude Calhoun and Marcel Moore. It was fascinating how their story was intertwined to those of our two protagonists, and I loved the ending! Subtle yet there if you’re paying attention.
I invite you to hear Dylin speak about this novel as they discuss and put into context what the book means to them, why they wrote and what they were trying to achieve.
https://stella.org.au/book/language-o...
I really wish this had gone through to the shortlist. As usual, I’m perplexed by the choices of judges of literary awards. Regardless, read this! It’ll open your eyes to an Australia most of us probably didn’t know existed.
“This is our game, of subtle gestures, a language of limbs written like words in sand.”
“Because, I realise, hate and love sometimes come wrapped up and intertwined. It’s easier this way.”
Wow. And wow again.
I’m finally writing some thoughts about this, even though I finished it several weekends ago in practically one sitting. I wasn't expecting to be as impacted by this as I was. There are so many layers to the story. So much to think about. With the biggest takeaway for me being that family are those you choose.
The story starts in 1972 in Newcastle, which is a large town around two hours drive north of Sydney. Known for its coal mining and working class ethic, to be different then would have meant sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb.
Two girls, both fifteen. One is thrown out of home for being caught in an embrace with another girl. No questions asked. Gone. The other has a boyfriend and goes through all the regular rites of passage, while often daydreaming of her best friend and the crush she has on her.
The story progresses across several decades told in alternate chapters by limb one and limb two. At first I was confused and couldn’t work out if this was the same person, but as you continue reading it flows and makes sense.
The vibrancy of the gay community in Sydney of the late 70s and early 80s is brought to life. While at the same time speaking of the fear and destruction both by AIDs which was then unknown, and the harassment of law enforcement when the first demonstrations took place for equality and recognition. The violence of the average punter on the street was perhaps even more frightening. I had no idea that people were “outed” in lists that led to them losing their jobs, relationships and livelihoods. While the world today is far from perfect, it seems to have come some way, due to the people who paved the way and fought for their beliefs.
The alternate story is of the path taken of doing well at school, going to university, falling in love and having a family. Reaching all these milestones yet always having the lingering doubt that perhaps this wasn’t really your truth.
”...two things can be true at once.”
Through this novel I found out about two Avante Garde Artists, Claude Calhoun and Marcel Moore. It was fascinating how their story was intertwined to those of our two protagonists, and I loved the ending! Subtle yet there if you’re paying attention.
I invite you to hear Dylin speak about this novel as they discuss and put into context what the book means to them, why they wrote and what they were trying to achieve.
https://stella.org.au/book/language-o...
I really wish this had gone through to the shortlist. As usual, I’m perplexed by the choices of judges of literary awards. Regardless, read this! It’ll open your eyes to an Australia most of us probably didn’t know existed.
“This is our game, of subtle gestures, a language of limbs written like words in sand.”
May 21, 2025
If you read one book during PRIDE month, it should be A Language of Limbs.
A Language of Limbs is a story of love but most importantly it recounts the modern history of queer communities. Beginning in the early 20th century to present times the book covers the rise of the N- - i movement in the 30s, the AIDS crisis in the 80s, the emergence of queer theory in the 90s, to the white supremacy movement today.
Beautiful, breathtaking, and devastating, this captivating story just blew me away. Dylin Hardcastle is a gifted storyteller, and his prose had me entranced from page one until the end. But as you can tell, this isn't an easy story. The story focuses a lot on the worst of humanity, but there are also some lighter parts in the book. The book also includes themes of found family, trauma, and identity.
Books like A Language of Limbs are why I love reading. They give the reader a gift- insight into lives of those who are different from our own and teach us the struggles these people face just to live an ordinary life that so many cis people (myself included) take advantage of. But most importantly, these stories evoke empathy and ignite a fire in the reader to the injustices marginalized communities face.
A Language of Limbs by Dylin Hardcastle will be available on June 3. Many thanks to Dutton Books for the gifted copy!
A Language of Limbs is a story of love but most importantly it recounts the modern history of queer communities. Beginning in the early 20th century to present times the book covers the rise of the N- - i movement in the 30s, the AIDS crisis in the 80s, the emergence of queer theory in the 90s, to the white supremacy movement today.
Beautiful, breathtaking, and devastating, this captivating story just blew me away. Dylin Hardcastle is a gifted storyteller, and his prose had me entranced from page one until the end. But as you can tell, this isn't an easy story. The story focuses a lot on the worst of humanity, but there are also some lighter parts in the book. The book also includes themes of found family, trauma, and identity.
Books like A Language of Limbs are why I love reading. They give the reader a gift- insight into lives of those who are different from our own and teach us the struggles these people face just to live an ordinary life that so many cis people (myself included) take advantage of. But most importantly, these stories evoke empathy and ignite a fire in the reader to the injustices marginalized communities face.
A Language of Limbs by Dylin Hardcastle will be available on June 3. Many thanks to Dutton Books for the gifted copy!
March 16, 2025
a novel about two queer teenage girls who come of age in australia throughout the 70s and 80s. the writing is beautifully poetic and it’s a very touching novel, particularly the chosen family element (and the ending!).
it is worth pointing out that the voices/writing style of the two protagonists are quite indistinguishable from one another, so it took a while for me to realise that we were following 2 different characters, instead of the past/present of one character. i might have to re-read this again knowing that as i think it’ll make for a different reading experience. but it’s still a beautiful, important book and one i think a lot of people will connect with deeply.
it is worth pointing out that the voices/writing style of the two protagonists are quite indistinguishable from one another, so it took a while for me to realise that we were following 2 different characters, instead of the past/present of one character. i might have to re-read this again knowing that as i think it’ll make for a different reading experience. but it’s still a beautiful, important book and one i think a lot of people will connect with deeply.
October 27, 2025
i have no words. reading this felt like a rebirth
October 28, 2024
2.5 If you are looking for nuance you will not find it here. It was injected with so much emotional charge that it became heavy handed and lost the charge that was intended. An attempt to make it interior as well as plot driven meant neither were overly successful, keeping me at a distance. A buzz book that did not have me buzzing.
January 26, 2026
a novel about queer lives and the damage done by almosts.
Read
December 23, 2025«É-me sempre complicado falar sobre livros que amei, mas vou tentar. A Language of Limbs tem tudo aquilo de que gosto numa história: tem personagens cativantes e muito bem desenvolvidas (é impossível confundir as duas Limbs), tem uma prosa belíssima e delicada, e fala sobre temas importantíssimos através de uma narrativa cativante. Deixo só o alerta para algumas descrições mais pesadas de homofobia e violência contra pessoas queer, apesar de fazerem todo o sentido no contexto em que surjem.»
Podem ler mais em: https://ritadanova.blogs.sapo.pt/a-la....
Podem ler mais em: https://ritadanova.blogs.sapo.pt/a-la....
December 31, 2024
Finishing the year with an unexpectedly good novel.
A Language of Limbs is set in Australia, beginning in the 197os. Two narratives, two women, queerness, Mardi Gras, the AIDS crisis, lots of grief.
The writing was sumptuous, lyrical and visceral.
I'm super impressed with this novel. Don't let the cover put you off.
Looking forward to reading whatever Hardcastle writes next, they sure great talent.
A Language of Limbs is set in Australia, beginning in the 197os. Two narratives, two women, queerness, Mardi Gras, the AIDS crisis, lots of grief.
The writing was sumptuous, lyrical and visceral.
I'm super impressed with this novel. Don't let the cover put you off.
Looking forward to reading whatever Hardcastle writes next, they sure great talent.
September 29, 2024
Felt a little too tick box of queer history and tropes than a solid narrative.
tbh, until half way through, thought the two narratives were the same person (a past/present) instead it was 2 separate people.
tbh, until half way through, thought the two narratives were the same person (a past/present) instead it was 2 separate people.
November 22, 2024
“And I get the sense that the word family means something else in this sentence.”
“Because a love that never could be, is now the love that never was.”
I am not sure any of my words can give this incredible book the justice it deserves. It’s raw, it’s emotional, it hurts, it’s real. No blurb or review can truly express the beauty of this book unless you read it for yourself.
This story is told in two perspectives; two women, their choices; to live an openly queer life or to try not to. They live parallel lives that almost cross over, two very different lives, two different paths but often going through the same pain, trauma, loss and heartbreak until one day they come together. So many tears were shed throughout this story. I don’t have the words.
The writing in this book is lyrical, it’s poetic, elegant and expressive, unlike anything I have ever read before. It’s about family, the ones we are born into and the ones we make ourselves. It’s above love and death. It is incredibly powerful and moving as well as painful, devastating, crushing and heartbreaking.
There’s a lot more I could say but I’m unable to put it into words. I think you just have to read it. I highly recommend it and it’s definitely now one of my favourites. I don’t re read books, but I will re read this book.
Thank you Dylin, for writing this poetic masterpiece. Thank you so much to the team @macmillanaus for sending me a copy to read and review.
“Because a love that never could be, is now the love that never was.”
I am not sure any of my words can give this incredible book the justice it deserves. It’s raw, it’s emotional, it hurts, it’s real. No blurb or review can truly express the beauty of this book unless you read it for yourself.
This story is told in two perspectives; two women, their choices; to live an openly queer life or to try not to. They live parallel lives that almost cross over, two very different lives, two different paths but often going through the same pain, trauma, loss and heartbreak until one day they come together. So many tears were shed throughout this story. I don’t have the words.
The writing in this book is lyrical, it’s poetic, elegant and expressive, unlike anything I have ever read before. It’s about family, the ones we are born into and the ones we make ourselves. It’s above love and death. It is incredibly powerful and moving as well as painful, devastating, crushing and heartbreaking.
There’s a lot more I could say but I’m unable to put it into words. I think you just have to read it. I highly recommend it and it’s definitely now one of my favourites. I don’t re read books, but I will re read this book.
Thank you Dylin, for writing this poetic masterpiece. Thank you so much to the team @macmillanaus for sending me a copy to read and review.
January 13, 2025
2.5 - I thought I would really love this book, but the writing style was really not for me. I found the verbosity off-putting and saccharine, and just didn’t really believe people would think or speak like that. I felt very aware that someone had written this novel through these choices, and I think that detracted from what was a really touching story at times. Would be interested to read more from this author, to see how much of the style was specific to this book, as there were some storytelling aspects I really enjoyed.
Want to read
October 18, 2025great day to be gay (i got an ARC)
June 3, 2025
3.5 ☆
A Language of Limbs is a tricky one to review—it’s a novel that I really loved in places, but really struggled with in others. Despite its flaws (or, more accurately, things that didn’t mesh with my personal tastes), the novel is a wonderful depiction of queer love, joy, and resilience with a very thoroughly researched representation of Australia’s queer history. I can easily see Hardcastle becoming a prominent voice in the contemporary queer & lesbian literary scene, and it will be well-deserved.
The novel is told in alternating perspectives—limbs one and two—with each following a (mostly) nameless woman as she grows into her sexuality and experiences the shifting dynamics of queer representation and politics in the last decades of the twentieth century. Hardcastle tackles several topics and ideas through these characters, and is mostly successful in doing so. Limbs one and two each have their own relationship to education as an institution, to religion, to unloving blood relatives and loving chosen families, to compulsive heterosexuality, and to queer culture and history. But where things stumble just a touch is Hardcastle’s integration of Aboriginal representation; comments that were made regarding Australia’s long and dark history of robbing Indigenous peoples of their land and their children stick out like a sore thumb—a necessary topic to cover, but one that reads like a checklist of political talking points rather than a carefully integrated element of the novel.
Hardcastle’s writing is generally very strong—descriptive where it needs to be, emotional without being overwritten, and propulsive. The interplay between limbs one and two allowed the novel to just fly by, and I found the book difficult to put down—just one more cycle through these characters’ lives, please! But Hardcastle wrote this novel as part of their PhD work, and it does show in a sort of Iowa-writer’s-workshop way, iykwim. I don’t know how to say this delicately, but the poetry woven throughout the novel was not good, and said poetry being good was somewhat integral to events in the novel. I also found certain sections of the book to play a little bit into the phenomenon of queer fiction being just so incredibly sad and traumatic. If something heartbreaking can happen to these characters, it does, often very explicitly. And while there are necessary reasons for some of this—the devastation of the AIDS crisis, for example—it just feels like a LOT crammed into 200 pages.
But I am overall very happy to have read this novel, as it put a promising author onto my radar and allowed me to learn so much about Australia’s own queer history and culture. An emotionally difficult novel at times, but one that is perfect for an introspective Sunday afternoon.
Thank you to the publisher for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
A Language of Limbs is a tricky one to review—it’s a novel that I really loved in places, but really struggled with in others. Despite its flaws (or, more accurately, things that didn’t mesh with my personal tastes), the novel is a wonderful depiction of queer love, joy, and resilience with a very thoroughly researched representation of Australia’s queer history. I can easily see Hardcastle becoming a prominent voice in the contemporary queer & lesbian literary scene, and it will be well-deserved.
The novel is told in alternating perspectives—limbs one and two—with each following a (mostly) nameless woman as she grows into her sexuality and experiences the shifting dynamics of queer representation and politics in the last decades of the twentieth century. Hardcastle tackles several topics and ideas through these characters, and is mostly successful in doing so. Limbs one and two each have their own relationship to education as an institution, to religion, to unloving blood relatives and loving chosen families, to compulsive heterosexuality, and to queer culture and history. But where things stumble just a touch is Hardcastle’s integration of Aboriginal representation; comments that were made regarding Australia’s long and dark history of robbing Indigenous peoples of their land and their children stick out like a sore thumb—a necessary topic to cover, but one that reads like a checklist of political talking points rather than a carefully integrated element of the novel.
Hardcastle’s writing is generally very strong—descriptive where it needs to be, emotional without being overwritten, and propulsive. The interplay between limbs one and two allowed the novel to just fly by, and I found the book difficult to put down—just one more cycle through these characters’ lives, please! But Hardcastle wrote this novel as part of their PhD work, and it does show in a sort of Iowa-writer’s-workshop way, iykwim. I don’t know how to say this delicately, but the poetry woven throughout the novel was not good, and said poetry being good was somewhat integral to events in the novel. I also found certain sections of the book to play a little bit into the phenomenon of queer fiction being just so incredibly sad and traumatic. If something heartbreaking can happen to these characters, it does, often very explicitly. And while there are necessary reasons for some of this—the devastation of the AIDS crisis, for example—it just feels like a LOT crammed into 200 pages.
But I am overall very happy to have read this novel, as it put a promising author onto my radar and allowed me to learn so much about Australia’s own queer history and culture. An emotionally difficult novel at times, but one that is perfect for an introspective Sunday afternoon.
Thank you to the publisher for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
July 2, 2024
this book absolutely destroyed me.
April 4, 2025
This is a love letter to queerness in its purest form. Soft, tender, and at times brutal.I kinda wanna die, but I loved it sm it actually physically hurts.
Language of limbs tells a story of two girls on completely separate paths that are somehow intertwined and overlapping regardless. Their journeys with queerness and womanhood both differ, but it ultimately leads them to the same place.
One thing i loved about this was the prose. It is super lyrical, which won't be for everyone, but it most definitely worked for me. If you loved Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth and The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai, you can't skip this. It reminded me a lot of both of them, but with a found family aspect that was rooted in so much love, i couldn't help but be drawn in by it.
My throat ached, and my eyes watered through most of this. I can't lie to you, but it will also go down as one of my fav sapphic books of all time. What a fucking treat.
Language of limbs tells a story of two girls on completely separate paths that are somehow intertwined and overlapping regardless. Their journeys with queerness and womanhood both differ, but it ultimately leads them to the same place.
One thing i loved about this was the prose. It is super lyrical, which won't be for everyone, but it most definitely worked for me. If you loved Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth and The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai, you can't skip this. It reminded me a lot of both of them, but with a found family aspect that was rooted in so much love, i couldn't help but be drawn in by it.
My throat ached, and my eyes watered through most of this. I can't lie to you, but it will also go down as one of my fav sapphic books of all time. What a fucking treat.
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May 17, 2025truly nothing braver than a lesbian defying expectation to be her true masculine self. nothing stronger than butch women defying odds to walk down the street with their femme, and butches who earn their strength through their countless battles, and use that strength to protect the women in their life. nothing better than a queer person who refuses to be told who they are or who they need to become, and care for their queer family with a tenderness and love that is only curated in queer spaces. this book paints the strength of the queer community and how its a constant choice by us to create a love that is like no other. 5 stars + extra star for pretty cover
May 31, 2025
some really powerful moments (particularly about grief and the aids crisis) but i wasnt too impressed with the execution of the split structure. the idea of parallels was cool but every parallel was so material and on the nose
:(( lost opportunities for abstraction, i think!
:(( lost opportunities for abstraction, i think!
March 27, 2025
The sort of unedited earnestness that verges on fanfiction, sorry.
August 22, 2025
fairly gorgeous, aggressively sad, what a beautiful take on parallel lives and the queer experience. I’m just going to have to dwell in these sad vibes for a bit. Fuck aids
April 25, 2025
4.5⭐️ I loved the writing and although incredibly sad, thought the story was beautiful.
July 13, 2025
as if it were a memory. And perhaps it is. A memory of a memory of a yearning.
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