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A review by mcgbreads
A Language of Limbs by Dylin Hardcastle
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.
ARC review; thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for the access to this book. Pub date: Jun 03 2025.
I'm heartbroken to say this didn't work for me. I hit a couple of paragraphs that read so melodramatic after an already melodramatic scene that I had to pause and think about whether I wanted to continue with the book. The answer is no, it's a DNF at 25%.
I was already struggling with this book after the first few chapters and it took me like 20% to realize that we're following two different perspectives. I thought "limb one" and "limb two" were just different timelines from one perspective because they sound exactly the same, there's no difference in voice or inner thoughts at all.
Overall, I agree with reviewers who mention this is overwritten. It is. Though I won't deny there are beautiful lines here and there, it feels pretentious. I also found it too melodramatic, like I already said, and I felt like it was trying to force emotion out of me. I was also painfully aware that I was reading a book, you know? I was aware that things happened just because the author wrote them that way. I don't even know if that will make sense to anyone else, but I just wasn't engrossed by this story.
I'm heartbroken to say this didn't work for me. I hit a couple of paragraphs that read so melodramatic after an already melodramatic scene that I had to pause and think about whether I wanted to continue with the book. The answer is no, it's a DNF at 25%.
I was already struggling with this book after the first few chapters and it took me like 20% to realize that we're following two different perspectives. I thought "limb one" and "limb two" were just different timelines from one perspective because they sound exactly the same, there's no difference in voice or inner thoughts at all.
Overall, I agree with reviewers who mention this is overwritten. It is. Though I won't deny there are beautiful lines here and there, it feels pretentious. I also found it too melodramatic, like I already said, and I felt like it was trying to force emotion out of me. I was also painfully aware that I was reading a book, you know? I was aware that things happened just because the author wrote them that way. I don't even know if that will make sense to anyone else, but I just wasn't engrossed by this story.