jourdanicus's review

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funny reflective medium-paced

5.0

I just loved this book. Greg's honesty and sense of humor are so down to earth, and helps translate his life experience into something even more relatable. This book has something for everyone, even if you aren't disabled or gay, but especially so if you are.

The core thread of this story, that Greg has cerebral palsy but didn't find out his diagnosis until adulthood, is certainly worth being the primary appeal. At one point, Greg refers to himself as a "diagnostic orphan," which really resonated with me as someone who, in an opposite way, grew up very likely on the autism spectrum but *without* a diagnosis. This book has me reflecting on the concept of labels, and whether the label itself is disabling or the experience of having a disability is what's disabling, no matter what you call it.

Greg doesn't necessarily have all the answers, and that's fine. This is still a compelling and wonderfully narrated memoir about one man, his leg, and the quirky family that raised him.

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mirandaleighhhh's review

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emotional funny lighthearted sad medium-paced

3.0

Given Greg Marshall's life experiences, I totally understand the dark humor that was necessary for his family dynamic. There was a lot in here that made me chuckle, and a few portions that made me tear. 

However, there were things that made me uncomfortable while listening. I could have done without (or with fewer specifics) the discovery of the back massager, and there was more penis talk than I think was necessary for his story to be told. It didn't add but rather took away from what was going on, and I didn't find these portions as humorous. I also think that he could have adjusted the way he talked about his sister's autism to be more conscientious of the time and possible readers.

At the end of the day, it's his story, and wow Greg has experienced more pain than has ever touched my personal life. 

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thelivermorebulb's review against another edition

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emotional funny sad medium-paced

2.5

Read this for a book club, not a big memoir person otherwise so I'm sure that affects my answer. I feel weird leaving a review of someone's life story, but he did make it into a book. 

Overall, I feel meh. The book was funny, and I enjoyed that, but in the end I just didn't like the author all that much. I felt like he set up a lot of potentials in the beginning, promising growth and interesting stories, and that largely got glossed over. 

And of course this isn't his fault, but it was just a downer for me. It was a rough read, hard to stomach at times, and I didn't come away feeling like I had gained much. 

As a side note, I was appalled when he learned from his sister with her psychology degree that aspergers was an outdated and incorrect term and continued to use it, and laughed with a boyfriend about it. Seeing myself in his sister and that young boy so alike her and then seeing how he couldn't stand that they communicated differently was awful. That he felt like they needed fixing. and even when he seemed to change that stance, he really didn't. 

Even at the end hes still so worried about being normal! 

But overall the book was really funny, mostly easy to follow, and had a few great quotes and insights. I loved the bit about how its unfair that gay people become expected to leave their homes and families to move to more accepting areas. 

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imstephtacular's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

3.75


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thebookishmuggle's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny reflective medium-paced

4.0


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abbie_'s review

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funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

3.0

Coincidentally the second book I’ve read this year by a gay man with cerebral palsy, but I didn’t gel with this memoir as much as I did Just By Looking at Him. A few of my issues were the same - Mitchell is cis and white, middle class and sometimes a little unaware / blasé about his privilege. Some of his quips, mostly in the past, missed the mark in terms of internalised ableism re his sister’s neurodivergence (wanting to find out what’s ‘wrong’ with her) as well as a rape ‘quip’ that was just… no. 

Mitchell has a large than life family who have had more than their fair share of medical misfortune. I liked the way they all had each other’s backs, through his mother’s seemingly endless chemo to his father’s surprise diagnosis with ALS. His dad especially seemed like a wonderful person and I’m glad Mitchell had such a great support system in him. 

I feel like a couple of the chapters were unnecessarily stretched out (like his shady boyfriend Kevin - that should have been an online essay at most), while we completely skim over Mitchell meeting his now husband. 

But I did appreciate the perspective of a physically disabled gay man, and overall it was an entertaining read. 

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eslsilver's review

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emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.0


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judereadsalot's review against another edition

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funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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amobrien's review

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced

4.0

Leg is a fantastic memoir on sexuality, disability, and family. For a book filled with heartbreak and loss, there's so much humor and joy and love. I loved reading about Greg Marshall's life, especially when it came to his relationship with his family.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

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