Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It by Greg Marshall

3 reviews

jourdanicus's review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Cancer, Medical content, and Sexual content

Moderate: Homophobia and Ableism

Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, Body shaming, and Gaslighting

wogslandwriter's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

The audiobook is narrated by the author and Marshall does a great job. The book is poignant and self aware without losing genuine feeling. The book tells the story of Marshall's childhood and early adulthood, ending with his marriage in his 30's. The book follows the relative timeline of his life while also focusing each chapter on specific people or events that impacted his life. It is an organizational strategy that phenomenally highlights the emotional impact of people and events on Marshall's life. Marshall does not shy away from talking about his privileged background but it also isn't the focus of the story. It is a beautifully written book about family, disability and queerness, but the overall thesis that people are what make up an individual is never lost in the weeds.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Eating disorder, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Fatphobia, and Body shaming

Minor: Alcohol and Animal cruelty

imstephtacular's review against another edition

dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Death of parent, Cancer, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Cursing, Bullying, Homophobia, Addiction, Drug use, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Alcohol

Minor: Fatphobia, Blood, Classism, Excrement, Pregnancy, Racism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Lesbophobia, and Violence