Kim's Reviews > Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It

When I heard an interview with the author on NPR earlier this year, my interest was piqued— both for my own reading enjoyment and because I was curious about whether his story would have YA appeal.

I enjoyed the book and Marshall’s quirky tone overall. However, something kept me at arm’s length. Marshall mentioned in his author’s note that a number of the chapters were published previously elsewhere, and I think that was the issue for me: this read more as a collection of essays rather than as a memoir. Some were very engaging, others less so, but each could stand alone.

He has had a crazy life. As he describes his family, “I have one of those families. I once overheard someone at a party describe us as a bunch of unlikeable assholes who happened to have a great dad— and that was coming from a friend. We’ve been through a lot and none of it seems to have made us better people. It’s just made us more us.” Marshall realizes early on that he is gay. He doesn’t realize until adulthood that his physical disabilities (described by his mother as “tight tendons”) are actually manifestations of cerebral palsy. He is very explicit with his readers about his frustrations with his physical condition, and the ways that they affect his sex life. Sex plays a pretty big part in several of the chapters (“Marshall Family Vibrator” chronicles the childhood realization that the Brookstone back massager is good for other things). But it’s not all sex. There are his mom’s recurring battles with cancer, and her determination to push through. There is his dad’s ALS diagnosis. There is the deep undercurrent of love for his family and friends.

A worthwhile read. More general adult, not one that I see as having the YA crossover appeal of other memoirs.