Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl Audiobook By Andrea Lawlor cover art

Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl

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Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl

By: Andrea Lawlor
Narrated by: Dani Martineck
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"In these irreverent pages, a shapeshifter gets a crash course in gender and sexuality by inhabiting both sides of the binary and arriving precisely somewhere in the middle." —O, The Oprah Magazine

“HOT” (Maggie Nelson) • “TIGHT” (Eileen Myles) • “DEEP” (Michelle Tea)

It's 1993 and Paul Polydoris tends bar at the only gay club in a university town thrumming with politics and partying. He studies queer theory, has a dyke best friend, makes zines, and is a flaneur with a rich dating life. But Paul's also got a secret: he's a shapeshifter. Oscillating wildly from Riot Grrrl to leather cub, Paul transforms his body and his gender at will as he crossed the country–a journey and adventure through the deep queer archives of struggle and pleasure.

Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl is a riotous, razor-sharp bildungsroman whose hero/ine wends his/her way through a world gutted by loss, pulsing with music, and opening into an array of intimacy and connections.

©2019 Andrea Lawlor (P)2019 Random House Audio Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Magic Magical Realism

Critic reviews

"Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl is playful, sexy, smart, and like nothing else I—or you—have ever read before."—Carmen Maria Machado, author of Her Body and Other Parties

“Restless, muscular, and playful…. A tight satisfying masterpiece.”—Eileen Myles, author of Evolution

“Fast-paced and cheeky…a touchingly sweet-hearted and deeply cool book.”—Michelle Tea, author of Black Wave
All stars
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Unexpected and real telling of both a specific kind of queer experience and the universal queer experience. Will be a book I’ll buy in print to read over and to add to the collection of hyper nonspecific depth, and will certainly be listening to again and again. There’s just something here…

Unexpected, hot, deep

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There was plenty to like about the story and performance— I’d describe it as a bisexual’s maladaptive daydream infused with some real life queer experience to ground it. But by grounding it, it brought the whole thing down to depressy town which wasn’t the vibe I was hoping for as a reader. It felt pretty sad and a lot of the allure and magic of the transitioning flatlined for me. That said I think the author accomplished the book they wanted, and it was very well done, it just wasn’t what it was marketed as vibe-wise by the end. The fun, sexy fever-dream fizzled out and the sad reality of queer life took over. The writing and character building was very strong and I cared about them. The audio reader reminded me of the tiktoker who does fashion videos and says “let’s talk about it” I loved listening to them.

Difficult to rate

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This novel follows a shapeshifting gay man who saunters through every type of human sexuality and expression in gender to find where he belongs. It exemplifies the queer experience in a very unique and unusual way, and weaves in maladaptive daydreams throughout real experience as a literary device. Very intriguing read, and a must read for especially queer individuals.

A chaotic queer experience in sexuality and gender identity

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I've only dinged it a little because this book just sort of ends. No spoilers, but I wasn't very satisfied. The sex and heartbreak. Oh my god! I needed this book and it had its way with me.

The Hottest Book Ever Written

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A must read novel for trans and queer folks. Thoroughly enjoyable and just raunchy enough

Great book!!

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While an interesting glimpse into culture, I felt it lacked a significant plot. Narrator great.

I struggled to find the plot

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I really enjoyed listening to this book, such extensive detail and imagery, Great narration for this audiobook.

Simply amazing!

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a book I didn't know I needed to hear. it was such a delight to hear the accuracy and intricacy of queer cruising and falling in and out of love. Paul is a fag you love but also find incredibly annoying. I appreciate the books uncomplicated, not political approach to gender variance and the lives of queer people. a pleasant listen start to finish.

Refreshing with subtle heartbreak.

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I don't think I really understood this book. The main character is detached and cynical, and nothing really happens to them. And the content was too porny for me. Just not my jam.

Hnuh?

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The attempted smut is a bit grotesque at times, the plot is a bit aimless and confusing.

Not for me

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