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katewhite77's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
A Modern Retake On The Fairytale Set In The 1990's.
Our main protagonist Paul/Paulie can slip between genders at will.
Paul/Paulie is one of life's drifters, who works in various bars, both whilst studying and on a brake from university. This book is quite spicy, so if graphic sex scenes aren't your thing, then maybe swerve this one.
This is more of a character driven novel than a plot driven one. That being said, that plot which is, is important in bringing the book together. However, for the most part, it can be read as a series of set pieces to give yourself over to.
A fresh take on the fairytale literary esthetic.
Our main protagonist Paul/Paulie can slip between genders at will.
Paul/Paulie is one of life's drifters, who works in various bars, both whilst studying and on a brake from university. This book is quite spicy, so if graphic sex scenes aren't your thing, then maybe swerve this one.
This is more of a character driven novel than a plot driven one. That being said, that plot which is, is important in bringing the book together. However, for the most part, it can be read as a series of set pieces to give yourself over to.
A fresh take on the fairytale literary esthetic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Grief
silascaptor's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
ailbheclaire's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I’ve never read anything like it. The use of magical realism to play with gender and sexuality is genius. Fun, perverse, honest and brave.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexual content
loganmedrano's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, and Gun violence
Minor: Homophobia
librarymouse's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What an odd book. Paul is a strange, yet often lovely character. His hedonism was off putting at first, and I initially had a hard time reconciling my enjoyment of the writing with my dislike of Paul, but the further the novel progressed, the more sympathetic of a character Paul became. Paul's experience of gender and the way Lawlor represents that on the page is something unique and special. It shows the ways in which we try and fail and try again to externally represent our interior experiences of selfhood, but made magical in its visibility. Similarly, Paul's struggles to maintain expression of exclusively male or female features at different points throughout the novel, in order to fulfil the desires of someone else felt so real and exemplary of the struggle between external expression and internal experience when trying to find an aesthetic that feels comfortable as someone who doesn't feel that either gender fits quite right. I think I liked the consistent use of "he" as Paul's pronouns despite his spending a large portion of the novel as a girl. I think it's an interesting comment, again, on the way selfhood is experienced, but also for the idea that gender expression doesn't necessarily equate to gender identity/experience. However, I can understand the critiques of the use of "he" exclusively as falling into the pitfalls of gender essentialism. It's a very narrow line.
Paul being made a more sympathetic character for me, comes to fruition as he finally flashes back to when and why he chose to leave New York for the Midwest after the boy he loved and left; and to whom he always assumed he'd return to at some point, dies of HIV/AIDS before Paul works up the courage to call him back. The slips of memories of the friends and lovers there one day and gone the next, blurry around the edges with grief and the rapidity of their deaths offer an alternative lens through which to view Paul's escape and the risks he's willing to take, thinking he's found a safe place where illness can't take those he cares for. While it's never quite clear whether or not he can get HIV/AIDS, the risks he takes after his love's death take on a nihilistic tone, ready and willing to put himself in danger for the thrill of it. Behind the hedonism, there's such raw and tender humanity.
At the start I almost DNF'd this book. After some post-reading contemplation, this is a 5 star read,
At the start I almost DNF'd this book. After some post-reading contemplation, this is a 5 star read,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Biphobia, Body horror, Drug use, Lesbophobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Dysphoria
kmartro's review against another edition
challenging
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Incredibly hard read for me, it is full of consistent specific music and book references that I, as someone who did not live through the 90's queer scene, did not get at all. I found myself skimming often when it got particularly dense.
I liked reading Paul but didn't like him. I thought the author might do something developmental with him realizing he's too agreeable but he ends the same way he starts.
Even though Paul is a shape-shifter and he moves through queer communities as both sexes, his inner monologue is still that of a gay man, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for the cis-lesbian experience specifically.
The smut was sharp and to the point, it doesn't stay long. Overall glad I read it, but I don't think I'll be rereading it.
I liked reading Paul but didn't like him. I thought the author might do something developmental with him realizing he's too agreeable but he ends the same way he starts.
Even though Paul is a shape-shifter and he moves through queer communities as both sexes, his inner monologue is still that of a gay man, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for the cis-lesbian experience specifically.
The smut was sharp and to the point, it doesn't stay long. Overall glad I read it, but I don't think I'll be rereading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism and Dysphoria
Minor: Death, Vomit, Stalking, Outing, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
americattt's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“What was sex but newness? And sensation and conquest and intrigue and desire and fantasy, and specific people sometimes, sure, but not always.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol
Moderate: Death and Homophobia
seventhswan's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I can easily get behind a book where not a lot happens plotwise - some of my favourite books are this way. This is certainly a book more focused on the internal lives of its characters than dramatic events, but unfortunately I didn’t really warm to Paul, and got bored over the course of the story as he didn’t seem to develop or change (besides the obvious physical changes) at all.
That said, the various settings in the book really came to life and shone. I enjoyed reading the descriptions of the various places and the queer communities there, as well as the minor characters that popped in and out of Paul’s life.
I’ve accepted by now that magical realism just isn’t for me and I tried not to let my personal preference affect my review when I knew there would be magical elements going in. But… what did Paul’s shapeshifting really add to the story that couldn’t have been achieved by just making him a genderfluid or non-binary character?
Overall I didn’t dislike this book, it was a well-paced read stacked with queer culture and I don’t regret reading it - I just thought I would enjoy it more than I ended up doing.
That said, the various settings in the book really came to life and shone. I enjoyed reading the descriptions of the various places and the queer communities there, as well as the minor characters that popped in and out of Paul’s life.
I’ve accepted by now that magical realism just isn’t for me and I tried not to let my personal preference affect my review when I knew there would be magical elements going in. But… what did Paul’s shapeshifting really add to the story that couldn’t have been achieved by just making him a genderfluid or non-binary character?
Overall I didn’t dislike this book, it was a well-paced read stacked with queer culture and I don’t regret reading it - I just thought I would enjoy it more than I ended up doing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Death and Racism
sarah984's review
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was an interesting portrait of a tumultuous time, but the pov character (and most of the other characters honestly) was almost unbearable to read about, and the ending felt like it kind of petered out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Vomit, and Grief
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
kers_tin's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Very cool magical realism take on gender fluidity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Terminal illness