Andrea Lawler’s 'Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl'

The protagonist in Andrea Lawlor’s debut novel, Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl, takes getting in shape to a new level. Paul Polydoris is a university student, gay club bartender and secret shapeshifter. He transitions from body to body as easily as he travels from place to place in search of emotional and sexual intimacy with as many diverse individuals as he can. Between immersive accounts of Paul’s various personas and short lore-like chapters that nudge at gender issues, this story dives deep into the underbelly of attraction and identity. Shape up before Lawlor reads at Porter Square Books on Jan. 18. / Cathryn Haight