Oh, I love fairy tales (the more gruesome and horrifying the better), and there's nobody more vivid than old Hans Christian. Forget the pseudo-romantic somewhat afeminist Disneyfication of these stories--in the REAL Little Mermaid, the little mermaid dances gorgeously, but each step feels as if she's walking on knives, is mutilated for the chance to have an immortal soul, and transubstantiates from creature of water to creature of earth to "daughter of the air." It just made me weep--and the illustrations blow your mind.

I was sent an ARC of this book (full disclosure, we share an agent), and utterly love it so far--Rivka writes a story that's a brilliant melange of meteorological science, Oliver Sachs-ish neurobiology, autobiography, and a love story. Look for it when it comes out in May.

I'm rereading this ridiculously amazing book--Gunther Grass rocks my world. This is one of the most grotesque, shining, gorgeous, painful books I've ever read. I'm loving it.