Bad Habit

Alana S Portero (translated by Mara Faye Lethem)

“I got actual chills when I read the opening scenes of this book. Beginning with her fallen angels – the boys who become junkies on the streets of San Blas – Alana S Portero’s vivid portrait of a young Trans girl growing up in 1980s Madrid had me hooked from the very first page.

“At its heart, Bad Habit is a beautiful story of someone coming to terms with who they are in an environment that doesn’t allow them to truly flourish. It’s about searching for – and finding in unexpected places – the people who help you grow. It’s a study on identity, love and acceptance, at a time of Spain’s own coming of age after decades of Franco’s dictatorship.

“This is an important book, one that reminds us of the often painful and treacherous reality of growing up Trans. At times the story screams an almost unbearable loneliness. But it also soars with the euphoria that comes with finding your true self. You’ll delight in the fiendishly wicked sisterhood of the city’s street queens, outcasts and misfits while singing your heart out to the sounds that spill out of the clubs and into the plazas. This is a book to savour. Enjoy every word” – Dua Lipa

Available on Bookshop.org and Waterstones

Articles

Alana S Portero On “A Decade Of Reality & Desire”: Class, Queerness & The Promise Of La Movida In 1980s Spain

Monthly Read

Alana S Portero On “A Decade Of Reality & Desire”: Class, Queerness & The Promise Of La Movida In 1980s Spain

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