Bad Habit

‘I urge you to read Bad Habit' PEDRO ALMODÓVAR

'Had me hooked from the first page … Savour every word' DUA LIPA

‘The book that everyone is reading’ NEW YORK TIMES

'Sublime' ÉDOUARD LOUIS

A SERVICE95 BOOK CLUB PICK

Beautifully written and told in an irresistible voice, Bad Habit is a powerfully moving coming-of-age novel following a young trans woman in 1980s Madrid.

An unnamed young trans woman grows up in a working-class suburb that has no place for her. She discovers community and kinship in downtown Madrid, amid a dazzling party scene animated by charming junkies, glamorous pop divas, and fallen angels. With each step she takes forward in the city, she finds herself confronted by an antagonism she does not yet know how to counter. In this thrilling and yet often frightening place each decision can have the highest of stakes and yet she knows that only she can forge a path forward to the life she truly wants to live.

Beautiful and deeply moving, Bad Habit by Alana S Portero is translated by Mara Faye Lethem, and deftly illuminates the search for identity and the power of chosen family. Bad Habit is an unforgettable story of self-realisation that speaks to the outsider in all of us.

'A work of deep humility’ GUARDIAN

‘An engulfing novel’ AVNI DOSHI

‘Believe the hype!' OKECHUKWU NZELU

‘A revelation … made me weep more than once’ SABA SAMS

‘Infused with camp humour, pathos and the spirit of resilience’ AMELIA ABRAHAMS

'Affecting and evocative' OBSERVER

'Painful yet unquestionably hopeful' NICOLA DINAN

‘Portero’s elegant storytelling catches a celestial light’ ELOGHOSA OSUNDE

‘Leaves you stunned’ TRAVIS ALABANZA

‘Obliges the reader to hold back (or unleash) their feelings chapter after chapter’ VOGUE SPAIN

‘The most talked-about debut of the year’ TIME OUT SPAIN

About the author

Alana S. Portero is a medieval historian, writer, playwright, LGBTQ+ activist and co-founder of the theatre company STRIGA. Her writings on feminism and LGBTQ+ activism from the perspective of a trans woman have been featured in a number of international publications, including Agente Provocador, El Salto, S Moda and Vogue. Bad Habit is her debut novel and spent over 17 weeks on the bestseller list on publication in Spain. She lives in Madrid.