Bad Habit
A powerful story of self-discovery and chosen family
Alana S Portero author Mara Faye Lethem translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers
Publishing:5th Jun '25
£9.99
This title is due to be published on 5th June, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£16.99(9780008663292)
In Bad Habit, a young trans woman navigates 1980s Madrid, seeking acceptance and identity amidst a vibrant yet challenging landscape.
Beautifully written and told in an irresistible voice, Bad Habit is a powerfully moving coming-of-age novel that follows a young trans woman in 1980s Madrid. Growing up in a working-class suburb that offers her no acceptance, she embarks on a journey to find community and kinship in the vibrant downtown of Madrid. Amidst a dazzling party scene filled with charming junkies, glamorous pop divas, and fallen angels, she confronts the harsh realities of her existence, navigating a world that can be both thrilling and frightening.
As she takes steps forward in the city, each decision becomes a high-stakes gamble. The young woman learns that only she can forge her own path towards the life she dreams of, despite the antagonism she faces. Bad Habit deftly illuminates the search for identity and the significance of chosen family, capturing the essence of self-realization in a world that often feels unwelcoming.
Translated by Mara Faye Lethem, Alana S Portero's Bad Habit is an unforgettable story that resonates with anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. The novel's beautiful prose and emotional depth invite readers to reflect on their own journeys, making it a poignant exploration of resilience and hope.
'Had me hooked from the first page … Savour every word' Dua Lipa
‘I urge you, read Bad Habit to fully grasp the degree of adversity, pain, and danger endured for virtue of growing-up trans’ Pedro Almodóvar
‘A sublime novel … It is one of the most moving novels I have read in recent years’ Édouard Louis, author of Change
'The book that everyone is reading … tells the story of a working-class transgender woman full of rage and beauty, pain and poetry' New York Times
'Affecting and evocative … incredibly heartening' Observer
'A work of deep humility, spilling over with prose rich as double cream’ Guardian
‘Portero’s elegant storytelling catches a celestial light, illuminating the body in ways beyond language’ Eloghosa Osunde, author of Vagabonds!
'Portero’s prose is so commanding … painful yet unquestionably hopeful' Nicola Dinan, author of Bellies
‘An exemplary and fresh example of the trans bildungsroman … Poignant’ Washington Post
‘Leaves you stunned … Devastating yet beautiful … Special and unique' Travis Alabanza, author of None of the Above
‘Elegant and brutal’ Morgan M Page, author of Boys Don’t Cry
‘Affecting and poetic … Keenly observed’ New York Times Book Review
‘Incredibly moving, completely absorbing … Unforgettable’ Okechukwu Nzelu, author of Here Again Now
‘A beautiful novel … about the journey we take to become who we truly are’ Elena Medel, author of The Wonders
‘Vivid, compassionate and compulsive' Rachel Dawson, author of Neon Roses
‘A ballad, a quest, a revelation’ Saba Sams, author of Send Nudes
‘A story of defiance that makes you proud to be queer’ Amelia Abrahams, author of Queer Intentions
‘A singular and raw voice … The most talked-about debut of the year’ Time Out Spain
‘Engulfing … Portero had me captivated with her visceral prose’ Avni Doshi, author of Burnt Sugar
‘Brutal, tender, and vulnerable … A masterpiece’ Marisa Crane, author of I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself
ISBN: 9780008663339
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 13mm
Weight: 270g
208 pages