ILFU Book Club with Alana S. Portero
Address: De Utrechtse Boekenbar, Westerkade 2, 3511 HA Utrecht
Doors open at 18:30
Starts at 19:00
Admission: € 7.50 (free for ILFU Members)
Language: Dutch, English
About Bad Habit
Alana S. Portero – Bad Habit
“The protagonist of 'Bad Habit' probably resembles you more than the reviews would have you believe. Who doesn’t ask themselves countless questions as they grow up? Who isn’t afraid sometimes? Who doesn’t suffer because of love?”
Bad Habit (2023) tells the story of trans woman Alana, who grew up as a girl-trapped-in-a-boy’s-body in a ‘bad neighbourhood’ of Madrid (run-down houses, lack of infrastructure and widespread heroin addiction) in the 1980s and ‘90s. The girl does her best to understand herself and the world, but is constantly confronted with a world where she doesn’t fit in. It is a raw book, but full of hope and colourful queer characters. Pedro Almodóvar is a fan, which makes sense when you read how vibrant, and occasionally enchanting, it is written. Bad Habit debuted as an instant bestseller, and Alana S. Portero suddenly found herself the vanguard of the Spanish literary scene.
“The book is already a hit in the publishing world – the rights have been sold to 11 countries. But the book is sure to become a classic among queer readers.”
About Alana S. Portero
Photo: Jaime Llamas en Baěrbara Lara
Alana S. Portero (1978) is a Spanish writer, poet and director. She writes about culture, feminism and LGBT activism, with a special focus on trans women. She is considered to be one of the prominent voices in contemporary Spanish literature and the activist community. Portero is one of the founders of the theatre troupe STRIGA. She has published several collections of poetry, but Bad Habit is Portero’s debut novel. The book was an instant hit among publishers, and has already been translated into 11 languages.
