The bad habit, first novel by Alana SGoalkeeperIt is a raw, poetic, and moving story about the childhood and adolescence of a girl trapped in a body she doesn't recognize. Set in a working-class neighborhood of Madrid in the 1980s, marked by heroin, and in the clandestine nights of the 1990s, the protagonist confronts violence, rejection, and the search for identity.
The novel combines the hardships of survival with the strength of culture, pop divas, and female solidarity, showing how rage against an exclusionary system can become a driving force of life. Considered an international literary phenomenon before its publication, this work marks a milestone in contemporary queer fiction.
You can listen to the soundtrack of the novel at: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0gQEfjdfg1iInLPl5JPoho?si=rirNC6yaRsautEDcBe27GA
A novel that is much more than a literary phenomenon.
A voice that lives on in those who read it. "I recommend reading The Bad Habit to get an idea of how much suffering, how much pain, how much risk there is in being born in the wrong body." Pedro Almodóvar
"This book made me laugh, cry, and scream. It hooked me from the first page." Dua Lipa
"If we understand that literature has the quality of allowing us to delve into the human soul, this book allows you to understand that nothing is easy, frivolous, or capricious." Elvira Lindo
«The bad habit It teaches us to return to look at it all again and understand it better. Bob Pop
"One of the books that has moved and excited me the most in recent times [?]. A harrowing story, masterfully written. Zahara
"A beautiful, cruel, and redemptive book about the path we travel until we become in who we are. Elena Medel
"A writer in the truest sense, raw and brilliant. A debut breathtaking, full of good omens. A wound without a name. that will finally be able to heal."María Sánchez
About the author:
Alana SPortero (Madrid, 1978) is a medievalist, writer, playwright, and stage director. She co-founded the theater company STRIGA and writes about culture, feminism, and LGBTQ+ realities—with a particular focus on the experiences of trans women—in publications such as eldiario.es, SMod, Vogue either Public. The bad habit It is her first novel and has established her as one of the most powerful literary voices in contemporary Spanish narrative.
