The bad habit
Bad habit is a contemporary novel written by the Spanish playwright, poet, stage director and author Alana S. Portero. The work was published on May 3, 2023 by the publishing house Seix Barral, under the Biblioteca Breve collection. After its release, the book has been received with hugs that demonstrate how much well-written social literature is needed.
Over the last year, Readers have shown their favoritism for Bad habit through platforms like Goodreads and Amazon, where it has an average of 4.55 and 4.5 stars, respectively. This not only demonstrates the commercial success of Alana S. Portero's title, but also a favorable attitude towards the stories that are told with sincerity and beauty.
Synopsis of Bad habit
Between the violence and beauty of awakening
The novel is set in San Blas, one of the working-class neighborhoods of Madrid in the 80s and 90s, in a Spain that still dragged the shadows of the Franco dictatorship, a society with structures as rigid as oppressive norms. The protagonist —from the author's own hand— narrates his childhood and adolescence marked by incomprehension, confusion, and often violence.
In this context, the writer begins to perceive the discrepancy between what is expected of her and what she really feels deep in her heart. Here, the story moves between moments of vulnerability and personal epiphanies, capturing the internal struggle that the main character suffers in her search for her true identity.
Themes addressed in the work
From the pain of living in a body and a reality that do not correspond to him, to the liberation he feels when he begins to live his authentic self, The novel explores themes such as transphobia, gender dysphoria and family and social incomprehension, all in a setting marked by class inequality and machismo.
Narrative style of the work
One of the most overwhelming aspects of Bad habit It is the prose of its author. Her style is direct, raw, and at the same time lyrical. Alana does not shy away from describing the hardest moments of her life, but she does so with a poetic sensitivity that illuminates the shadows and humanizes the suffering. The brutality of her experience is tempered by a narrative voice that knows how to find beauty, even in the darkest situations.
Portero skillfully balances the rawness of the emotions and situations experienced with reflection on the meaning of identity, the body and freedom. Throughout the novel, one feels his strength as an activist, but without turning the story into a manifesto. Instead, it is an intimate and personal testimony that resonates universally. with people from all walks of life.
Making trans reality visible
Bad Habit is not just a personal story: it is a work that contributes to making visible the realities of trans people in a society that still resists change. The goalkeeper frankly shows the difficulties that this group faces in their daily lives, from lack of understanding in childhood to marginalization and violence in adulthood.
At the same time, this book becomes a window for those who have not lived these experiences, and a voice of encouragement for those who have faced them. Likewise, It is a critique of the hypocrisy of social norms, toxic masculinity and conservatism that have contributed to perpetuating the suffering of so many human beings.
Impact and reception
Since its publication, Bad habit It has been received with praise by critics and the public.Alana S. Portero's courage in sharing her story, combined with the literary quality of her work, has made this novel considered one of the most important of the year in Spain. Her contribution is not only limited to literature, but also to activism for human rights. LGTBIQ +, where the author is a prominent figure.
Alana has managed to generate a space for reflection and dialogue about trans experiences, but also on the way we build our identities in societies that tend to limit and condition themIn this regard, many critics have referred to the phrase that says that books can change the world a little, and this is no exception.
About the author
Alana S. Portero was born in 1978, in Madrid, Spain. She graduated in History from the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), where she also specialized in Medieval History. She also Portero is the founder of the STRIGA theatre company, which she began directing after acting in it.. In both drama and literature, she writes about culture, feminism and LGBT activism.
Beyond this medium, The author has lent her voice to publications such as Agent Provocateur, ElDiario.es, The jump, So cool y Vogue Spain. She also has her own Patreon. Thanks to her work, she has received several awards over the last few years, including: the Cálamo Prize (2023) and the Openbank Literature Prize by Vanity Fair, from the same year.
Other books by Alana S. Portero
- Silent music. Theatre. Endymion Editions (2008);
- Poetry. Endymion Editions (2010);
- Poetry. Endymion Editions (2011);
- The next storm. Poetry. Ed. Origami (2014);
- The room of the drowned. Poetry. Ed. Harpo Books (2017).
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