Every major character is a queer woman - every last one - and each of them wears her sexuality differently, an idea that shouldn’t feel revelatory in 2020 but annoyingly does. In her review in the Los Angeles Times, Hillary Kelly says this about Plain Bad Heroines: “The sheer queerness of it all is exhilarating. Plain Bad Heroines included as part of the Los Angeles Times United We Read feature. Plain Bad Heroines mentioned in this Washington Post feature by Ron Charles on recent illustrated novels for adults.

Plain Bad Heroines is in stellar company as a finalist in the Best Horror category for the 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards. The American Library Association’s Rainbow Committee names Plain Bad Heroines one of its top 10 LGBTQIA+ books of the year. The Kirkus reviewer calls Plain Bad Heroines “a confection-surprising and honey-sweet on the tongue, to be savored.” Their final take: “ Creepy, meta, and a whole lot of fun.” From the chapter headings (“Finally, Someone Tends to Those Fucking Plants”) to the grimly sketchy illustrations provided by Sara Lautman that interrupt the text, the book is an experience, and I luxuriated in it.” Plus it’s genuinely frightening or upsetting at points as the hauntings build, which is worth a lot to me in a spooky novel. Readers whose genres of choice are gay novels, gothics or horror, and tricksy metafiction will be satisfied… but so will folks who appreciate the painful, beautiful stories of loss and dissatisfaction that run through the book. Plain Bad Heroines gets a remarkable review from Lee Mandelo at Tor.Com, who says, in part: “Allow me to drop my critical detachment and say: I fucking loved this book. PBH named one of the “Best Reviewed Books” of its launch week by Lit Hub’s Book Marks. Read an interview with emily and O Magazine’s Michelle Hart. Plain Bad Heroines named a best book of 2020 by: The Washington Post, O (The Oprah Magazine),, , E! News, and Book Riot.Įmily talks with Anna in a special book episode of the always excellent The Final Girls horror/films podcast. The Guardian (UK) calls Plain Bad Heroines: “beguilingly clever, very sexy and seriously frightening.”

Plain bad heroines by emily m danforth