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  • Plain Bad Heroines

  • By: Emily M. Danforth
  • Narrated by: Xe Sands
  • Length: 19 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (85 ratings)
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Plain Bad Heroines cover art

Plain Bad Heroines

By: Emily M. Danforth
Narrated by: Xe Sands
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Summary

‘It’s a terrible story and one way to tell it is this: two girls in love and a fog of wasps cursed the place forever after....’ 

Brookhants School for Girls: infamous site of a series of tragic deaths more than a hundred years ago. Soon to be the subject of a controversial horror movie about the rumoured ‘Brookhants curse’: 

in the early 1900s, Brookhants students Flo and Clara fell madly in love, brought together by their obsession for a scandalous memoir. 

A few months later they were found dead in the woods, after a horrific wasp attack, the book lying next to their intertwined bodies. 

Three more grisly deaths followed before the school was forced to close. 

Now, the school’s doors are open once more. But as the crew of glamorous young actresses assemble to start filming, past and present begin to blur. And soon it’s impossible to tell quite where the curse ends and Hollywood begins.... 

©2021 Emily Danforth (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+

Critic reviews

"Brimming from start to finish with sly humour and gothic mischief, Plain Bad Heroines is a brilliant piece of exuberant storytelling by a terrifically talented author." (Sarah Waters)

"Ingenious, jaw-dropping...Plain Bad Heroines is a queer roar and it's terrifying and it's a goddamned triumph." (Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World)

"Plain Bad Heroines wears its brilliance lightly...it's dark, sweet, and addictive. Emily Danforth displays all the gothic wit of Edward Gorey and all the soaring metafictional ambitions of David Mitchell, alongside a generosity and humanity that is uniquely her own. Simply one of the best books I've read in the last decade." (Joe Hill, New York Times best-selling author of The Fireman)

"A hot amalgamation of gothic horror and Hollywood satire, it’s draped with depth but bursting with life." (Washington Post

"A deviously delicious cake." (O, The Oprah Magazine

What listeners say about Plain Bad Heroines

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So good

I loved this! Very unique, charming and chilling! There’s so much going on but it somehow doesn’t feel rushed or confusing at all. I ft buoyed along by the excellent narration and so invested in the story (stories). I think I’ll come back to this again

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

this is kind of genius

massively fun, multi timeline, atmospheric, spooky, lesbian horror, with great characters, punchily written and well performed. a lot to love here! maybe slightly disappointed by the ending, but that might just be me, I certainly enjoyed the ride .... recommended.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Unusual horror- a new genre?

The timelines of the main stories are grafted together very well. I listened to this throughout my holiday, enjoying the plot, beautiful use of language and strong women focused writing. My first review…ever, never felt the need to recommend a book before. Excellent. As an audiobook, the narration is superb. Loved it and sad it is now fin.

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