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The Disappearers by Marlon James review
This Booker-listed epic set in Aids-era Kingston is a triumph – bitter, bawdy and ravishingly queer
TL;DR
- The novel is a polyphonic, 640-page narrative exploring Jamaican homophobia and the Aids epidemic.
- Its defining event is a violent mob attack on eight queer men working on a gay play.
- The story is told through multiple perspectives, including an actor from a privileged background and the perpetrators of the attack.
- Themes explored include class, race, colorism, trauma, survival, and the lure of revenge.
- The novel is characterized by its gritty realism, psychological depth, and condemnation of homophobia.
- Despite some narrative flaws, the novel is praised for its indelible portrayal of queer life and its powerful prose.