Booker Prize 2026 · Audiobook Review
Written by Marlon James · Narrated by Andrew Clarke, Ano Okera, Brandon Miles, Karl O’Brian Williams, Michael Sean Harris and Solomon Peck.
An ambitious novel with moments of dark humour and genuine pathos, but one that tested my patience with its repetition and lack of narrative momentum.
The Story
The Disappearers is a demanding listen. There are moments when Marlon James’s writing comes alive, particularly in Havelock’s section, but too often the narrative seems to lose its way.
The repetition became increasingly frustrating, and some of the explicit sexual content left me feeling more distanced from the characters rather than closer to them.
Nevertheless, there are rewards for perseverance. The novel finishes strongly, with an unexpected sense of sadness and pathos.
The Narrators
The audiobook features an ensemble cast led by Andrew Clarke.
The narration is one of its strongest features. The Jamaican language and speech patterns take a little getting used to, but the performances help bring the characters and their world to life.
Even when the story struggled to hold my attention, the quality of the narration remained impressive.
The Waffleometer
5/5 — Maximum waffle!
At 22 hours and 55 minutes, this was a considerable undertaking. The repetition and lack of forward momentum made it feel longer still.
Scores
Story: 2/5
Narration: 4.5/5
Waffleometer: 5/5 (lower is better)
The Verdict
A difficult audiobook to recommend without reservations. There are flashes of brilliance, some wonderfully dark humour and a genuinely moving conclusion.
But getting there requires considerable patience.
The narrators deserve enormous credit for keeping the performance engaging when the story itself struggles.