Booker Prize winner Marlon James's new novel, "The Disappearers," delves into the complexities of his hometown, Kingston, Jamaica. The book is described as an "immersive roam around the secret spaces of queer Kingston" and addresses the city's homophobia.
The novel is based on a real-life event concerning the mobbing of a group of gay men rehearsing a play, resulting in a murder and disappearances. Spanning nearly two decades from 1988, the story is told through multiple perspectives, incorporating interviews, diary entries, and letters.
James stated that he interviewed about a dozen people for the book, aiming to portray a more complicated and fascinating Jamaica than he initially expected. He learned that there was a time when Kingston had several operating gay bars and attitudes were not as severe as they later became.
James also noted that attitudes have softened since the period depicted in the book, suggesting that Jamaicans are "exhausted by the hate." He traces some of Jamaica's inherited homophobia to Britain, noting that the UK's decriminalisation of homosexuality was partial and limited to England and Wales until 1967.