For some foolish idea, a few years ago I decided to buy and read the whole longlist of the Booker Prize, and it’s a tradition I can’t really afford but do continue to do. When the longlist was announced this year, I realised I’d already read 2 of them, and owned 4 others, so I only had to buy the other 8, which is quite a good result for me. So here are my quick thoughts on the longlistees and who my money is on (not that I ever get it right).
The Renovation by Kenan Orhan
You can find my full review of The Renovation here – https://booksbyyourbedside.org/2026/02/23/the-renovation-kenan-orhan/
Switzy by Emma Cline
You can find my full review of Switzy here – https://booksbyyourbedside.org/?p=19858
The End of Everything by M. John Harrison
I had already bought this before it was announced on this longlist so I was already looking forward to it. It wouldn’t necessarily be what I normally read but I was intrigued, and whilst I didn’t understand it all, I thought it was jolly good. A lot of books on prize lists can be a bit – dare I say it – a bit pretentious, but this felt more akin to a contemporary novel, with this fantasy element to it which was pleasantly surprising. As odd and confusing as it was, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d have liked a bit more decisive ending. I’m not confident it will win because, going on previous winners, it felt too whimsical for the Booker, but I liked it very much.
All Them Dogs by Djamel White
I had this on my kindle for a while before it was longlisted for the Booker but I hadn’t got round to reading it so this was a good excuse. In a way, it reminded me of Douglas Stuart’s books. It had that same sense of story and meaning, potentially because it’s got that Irish link to it. It also had the same…it’s hard to read. It’s very well written and I found it interesting but it’s not a book I’d necessarily call enjoyable. I wasn’t a fan of the narration, I couldn’t gel with it. I don’t think it’s the strongest voice on the Booker longlist and I can’t see it standing toe-to-toe with some of the grittier novels around, but I think it’s a promising debut, and whilst I may not have found it enjoyable, there were enough positives to the writing that means I would pick up another book of his.
Black Bag by Luke Kennard
I still do not understand why authors have decided not to include speech marks. It makes a potentially good book terrible in my opinion. It really detracts from everything positive and I’m instantly annoyed. It’s first person, which I only like in thrillers, so I would have preferred this in third person. It’s based on a real experiment apparently which made it weirder. It didn’t know what it wanted to be, it wasn’t funnily weird, just creepy weird. I think it would have been better if it had been shorter. It’s about 400 pages and it just draaaags. There’s not enough story, not enough substance, not enough character development to warrant it being long. It would have worked as an entry in a short story collection. But as it is, it’s disappointing and I couldn’t wait to finish it.
Helen of Nowhere by Makenna Goodman
This was interesting, not a book I would have chosen if it hadn’t been on this list. It’s an odd little book. With little plot and often rambling passages, it shouldn’t have been likeable, but I found that the prose, just the simple use of the written word, was delightful and I was hooked instantly. Part of me was glad it was short because it meant I didn’t have to stop to take a break, but then I wanted a bit more. I couldn’t really tell you what was going on but unusually that didn’t really matter, I simply enjoyed reading it. It got weirder as it went along and I liked it less as it went along so that was conflicting. Do I think it’ll win? No. I think it needs more substance to win.
The Disappearers by Marlon James
At 640 pages this was at least 250 pages longer than I like. I’m also not the biggest fan of Marlon’s previous books, but I have an open mind and was willing to try it. It’s intense and powerful and important, if a bit rambling at times, and it definitely could have been shorter. I’m not a fan of writing in dialects or accents but after a while I found it worked in this. It’s also very explicit. Now I’m not a prude by any definition, but even I was quite surprised by just how much there was. This is the third of his books I’ve read and whilst I wouldn’t say it was enjoyable, I think it’s the best one I’ve read. I would have preferred it being about 300 pages shorter, and I wasn’t sure about the ending, it’s also hard to read, in style and theme, but it was a powerful story told well. But I wouldn’t recommend it for someone who is after a light-hearted, easy, relaxing read.
The Shadow of the Object by Chloe Aridjis
This had an intriguing premise and I had high hopes for it but it really wasn’t for me. I didn’t really get the point of it and had no sympathy for our main character. She’s a grown woman and yet she reads like a bratty child which meant I found her so unlikeable. The story itself didn’t seem to go anywhere. It gets an extra star because the actual use of language is well done, even if the story itself didn’t hold any weight for me.
May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry
I can see why this has won awards. The writing is so lyrical and faultless and shows her skill in poetry. Very short chapters which is a bonus for me. There’s a lot of narrative that, objectively, is quite dull, but somehow it was as riveting as the biggest action scenes. Her storytelling is so good that I was so absorbed. We get sections following a Curator and it’s through her research that we then get scenes following the King. They’re very separate and yet entwined. Does anything really happen? No. But the exemplary writing ability means you’re addicted anyway. I do with the Curator had more page time because the King’s story does take up most of the book, so I would have preferred a better balance. But I read it in one sitting. I could see this one winning.
The Palm House by Gwendoline Riley
This is the first of Gwendoline’s books or me. It’s not one I would have picked up if it wasn’t on the Booker longlist. It’s a bit too literary for me. Which makes me sound a bit stupid but I don’t mean it like that. It was just quite hard work to read. I’m glad it was short. I can probably sum it all up by saying “I have no idea what it was about”. There didn’t seem to be much point to it. It is trying so hard to be intellectual and important but it’s too aware of itself, and lacks any depth or emotion. There’s nothing for the reader to get hold of, story or character wise. For me it felt like it was spending too much time focussing on trying to sound smart that it forgot how to actually be an entertaining and interesting story.
The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout
This is my 4th book of Strout’s and I didn’t like the first three so I admit I had low expectations. And once again, it just isn’t for me. This was slightly better than the others but I still felt it was overly rambling, characters I didn’t particularly care about and I was just bored. It had some sensitive topics and I think they were handled well and I did find them interesting, but it felt like she didn’t know if this book was going to be uplifting and positive, or miserable, and sort of missed the mark on both counts. It was just a bit…meh. I think it’s time I admit I need to give up on her books. Some people love them but they’re just not my kind of thing.
John of John by Douglas Stuart
I’ve read all of his books and whilst the storytelling is always fabulous and his writing ability is incredible, I can’t say they’re books I’ve really enjoyed because the subject matter is usually very harsh and raw and, at times, difficult to read. This one felt the most enjoyable though, the most accessible. Not much actually happens, it’s a character piece more than a plot one. I can’t say I found any characters overly likeable. I still struggled with it but I do think it’s his best one. I could see him winning. Imagine that…two Bookers within three books.
The Vivisectors by Missouri Williams
I had high expectations for this but it didn’t meet them in any way. It has sections rather than chapters and they were long – far too long for me. It’s basically a steam of consciousness in written form, and if I’m honest, I have absolutely no idea what it was about. Agathe is an instantly dislikeable character but at the same time, she was so distances that I never got to know her at all. It might have been more impactful if it was shorter so it isn’t as rambling. The writing on a basic technical level is impressive. But it’s so full of symbolism and open questions, and whilst that’s fine in a book, this was nearly every sentence. I do like to have some substance of a plot of a character to get my teeth stuck into. But it all comes down to the fact that I haven’t a clue what it was about, it’s rambling, too log, too dull, it stretches on and on. But I have seen some positive reviews so I think it’ll be a marmite book.
Shortlist (22nd September)
TBC
My Prediction (Winner announced 9th November)
Obviously I have to wait to see who is on the shortlist to give an accurate prediction but these are my views after reading the longlist…
Overall this has been one of the most disappointing Booker longlists in my opinion. I found most of them very dreary, and whilst a couple were better than others, I don’t think it’s a very strong list this year.
And so on that limited basis, my prediction is that either Douglas Stuart will win his second booker with John of John, or Rebecca Perry will win it with May We Feed the King.
Books By Your Bedside 