The Promise

By: Damon Galgut

Narrated by: Peter Noble

WINNER OF THE 2021 BOOKER PRIZE

A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE

A modern family saga written in gorgeous prose by three-time Booker Prize-shortlisted author Damon Galgut.

Haunted by an unmet promise, the Swart family loses touch after the death of their matriarch. Adrift, the lives of the three siblings move separately through the uncharted waters of South Africa; Anton, the golden boy who bitterly resents his life’s unfulfilled potential; Astrid, whose beauty is her power; and the youngest, Amor, whose life is shaped by a nebulous feeling of guilt.

Reunited by four funerals over three decades, the dwindling family reflects the atmosphere of its country - one of resentment, renewal, and, ultimately, hope. The Promise is an epic drama that unfurls against the unrelenting march of national history, sure to please current fans and attract many new ones.

“Simply: you must read it.” (Claire Messud, Harper’s Magazine)

©2021 Damon Galgut (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Galgut extends his extraordinary corpus with a rich story of family, history, and grief.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

“This tour-de-force unleashes a searing portrait of a damaged family and a troubled country in need of healing.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“Galgut’s compelling new novel blends characters and history and intricate themes to reveal the devastating impacts of white privilege and institutional racism.... The Promise is timely, relevant, and thematically significant.” (Booklist, starred review)

A story that I undrrstand

Story was of a past that is long gone. And best remembered with melancholy of past sins with occasional blessings.

The narrator did not do justice to the story. A pity.

Fantastic Story

Worthy of the Booker! Thank you Damon for a great story and fresh insight into apartheid.

South Africa story

The telling and description of typical South African culture story, told in a congruent manner . But I found it a bit shallow and boring , with lack of deep emotion or climax

Very real

So much about this story was unnervingly real and close to the bone. I felt some of the accents , like Marina, were rather exaggerated and everyone sounded like skollies. But an excellent piece

Excellent writing

Faultless writing, almost faultless performance (I hate it when men do a woman’s voice as falsetto). Highly recommended. One quibble: I think the ending is both too predictable and too unlikely. But I can see why it had to be that. It works in the structure of the story.