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The Promise

WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 2021
By Damon Galgut
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Promise by Damon Galgut is a compelling novel set in post-apartheid South Africa, where a family's fractured bonds are tied to an unfulfilled promise over several decades. The narrative follows the Swart family as they navigate personal loss and societal changes, reflecting broader themes of justice and reconciliation. Through its vivid, evocative prose, the story examines the complexities of family, memory, and the passage of time in a transitioning nation.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy exploring family dynamics and generational conflict within a changing South African context. Through powerful storytelling and nuanced character development, it weaves a narrative rich with themes of duty, legacy, and the passage of time.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Promise is the winner of the Booker Prize 2021. Discover the powerful story of a family in crisis.

WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 2021

Discover the Sunday Times bestselling story of a family in crisis.

A tour de force... A spectacular demonstration of how the novel can make us see and think afresh — Booker Judges, 2021

A masterpiece - a moving, brilliantly told family epic — Elizabeth Day

On a farm outside Pretoria, the Swarts are gathering for Ma's funeral. The younger generation, Anton and Amor, detest everything the family stand for — not least their treatment of the Black woman who has worked for them her whole life. Salome was to be given her own house, her own land... yet somehow, that vow is carefully ignored.

As each decade passes, and the family assemble again, one question hovers over them. Can you ever escape the repercussions of a broken promise?

Astonishing — Colm Tóibín

Bursting with life — The Times

So powerful — Clare Chambers

Utterly compelling — Patrick Gale

Stunning — Observer

A BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE SUNDAY TIMES, GUARDIAN, OBSERVER, DAILY TELEGRAPH, i AND NEW STATESMAN

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

*i>The Promise by Damon Galgut is praised as a superb and darkly comic exploration of a South African family over four decades. Reviewers highlight its powerful and gripping story, celebrated for its nuanced portrayal of familial and national themes. The novel is acclaimed for its strong writing and vivid depiction of characters, making it an intoxicating and phenomenally good read.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529113877

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 March 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 216g

Pages: 304

Collections

Award Winners Damon Galgut Fiction General Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books

About the Author

DAMON GALGUT is the author of nine novels. He won the Booker Prize 2021 for The Promise, having been shortlisted for the prize twice before (The Good Doctor and In A Strange Room). He lives and works in Cape Town.

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