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 — an atmosphere 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. (From Europa Editions)

Damon Galgut is a South African novelist born in Pretoria and based in Cape Town. His 2003 novel The Good Doctor won the Commonwealth Writers Prize and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize; his 2010 novel, In a Strange Room, was also shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. In 2021, Galgut won the Booker Prize for The Promise.