The Promise

WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE 2021

One family. One promise. One chance to tell a new story.

'A moving, brilliantly told family epic' Elizabeth Day

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

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?


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

'Astonishing' Colm Tóibín

'Utterly compelling' Patrick Gale