The Promise is a novel that delves into the inevitable downfall of a dysfunctional white South African family and the various characters that orbit around them. Set against the sociopolitical backdrop of Apartheid South Africa, this family saga intricately explores the intimate effects of institutional racism through three pivotal moments of loss and connection.

Damon Galgut zeroes in on a small piece of land and a single promise spoken in confidence. This land and the drawn-out disputes over its ownership serve as a fitting metaphor for the complex and often painful emotions experienced by many in both past and current South Africa. The land becomes a symbol of unfulfilled promises and lingering injustices, reflecting the broader societal issues that plague the nation.

Galgut's moves fluidly among the accounts of both major and minor characters, his prose unbroken by quotation marks or italics. While may be difficult to follow at times this stylistic choice gives the narrative a seamless, almost ethereal quality, like a drifting breeze that gently touches each character before moving on.

With each section the novels structure repeatedly drives home the overarching theme of unfulfilled promises and the enduring emotional impact of systemic racism. The Promise not only serves as a family drama but also as a profound commentary on the societal climate that continue to resonate in South Africa and beyond.