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anad41's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
daja57's review against another edition
5.0
Winner of the 2021 Booker Prize. For other winners of the Booker see here.
The Swarts are a white South African farming family, clinging on to their way of life through the political changes marking the end of apartheid and the birth of the new majority-rule country. At the start of the book the mother of the family dies; on her deathbed she makes her husband promise to gift to the maidservant the house in which she (the servant) lives with her son. The refusal to honour this promise seems to act as a curse.
The parallels with the decline of the nation are obvious. Swarts?
This beautifully written book is told through multiple streams of consciousness (though the thoughts are usually fairly well-formed and there seemed to be more tell than show; the author-in-character sometimes speaks directly to the reader), head-hopping in a 'PoV tag' sort of way that reminded me of Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.
The Swarts are a white South African farming family, clinging on to their way of life through the political changes marking the end of apartheid and the birth of the new majority-rule country. At the start of the book the mother of the family dies; on her deathbed she makes her husband promise to gift to the maidservant the house in which she (the servant) lives with her son. The refusal to honour this promise seems to act as a curse.
The parallels with the decline of the nation are obvious. Swarts?
This beautifully written book is told through multiple streams of consciousness (though the thoughts are usually fairly well-formed and there seemed to be more tell than show; the author-in-character sometimes speaks directly to the reader), head-hopping in a 'PoV tag' sort of way that reminded me of Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.
jesscl's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
reidfrancis's review
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
moyecome's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sarah_guido's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
5.0
It is divided in four parts - each concerning last rites of one of members of a white family in South Africa. Each time the question of a promise is raised - the promise to give the family house to the black maid. The promise stands symbolic of hypocrisy of white people in land as well as their decline. In last part, where Amor makes a final effort to fulfill the promise, a very symbolic scene occurs.
However it's not all just a family Saga with some historic symbolism. The South African History takes place in background and directly affect lives of characters. South Africa comes out of apartheid and the successors of colonizers are forced to look at their conscience.
The best thing about this novel though is narration. I'm not a fan of 'show, don't tell' adage and instead prefer more active, even chatty narrators. The omnipotent narrator of Promise is one such narrator - he is often commenting or joking about characters, talking to readers as well as characters, passing gossip like info before adding 'no need to go there' or 'no offense intended'. It adds a colorful element to the story. Another good thing about narration is its speediness. It jumps easily from one scene to another without wasting time on meaningless setup. It is not the first time I have seen these things in novels but I certainly wish it was done more often.
However it's not all just a family Saga with some historic symbolism. The South African History takes place in background and directly affect lives of characters. South Africa comes out of apartheid and the successors of colonizers are forced to look at their conscience.
The best thing about this novel though is narration. I'm not a fan of 'show, don't tell' adage and instead prefer more active, even chatty narrators. The omnipotent narrator of Promise is one such narrator - he is often commenting or joking about characters, talking to readers as well as characters, passing gossip like info before adding 'no need to go there' or 'no offense intended'. It adds a colorful element to the story. Another good thing about narration is its speediness. It jumps easily from one scene to another without wasting time on meaningless setup. It is not the first time I have seen these things in novels but I certainly wish it was done more often.
gslangdon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An amazing tapestry weaved through the modern history of South Africa and the trauma that life there can inflict on us. A truly moving read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Death
Minor: Racism
thulsiprabakaran's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0