The Promise
Damon Galgut
My Rating 5/5 stars
There is this thing about promises, sometimes when they are broken, there is no sound at all. And sometimes when they are forgotten, they still live on, coursing a pain only those denied can experience.
Then there are those who intend to keep them, but their own inability to steer things to a conclusion, take a toll on their lives.
Wonder what is more saddening than to live a whole life in anticipation of things once promised, and then denied, each day, every day.
Not that Galgut writes much about that.
The book is centred around a promise made by Amor's dying mother to her househelp, Salome, in a small town in Apartheid ridden South Africa. The promise which Amor wanted to fulfill but never could.
Galgut doesn't offer much into the lives of either Amor or Salome. Instead through the four different sections it is divided into, it focuses upon the life of members of Swart family who themselves struggle through changing times.
I wonder if this was deliberate on the part of writer, to not put the trials of Salome and her family at the forefront of narrative. To let it not slip into sentimentalism which would perhaps have made the narrative sloppy.
I loved the way the story was told though. The narrative. How effortlessly the author moved from the mind of one character to another. Nothing amiss on that part!
Your perspective on the theme of promises and their impact, especially in the context of the Apartheid era in South Africa, is thought-provoking. I'm intrigued by your observation that the author chose not to focus on Salome and Amor's trials too prominently, perhaps to avoid sentimentalism. It's interesting how this narrative choice can shape our reading experience. Have you come across other books where the author similarly decided to let the backdrop or secondary characters take center stage? I'd love to hear your recommendations or thoughts on this narrative technique!
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