Excerpt from The Promise by Damon Galgut, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

On her way back down the passage Amor pauses at the open bedroom door of her cousin Wessel, youngest and largest of Tannie Marina's brood, and the only one still living at home. He's already twenty-four but ever since finishing the army he's done nothing except sit around at home, attending to his stamp collection. Apparently he has some problem with going out into the world. He's depressed, according to his father, and his mother says that he's finding his way. But Pa has voiced the opinion that his nephew is just lazy and spoiled and should be forced to do some work.

Amor doesn't like her cousin, and especially not at this moment, with those big, blobby hands and his pudding-bowl haircut, and the suspect way he says the letter S. He would never make eye contact anyway, but he hardly notices her right now, because his stamp album is open on his lap, and he's peering through a magnifying glass at one of the favourites of his collection, the set of three commemorating Dr. Verwoerd, issued a few months after the great man's murder.

What are you doing here?

Your mother picked me up from school. Then she came to get your father and some groceries.

Oh. And now you're going home?

Yes.

Sorry about your mother, he says, and glances at her at last.

She can't help it, she starts crying again and has to dry her eyes on her sleeve. But his attention is back on the stamps.

Are you very sad? he asks absently, still not looking at her.

She shakes her head. At this moment it's true, she doesn't feel anything, just vacant.

Did you love her?

Of course, she says. But even in response to this question, nothing stirs inside. Makes her wonder if she's telling the truth.

Excerpted from The Promise by Damon Galgut. Copyright © 2021 by Damon Galgut. Excerpted by permission of Europa Editions. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.