Promise

Salt Point is a small rural town where the people are afraid of the world beyond their town. The Kindred sisters, Ezra and Cinthy, grew up with love from their parents, neighbors, and adopted hometown of Salt Point. However, as they hit adolescence, their white neighbors start to see them in a different way, viewing them as a threat to their way of life. Amidst escalating violence, prejudice, and fear, Ezra and Cinthy must reach deep inside the wells of love they've built to commit great acts of heroism and grace on the path to survival.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 06 July 2023
Publisher: John Murray Press

A captivating novel that unveils a hidden history of America, revealing aspects that we may have previously overlooked. Written by Marlon James, this masterpiece has been longlisted for the prestigious Pen/Hemingway Award.

The residents of Salt Point, a picturesque New England village nestled on coastal bluffs, live in fear of the world beyond their rural community. Born, raised, and passing their entire lives within a twenty- to thirty-mile radius of their ancestral homes, most of them never venture beyond the familiar surroundings. However, a transformative shift occurs at the end of the summer in 1957. Change washes over Salt Point.

The Kindred sisters, Ezra and Cinthy, grew up in a loving environment, surrounded by their parents' affection and the warmth of their neighbors, the Junketts, the sole Black family in town. Their home brimmed with the flavors of spice-rubbed ribs and heartfelt embraces. The sisters cherished their adopted hometown of Salt Point, a picturesque New England village perched high on coastal bluffs.

However, as the girls approached adolescence, their white neighbors, including Ezra's closest friend, Ruby, began to perceive their maturing bodies and minds in a different light. As news of freedom, equality, and justice for Black Americans spread across distant parts of the country, the white villagers of Salt Point began to view the Kindreds and the Junketts as a threat to their way of life. Tensions escalated, fueled by prejudice and fear, leading to acts of violence and prejudice against the two families.

In the face of this adversity, bold Ezra and vigilant Cinthy draw upon the deep wells of love they have cultivated to perform extraordinary acts of heroism and grace on their journey to survival. Through luminous and richly descriptive writing, Promise celebrates the resilience of one family as they navigate the challenges of resistance. This book will break your heart, but it will also rebuild it with courage, hope, and love.

Weight: 448g
Dimension: 145 x 224 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399809818