By Christina McLaurine
Lucy Diamond’s sixteenth novel The Promise is about grief, love, and family. After his brother Patrick’s sudden death, Dan vows to do his best to step into Patrick’s shoes so that he can be there for his sister-in-law Zoe and her children. But as he begins to sort out some of Patrick’s affairs, he uncovers a few secrets that threaten to break this already fragile family. As Dan struggles to figure out what the right thing to do is, he begins to realize there was so much more to his brother than met the eye.
The Promise is filled with wonderful characters. We have ”living in his brother’s shadow” Dan; Zoe, the grieving widow and mother who’s doing the best she can; eccentric and independent Lydia; and ”not as perfect as we thought” Patrick. Diamond’s characters are rich and complex. Although readers may not adore all of them, they will find it challenging not to empathize with them. The growth and development of these characters is so well done, especially considering that the character of Patrick is never present or alive in the novel. All his interactions are portrayed solely through the recollections and memories of the other characters.
Diamond turns the saying “Don’t speak ill of the dead” on its head in this novel. After someone dies, it’s common for their highest achievements and positive personality traits to be the focal points of their legacy. The Promise starts out this way and very quickly changes gears. Slowly the idealized persona of Patrick starts to fall away into something that is more nuanced and complicated.
Although grief is central to the story, The Promise is not a heavy, grim read. Diamond writes her characters through the grieving process so well that the reader feels part of this cathartic experience. The Promise is an emotionally engaging read, encouraging readers to find and celebrate the best in people.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!