Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - An American Marriage

Was recommended to me by Hadas when we were at a second hand bookstore in Nottinghill, so decided to give it a go. I was inthralled throughout the whole time reading, albeit my reading being gappy. The last two hours reading the book I was completely enveloped into the plot, couldn't put it down. That being said, at certain points I found the writing mediocre, and sometimes even unauthentic - as in the writing didn't match the character's voice/vibe. But over all a decent read. Found myself tearing up near the end, when everything sort of made it to a peak. It's some heavy topics and makes you question what's moral and what's fair.

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sosa456's review

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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lautodd_'s review

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Absolutely loved and loathed this book all at once. It frustrated me how much I couldn’t have an ending or characters I’d wanted or dreamed of wanting in the course of my reading— and that made it all the more brilliant and adventurous, in the most heartbreaking and embarrassing of ways. I find it clever when authors force their readers to relinquish control, when readers cannot satisfyingly imagine beyond what is in front of them, or replace and weave narratives or conclusions, away from the narrative presented, of their own personal ideas and fantasies. When I am met with the reality of relinquishing my own delusions of a story, submitting to the reality in front of me— so much like the actual lives we each live— I am most impressed and defeated all at once.

From the three-pronged and rotating perspective of 3 different but fatefully connected and indelibly imperfect and spiteful characters, Tayari causes to life a story about people, race, justice, love, and family— and the complexities each function weaves into and throughout a Westernized plane of relating— so masterfully it leaves you sober and wanting.

One of the most favorite and most marking stories I’ve known to-date.

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ashareads's review

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adventurous reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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bookishinqueens's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

3.75

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ericageorge91's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

“That’s your fate as a black man. Carried by six or judged by 12.”

Personal feelings aside, Tayari Jones wrote a story that was equal parts beautiful and ugly. An American Marriage explores the effects of incarceration on a black man and his loved ones on a molecular level.

This was a difficult read for a multitude of reasons. What repeatedly brought me to tears was the thought of how much this man has lost as a result of a fucked up criminal justice system. This story never should have happened, and yet it’s happened to thousands of black men in America.

An American Marriage is a contemporary, character-driven novel. You’re following three characters: Roy, his wife, Celestial, and their friend, Andre. Their stories were painfully flawed and human. More than once, their words gave me visceral reactions. I don’t think I’ve felt this conflicted about a cast since Akwaeke Emezi’s, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty. I definitely enjoyed Emezi’s work more.

This book did suffer from outdated thoughts about gender roles that was grating and made me feel how painfully heterosexual this story was: “A man should do this. A man needs a woman to-“ ✋🏾Just stop.

Then, these characters were making the worst choices 🤦🏾‍♀️ I know it was realistic. I know a lot of it was circumstance, but my goodness the amount of times I had to pause to scream to myself was unreal.

The rational, objective part of the review has concluded. If you have no interest in reading this book, you may proceed.

TW: Major - Incarceration, infidelity, death, grief, violence, sexism, self-harm, violence; Minor - Sexual assault, abortion, past age gap relationship, cancer, suicide, police brutality

Rep: Black characters

Spoilers ahead!

Let me break down the things that pissed me off the most about each character:

Celestial: I am super fucking irritated at your hypocrisy. Obviously, you’re not completely at fault for Roy going to jail, but it is so fucking wild to me that you threw the biggest tantrum over Roy not telling you that his dad is actually his stepfather and saying “Secrets! There should be no secrets!” And then what happens?! While he was in prison you start dropping all these bombs—confessing about your parents nasty ass relationship and how you yourself was fucking a married man and got knocked up by him and Oh! This abortion wasn’t your first rodeo. Like…WHAT?!? So what was the point of the fight That Night then?!? WHAT WAS THE REASON?!? I’m—

And then!! You’re like, “Uwu! I couldn’t POSSIBLY send divorce papers while Roy’s in jail! Not more state papers giving him bad news 🥺” BITCH….AS OPPOSED TO THE ALTERNATIVE?! You acted like he was sentenced to life in jail. It was 12 years!! He would have had to find out eventually!! So what? Were you hoping it would be after you and Andre popped some kids and were years “married?” You should have sent them when he was done talking to you and said don’t contact him anymore. THAT was the time.

Roy: If you thought that I didn’t catch that something sexual went down while you were in jail, you’re mistaken. It was noted. So, riddle me this, why THE FUCK did you insist on having sex with Davina without a condom?! That was so fucking foul.

Also foul? Your behavior with Celestial that night you came back. I understand you were eager for your life back but you scratching your head being fake deep, “Yes means yes and no means no, but what is the meaning of silence?” Mmm, assault. That’s…that’s what silence means. That’s what it would have been if her asking for a condom didn’t give you pause. And then, not you making her feel bad for being sensible for asking for one?! And the CHERRY on top, did you want a cookie for stopping?! Bitch, please!

Andre: I don’t even want to waste my breath on you. You were the ultimate “nice guy” who patiently waits at their crush’s side for a chance to pounce 🥴

WHICH 👏🏾 YOU 👏🏾 DID 👏🏾

AND WHAT A TIME IT WAS. Not you and Celestial, choosing the day that she sung at her mother-in-law’s funeral, and the day that you helped carry her body, to fuck each other. I am past the point of DISGUSTED. I was not sad that you got your ass beat and I hope nothing good touches the two of you.

Let me just say that I wish Uncle Banks and Big Roy nothing but the best. Everyone else? They can choke 😌

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saskiahill's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Beautifully written and moving. Thoroughly recommend the audiobook version read by Sean Crisden and Eisa Davis

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bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Heartbreaking novel of a marriage. It was a very slow story that I couldn’t get into when reading a physical copy so I switched to audio. I enjoyed the switching POVs and the storytelling via letters in the first half.

I didn’t like Celestial or Roy, they both have good points but also both make awful decisions. By the end I hated them both

especially after Roy kept begging Celestial for sex after getting out, making excuses to not use protection. THEN HE WANTS CREDIT FOR NOT RAPING HER?! They’re both awful people.

. I understand it’s difficult circumstances and it may be more realistic but it made the book less enjoyable for me personally when I don’t like either person. Plus neither of them had much development it seemed.

The book started out well but the second half was boring and with some of the actions of Roy and Celestial, I kind of wished I DNFd. It was an okay book with a good premise but didn’t enjoy the execution as much as I expected to.

TW/CW: rape, abortion, cancer (brief mention), death of parent, grief, incarceration, sexual content, infidelity, dubious consent/coercion, racism, violence, misogyny

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