Reviews

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

tildahlia's review against another edition

4.0

Probably 3.5. I found this book pretty compelling and parts of the writing sublime, but also struggled in parts. While perhaps a reflection of life under patriarchy, the rigid gender roles irked me. Celestial wasn't entirely passive but she was a bit too damsel in distress at times and the peacocking between the male characters was a bit ugh. I know the characters are meant to be flawed (as we all are) but I did crave a bit more complexity and depth at times to help contextualise their decisions and behaviour. But it did flow well, was super evocative and kept me engaged (no small feat with my pandemic brain). Solid.

lindsayaunderwood's review against another edition

4.0

A great story about time and circumstance. I really enjoyed the story and characters, but it was a little slow moving.

seymone's review against another edition

5.0

Realistic and raw depiction of the ups and down of a relationship - specifically, marriage.


Excellent!!

shandeutsch's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

realisticreader1's review against another edition

medium-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

2.0

saritachr's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad

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

4.0

ssian's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

michellechien930's review against another edition

4.0

I have been wanting to read "An American Marriage" for a while now, having downloaded the e-book version on my Kindle for a few months, but then I decided to buy a physical copy recently. I was really quite engrossed in this book- mainly because its central conflict was definitely an important dilemma that wasn't addressed enough previously. I feel like the story of Roy and Celestial happens a lot: undeserved incarceration, release into a world previously unknown, returning to family members that seem like different people. It show a lot of important themes about life: love, sacrifice, happiness, and justice. I found myself often thinking whether or not I would be able to wait for Roy like Celestial originally thought she would. The ending is quite saddening, yet still manages to be brutally honest about a very difficult situation. Really enjoyed the changes of perspective and the stories about how they all met. Would definitely recommend this book!

tlz812's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced

4.0

thekoyakoyakoya's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

This book is the emotional whirlwind you’d expect after reading the back cover. What starts off as a relatively straightforward story provides twist after twist, but not in a gimmicky way. There are three narrators for the story, and each one is handled well and the story is easy to follow. What really struck me was the amount of infidelity in the story and the way the characters handled it. That — coupled with the insistence on preserving gender roles — was a bit shocking if not annoying, but I won’t pretend like this isn’t reality for some. While I did not agree with some (most?) of the characters’ actions, I can see where they were coming from, at least in theory. There seems to be this assumption that black men (and not black women) are the only victims in a police state, a sentiment I can’t get behind, but again, I know this rings true for some people, so it’s not exactly a criticism of the text itself. This book is entertaining and thought-provoking, though I can’t promise the thoughts it provokes will be pleasant…

And, after all that, I actually think Roy did it. Fucking prick.