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meggles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Death of parent, Racism, Rape, and Abortion
msfordreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Abortion, Infidelity, Rape, Police brutality, and Racism
misslaurenreads's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Abortion, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Violence
Minor: Suicide
gracer0sew's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Abortion, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
agznnn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Alcohol and Abortion
holly_daze_'s review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Moderate: Abortion and Rape
Minor: Suicide
lindsaywolfson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Rape, Abortion, Violence, and Miscarriage
erint251's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Rape, Infidelity, Abortion, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Forced institutionalization
kelly_e's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Author: Tayari Jones
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: February 6 2018
T H R E E • W O R D S
Complex • Insightful • Powerful
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Newlyweds, Roy and Celestial, are settling into their new life together - he as a young executive and her with a promising career in the arts. But when Roy is arrested and wrongfully convicted to twelve years in prison for crime he didn't commit, they are torn apart by their circumstances. In Roy's absence, Celestial finds comfort in her childhood friend, Andre, eventually finding herself unable to hold onto the love. When five year's into his sentence, Roy's conviction is over turned, he leaves prison ready to resume their lives together. An exploration of love and marriage, and of race and injustice.
💭 T H O U G H T S
At it's heart An American Marriage is a love story and impossible choices, yet it is also filled with twists and turns. It most certainly was the book I was anticipating, rather it was so much more. The story is narrated through the POVs of the three protagonists, Roy, Celestial, and her childhood friend, Andre; this multi-character narration works brilliantly here. It is a well-crafted story with complex character development, and I was instantly invested in how it would all unfold.
Beyond the plot and beautiful writing, I loved the role both sets of parents played within the story. This portion contributed extra layers to already complex relationship. This isn't just a novel, but a book that asks hard questions, made me think, and opened up dialogue around the foundations of marriage, as well as, injustice and betrayal. The fact that parts of the story are narrated through letters was an added bonus. It drew me into the characters lives even more.
This one started out with 5-star potential, but for some reason I found my interest waning throughout the second half of the book. Despite this, it is a thought-provoking book that truly reflects the complexities of relationships and marriage, with a powerful messages surrounding the injustices Black people face. There's no doubt in my mind that Tayari is an incredibly talented writer, and I will keeping an eye out for more of her work.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• bookclubs
• readers looking for an exploration of marriage and injustice
• fans of Ask Again, Yes and/or We Are Not Like Them
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"This is what it must be like to be married to a widow. You give her bandages for her wounds; you offer comfort when memories sneak up and she cries for what looks like no reason. When she reminisces about that past, you don't remind her of the things she has chosen not to recollect, all the while telling yourself that it's unreasonable to be jealous of a dead man."
"But home isn’t where you land; home is where you launch. You can’t pick your home any more than you can choose your family. In poker, you get five cards. Three of them you can swap out, but two are yours to keep: family and native land."
Graphic: Infidelity, Abortion, and Racism
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Violence, Rape, and Cancer
bandysbooks's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Violence and Pregnancy
Moderate: Abortion