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A review by kelly_e
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.25
Title: An American Marriage
Author: Tayari Jones
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: February 6 2018
T H R E E β’ W O R D S
Complex β’ Insightful β’ Powerful
π 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.
π 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.
π R E C O M M E N D β’ T O
β’ bookclubs
β’ readers looking for an exploration of marriage and injustice
β’ fans of Ask Again, Yes and/or We Are Not Like Them
π F A V O U R I T E β’ 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 isnβt where you land; home is where you launch. You canβt 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."
Author: Tayari Jones
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: February 6 2018
T H R E E β’ W O R D S
Complex β’ Insightful β’ Powerful
π 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.
π 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.
π R E C O M M E N D β’ T O
β’ bookclubs
β’ readers looking for an exploration of marriage and injustice
β’ fans of Ask Again, Yes and/or We Are Not Like Them
π F A V O U R I T E β’ 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 isnβt where you land; home is where you launch. You canβt 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."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Abortion, and Racism
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Violence, Rape, and Cancer