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A review by sharonleavy
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
emotional
tense
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
Firstly, I've never been so thankful for those .75 star ratings, because this really was a solid 3.75 for me.
Roy and Celestial are a young married couple planning their future and discussing whether or not they want to have children. When Roy is accused of the rape of a white woman, Celestial stands by him as he is sentenced to twelve years in prison. Roy clings on to his marriage and knows that Celestial will be there waiting for him when he gets out, but Celestial is becoming less enthusiastic about Roy's impending homecoming.
Andre, Roy's best friend, is also becoming closer to Celestial than Roy would either like or tolerate were he on the outside.
I didn't love or hate this - I thought it was a solid read, but I wasn't enamoured by either Roy or Celestial which may have had an impact on my overall enjoyment. I can't begin to understand some of the decisions Roy made, they made me really uncomfortable and Celestial's willingness to appease him despite her documented independence up to those points really irritated me. The resolution was satisfactory, though, even if the end felt slightly rushed given the pace of the rest of the book.
My favourite character was Davina, a woman who appears towards the end of the story. I liked her a lot.
I borrowed this from the library via Borrowbox so give it a go if you're looking for something new to read!
Roy and Celestial are a young married couple planning their future and discussing whether or not they want to have children. When Roy is accused of the rape of a white woman, Celestial stands by him as he is sentenced to twelve years in prison. Roy clings on to his marriage and knows that Celestial will be there waiting for him when he gets out, but Celestial is becoming less enthusiastic about Roy's impending homecoming.
Andre, Roy's best friend, is also becoming closer to Celestial than Roy would either like or tolerate were he on the outside.
I didn't love or hate this - I thought it was a solid read, but I wasn't enamoured by either Roy or Celestial which may have had an impact on my overall enjoyment. I can't begin to understand some of the decisions Roy made, they made me really uncomfortable and Celestial's willingness to appease him despite her documented independence up to those points really irritated me. The resolution was satisfactory, though, even if the end felt slightly rushed given the pace of the rest of the book.
My favourite character was Davina, a woman who appears towards the end of the story. I liked her a lot.
I borrowed this from the library via Borrowbox so give it a go if you're looking for something new to read!