This author has been recommended to me since Silver Sparrow was published years ago. I loved this story on so many levels, and from the first chapter I was hooked on the character's "voices." They are clever, funny, heartfelt, wise, and honest, giving me a glimpse into a world I know nothing of: what it is like to be black. You can't help but cheer for Roy throughout the story, even when he's made wrong decisions (a bit of a playboy) you know that this is a man who feels things deep down, who wants more out of life than his parents ever garnered, a man who is honest and clawing his way to put his life back together after being in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
While the story is mainly told from Celestial and Roy's POV's (a few chapters from Andre) I feel this is really Roy's story.
And it's one that I highly recommend to all. ( )

5 / 5 ⭐️‘s

"An American Marriage" by Tayari Jones

“Memory is a queer creature, an eccentric curator.”

This was a thought-provoking and emotionally charged story that explores the complexities of love, loyalty, and injustice in America. The story centers around newlyweds Celestial and Roy, whose lives are upended when Roy is falsely accused of a crime and sentenced to twelve years in prison.

Jones masterfully navigates the perspectives of each character, revealing the ripple effects of Roy's incarceration on not only him and Celestial, but also their families and community. The story delves deep into themes of race, class, and the criminal justice system, forcing you to confront uncomfortable truths about the harsh realities of being Black in America.

Despite the heavy subject matter, Jones infuses moments of humor and tenderness, making the characters and their relationships feel authentic and fully realized.

This was a suggested read in my ALA reading journal and I’m glad I read this one. ( )

An American Marriage is THE book of 2018. This is the best dissection of a marriage to hit the page. Gloriously written - “but home isn’t where you land; home is where you launch”. Tayari Jones masterfully uses metaphors-“The stream beside us was clear; the water gushed over smooth rocks, and twilight outlined the little waves with silver.” I loved every word and was swept away by the story of a husband wrongly arrested, sent away to jail for 12 years and how this impacts the marriage ( )

Well written from a variety of perspectives about racial injustice and the challenge of relationships split with one partner in prison. I found to be quite thought provoking but a slow burn.

3.5 stars rounded up. ( )

Celestial and Roy are a young couple who have been married a little over a year, and discussing whether to have children. When they spend a romantic night at a motel, their lives are torn apart after Roy is falsely accused of raping on old woman in another room. He loses his case and is sentenced to twelve years.

This story looks at the unbearable pressure put on an already tense relationship by enforced separation. Celestial does all she can for Roy, but feels that she needs to live her own life. Roy wants her to wait for him, to be his wife, for better or worse. As the years pass, they begin to drift apart and Celestial seeks solace elsewhere.

The title may refer to the marriage of Roy and Celestial, but other characters also have marriages that are common in America: a marriage between a couple each on their second marriage, a de facto marriage, and marriages where one parent has abandoned the other, one to settle with another wife, and one to forsake marriage altogether. All of these are arguably "an American marriage" and Jones does a nice job of giving us a window into the dynamics of each of these.

The book also has a lot to say about fatherhood. Fathers who abandoned their child, stepfathers who raise children not their own, fathers who steadfastly raise their children, and would-be fathers whose hopes are dashed.

Jones resists the temptation to make any of the main characters to be the wrecker of this American marriage. All of them are given good reasons for their actions, but all of them are flawed individuals who do things that shock and dismay. The same is true of their extended family members; even the most sympathetic of them have their dark moments.

Marriage, fatherhood and the experience of black Americans at the hands of the law are among the subjects this novel addresses, and it does them all justice while still telling a compelling, gripping and emotional story. ( )