An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (2018)

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (2018)

An examination of a relationship impacted by a wrongful conviction.

Laura’s Rating: 4/5 Stars

Plot: Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are building a life together, pursuing their careers and enjoying marriage. Just as they start to settle in, their lives are ripped apart. Roy is accused of a crime he didn’t commit and is sentenced to 12 years in prison. Despite his innocence, can Roy and Celestial survive this immense challenge and separation so early in their marriage?

Opinion: I read this for a book club and probably wouldn’t have picked it up on my own, but I’ve been raving about it. It’s so intentional in the plotting and incredibly well written.

A large section of the book is told through letters back and forth between Roy and Celestial during his prison sentence. The letters section is so powerful. It tracks 5 years of time through relatively brief correspondence, yet the reader has such a clear picture of what Celestial and Roy are both thinking and feeling. Life moves on, but at the same time, it feels like just a pause while Roy waits for his freedom. Their notes are heartbreaking and deeply impactful.

The title of An American Marriage is so fitting for this novel. I think it works on two levels. The challenges faced by Roy and Celestial as the main characters represent the African American experience of working for the American Dream, only to be challenged and obstructed by racism. At the same time, there are several marriages featured in the book, some of them loving or traditional, some more modern, or marked by infidelity. This represents the diversity of marriages in America and the uniqueness of each relationship (there is no one type of “American Marriage”.)

I will say that by the end, there are very few likable characters in this story. Most of them are deeply flawed and selfish. Usually this would ruin a book for me, but it works in this one. An American Marriage weighed heavy on my heart. It is tragic and twisted but somehow beautiful. I felt like I needed a cathartic cry afterwards, but I highly recommend it.