An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
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"An American Marriage" by Tayari Jones is a thought-provoking novel that delves into the complexities of love, marriage, and the criminal justice system. Set against the backdrop of contemporary America, Jones weaves a captivating narrative that explores the impact of a wrongful conviction on a young couple's relationship. The novel follows the lives of Celestial and Roy, a newlywed couple whose world is turned upside down when Roy is falsely accused of a crime he did not commit. As Roy is sentenced to prison, Celestial must navigate the challenges of maintaining their relationship amidst the harsh realities of the justice system. I gave it four stars because I would have wanted to read more from Celestial POV. I felt her part of the story was lacking regarding her relationship with Roy. I learned more about her upbringing than her feelings for Roy and their marriage.
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Sad, bittersweet
Celestial and Roy, married for 18 months, are visiting his parents in Louisiana when Roy is accused of rape. He did not commit it but is sent to prison for 12 years. Released early, he tries to determine if he is still married and if he and Celestial can make it work. Can they? Have they moved beyond their marriage? I liked this story, but it is sad. I liked that it is told from three points-of-view--Roy, Celestial, and Andre, Celestial's best friend since childhood. Each provides a full view of the marriage and the prison term. I felt for Roy. He got the worse. He did nothing wrong but because of his skin color, he is convicted. I found it interesting who his cellmate was. I liked the wisdom of Walter. He was spot on in so much that Roy would go through. Not sure what I feel towards Celestial and Andre. I do not like their betrayal of Roy. Nor did I like how clinical they tried to be with Roy. I think the ending was what it was going to be, what it had to be. The three characters had grown in different ways and directions. Roy was hardened from prison. Celestial was more independent than she initially believed. Andre was always there for Celestial and, to an extent, Roy. I was glad I read this. I will read more of her books.
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A Great Read - Able to Feel All the Emotions!!!
I will definitely buy other novels written by Tayari Jones be cause of her writing style. I love how she had the main characters speak through letters. Love, Pain, Romance and Justice just to name a few was present in this Novel. Roy was in the wrong place at the wrong time while Andre was in the right place at the right time!! Love or In-Love? There were some connections from a previous novel in this Powerful and Captivating Read which I liked!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Adult Literary Fiction
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones is an adult historical fiction novel that is about a young newlywed Black couple living in the South (Georgia) whose lives are shattered when the husband, Roy, is accused and convicted of a crime at a hotel that the couple stayed at together. The young wife, Celestial, finds a way to support herself and her husband’s commissary and they keep up a regular correspondence with each other for most of Roy’s sentence… BUT there is a third character POV in the story that plays a heavy role in Roy and Celestial’s marriage… and that’s all I’ll say to avoid spoilers but it was a really well-written story. I really enjoyed the epistolary portion and the almost suspenseful way the book ended, though I will admit that I had expected a much more thrilling ending, or more specifically, I was expecting a plot twist that did not happen, which made it a little disappointing. Still, it is the type of book that makes you think and it did keep me wondering about the little things that helped build up to the ending long after reading.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Page Turner can’t put down
The audio book is great, the story is great, the writing is superb.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
One of the best books I have read in a long time
I literally finished this book in 2 days. I couldn’t put it down. Powerful and captivating seeing the way systemic racism affects black men and families and marriages. It was emotional and completely unexpected. I loved this.
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Loved It !!!!!!
I felt every feeling the characters were going through. Some lines should never be crossed. Great story. Pumpkyn. B-More, MD.
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Not what I expected. Tense, but exhausting.
Roy and Celestial are newly married. Both, have promising careers on the verge of success but one night, Roy is falsely accused of rape and they are torn from one another. It doesn’t matter that his alibi is solid, he’s black and the woman accusing him of the crime is not backing down. Roy is sentenced to twelve years for a crime he did not commit. Celestial is left wondering how to navigate this kind of marriage. Is it a marriage? Can she commit to a marriage like this? One where your husband is behind bars for twelve years? This was a difficult read for me. These characters flirt with virtue and then do the opposite, over and over again. Although I could see their logic and often their justification for their actions, I quickly grew tired of the push and pull. Additionally, I really had a problem with how Celestial is made out to be a piece of property over and over again. It didn’t fit her personality as she is very strong-willed and independent. Perhaps that’s why it bothered me so much that the author even went there. There is an entire section of the book where she’s referred to as “my woman” and that just rubbed me the wrong way. Is An American Marriage a good book for a club to discuss? I think there is plenty to discuss. Between the false accusations and imprisonment, what it means to be married, the issues centering around race and class, and the importance of family, a group would have plenty to chew on.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com