A NEW YORK TIMES AND WASHINGTON POST NOTABLE BOOK A 2018 BEST OF THE YEAR SELECTION OF NPR * TIME * BUSTLE * O, THE OPRAH MAGAZINE * THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS * AMAZON.COM OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB 2018 SELECTION LONGLISTED FOR THE 2018 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION “A moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple.” –Barack Obama “Haunting . . . … of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple.” –Barack Obama
“Haunting . . . Beautifully written.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Brilliant and heartbreaking . . . Unforgettable.” —USA Today
“A tense and timely love story . . . Packed with brave questions about race and class.” —People
“Compelling.” —The Washington Post
“Epic . . . Transcendent . . . Triumphant.” —Elle
Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime Celestial knows he didn’t commit. Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. As Roy’s time in prison passes, she is unable to hold on to the love that has been her center. After five years, Roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to Atlanta ready to resume their life together.
This stirring love story is a profoundly insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. An American Marriage is a masterpiece of storytelling, an intimate look deep into the souls of people who must reckon with the past while moving forward–with hope and pain–into the future.
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Got bored with it and didn’t finish.
An impossible and intense situation that kept me turning the pages. Not every character was likable. Mistakes were made. But the whole ordeal was so entirely human and believable and at times the language was simply gorgeous.
This story is so beautifully written.
It was an okay read. In my opinion it didn’t live up to all of the hype.
A realistic marriage that falls apart over difficult circumstances
Excellent. Please read this book and do yourself a favor.
This book stayed with me for months.
It is a great book b/c it is something that can happen to anyone today. And it shows raw emotion and true feeling.
I found the story to be unique and very enjoyable. The characters appeared realistic. The reader feels engaged with the life of the three main characters.
This is a beautifully written book, almost begging to be read aloud. Tayari Jones develops characters that you think you know and writes with an eloquence that makes you see the characters as you read. WONDERFUL!!
I loved this book! So timely around the issue of a black man falsely accused of a crime and incarcerated. Such great character development. Great snapshot of the challenges, legally, societally and with issues of identity and elsewhere nging, of black people . Highly recommend.
Fantastic “word artist.”
Thoroughly enjoyed. Characters well developed. A good life lesson.
Tayari Jones is a genius and a gifted writer.
This was a beautifully written book and the characters were well developed. However, the characters were almost too real with flaws that kept me from having anyone to root for. The story was very sad about what can happen to a marriage when a man is falsely accused and incarcerated. But the problem for me was the three main characters all made bad choices making their situation even worse. Although the author did a great job of showing their motivations, the problem was Roy went to jail when he and Celestial had only been married for one year. Had he not got to jail, they probably would have gotten divorced. But there is more guilt involved when your husband is in jail. But apparently not enough guilt not to cheat on him. But then the guy was flirting with other women through their first year of marriage and went straight to a woman’s bed when he got out of jail so although I wanted him out of jail, I didn’t necessary think he was a great husband. I probably liked Andre best of the 3 POV characters. But again, I don’t believe in sleeping with a married person and worse, not explaining your actions when called on it by one of your good friends. I did think the book ended about as well as it could have.
I read this for book club and we all agreed it was a well written book and made us think about modern marriage and life differently.
4/5 Stars
I’m so confused by my conflicting emotions throughout this book. Some of which I felt were legitimate, while others felt contradictory. One thing for sure, this book is relevant to the plight of African American males. My heart broke for Roy and his innocent incarceration and then what he came home to. At the same time, I found many of the actions by all three of the main characters to be irreprehensible. Including Roy. Hence, my confusing emotions. They turned again when I started choking up during the epilogue. I can’t deny that this wasn’t a fascinating story line with stellar writing. Emotionally, I didn’t find it to be an easy read, but the thought provoking and relevant story kept me turning pages.
I love a book full of good, broken characters seeking redemption. An American Marriage is peppered with them. From a husband imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, to a wife struggling to keep the faith. From adult children coming to grips with their parents’ shortcomings and secrets, to parents who regret what they couldn’t do for their children when they were young and can’t do now that they’re grown. I appreciate that the situations are complicated and that there are no easy answers. And, as always, I like an opportunity to step into another person’s shoes; I think it’s good for all of us. Reading An American Marriage was not always comfortable for me, but I think that’s a good thing. Good fiction should make us uncomfortable. Should make us question our easy answers and long-held beliefs. And furious at the incarceration rate for black men.
After I finished reading, I sat thinking about the story and the characters for a long while. A while? I couldn’t fall asleep for hours. I kept thinking about the difficult choices the characters made. Some decisions I liked and some I didn’t; some characters I liked and some I didn’t. But they were real, viscerally so at some points.
I like Ms. Jones’ voice and her writing style, but I felt lost a few times in some of Roy’s sections, often having to read a sentence a few times to catch the meaning. This I think can be a drawback of a multiple point-of-view story, all told in first person. We get good and close, but the voices aren’t always so distinct. It depends what you like to read.
The end was very well done and came at the perfect time in the story. All through, something about Celestial kept nagging at me. Kept giving me this feeling of judging and disapproval. What I took away from that, after thinking for that long time afterward, says more about me than about her. She did what was in her nature. The chord it struck was because she reminded me in some ways of myself and choices I’ve made. This is another marker of good fiction, when it can reach inside your chest like that.
Definitely recommended but don’t expect a breezy read or easy answers.
A really good book club discussion book. One of the few that everybody in the group finished!
Extremely well-written and unflinching examination of the African-American experience in this country, regardless of wealth or education.