An American Marriage by Tayari Jones is such an emotional, thought-provoking, and propulsive novel in that readers view how an explosive event alters the course of a young marriage.
Synopsis
Celestial and Roy are still in the newlywed phase of their marriage working to blend their lives and begin starting a family. A visit to Roy’s family in Louisiana changes everything when he’s accused of a violent crime despite his innocence and sentenced to twenty years in jail.
This impacts the stability of their union as they try to maintain their marriage through written correspondence. Eventually, they begin to drift apart with Celestial falling for her childhood friend and Roy’s close friend Andre. After Roy wins an appeal and is released from prison after five years he’s eager to reclaim the life he lost and rebuild his marriage with Celestial.
Content ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This story was such an interesting and complicated tale full of complex emotions and people struggling to communicate these big feelings due to complications with guilt, identity, and familial perceptions regarding personal responsibility towards Roy and the Black culture as a whole.
Additionally, themes surrounding the false imprisonment of Black men, the impact incarceration has on these individuals, the varied layers and nuances of a young marriage faced with unthinkable circumstances, and the truth about love, loyalty, and how much a marriage can take before it breaks.
These themes and topics are written and explored beautifully and we see how the decisions and actions of these characters impact their reality not just for themselves but also for those around them.
Writing Style 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This novel was written in such a personal and engaging way as we get the perspective of the main three characters: Celestial, Roy, and Andre. I appreciated the backstory of each of these individuals as it really helped to build a solid framework for this story and provided a rich backstory into Celestial and Roy’s love and marriage, who they were as individuals, and how the incarceration impacted their marriage. Not to mention how Andre became a key player in this story.
When it comes to the prose it was breathtaking and beautiful adding an emotional element to this tale and pulling on the reader’s heartstrings as you grapple to understand the perspectives and motivations of the characters.
Perhaps my favorite part was the inclusion of the letters that Celestial and Roy wrote during his imprisonment. It chronicles the strain on their marriage and the feelings of resentment, desperation, and frustration felt by both characters but for separate reasons.
Readability🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The primary factor that makes this novel so readable and enjoyable is how relatable these characters are and how real the situations they encounter are. This story is a common occurrence for many in America as they find their lives disrupted due to being falsely accused of a crime they didn’t commit.
And, while we rely heavily on our judicial system to punish criminals we never expect to have to defend ourselves from this same system when we’re in the clear and have not broken any laws.
Additionally, Jones can explore these themes and topics in such a way that it’s easy for the reader to grasp and understand these concepts. She uses engaging and easily decipherable language allowing the reader to comprehend and follow what’s going on as the story progresses.
Plot Development🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This novel is a strong character-driven story as we explore how Celestial, Roy, and Andre react to Roy’s incarceration and eventual release. We see how their families and those close in their lives react to these circumstances and influence the characters in their decisions, behaviors, and actions.
Jones does an excellent job focusing on the themes of this novel using key plot points to delve deeper into these characters’ motivations, thoughts, and behaviors as we examine how they align with the author’s intention and purpose for this story.
Characters⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
These characters were well-developed full of nuance and dynamic. It was impossible to take sides in this story as each character provided a different perspective and experience. They were all deeply flawed yet you couldn’t help but relate and root for the best for them.
My favorite character is Roy. I connected the most with his story and understood how prison culture did a number on him emotionally and mentally. As an accomplished Black man with an entrepreneurial spirit eager to make his mark in the world, I can only imagine the devastation that comes with the loss of his dreams and future. His identity was so closely tied to these things and having that snatched away was a huge blow for him. Out of all the characters in this story, I believe he had the biggest and most explosive character arc.
My least favorite character was Celestial. Out of all the characters, I felt I understood her the least. My perspective and feelings toward Celestial were ever-evolving. I tussled with many of her decisions and actions and tried to understand her motivation. I felt as though she struggled with her identity and relied heavily on the men in her life to define her and tell her who she was. I disliked how she allowed her guilt to prevent her from dealing honestly with Roy and how she could not stand ten toes down with her decisions and actions.
It felt as if she got lost in the mix between Roy and Andre as though they were the ones that made the decisions regarding who would love and be with her. Oh, how I would’ve enjoyed seeing a strong, resilient Celestial declare she’s not property and she and she alone will determine her future. She’s not to be fought over as though she’s a possession to be claimed or won but an individual capable of making her own decisions.
Would I Recommend It?
I highly recommend this novel especially if you’re looking for an emotional character-driven story exploring the dynamics of Black love, Black marriage, loyalty, cultural expectations, false imprisonment, and how incarceration impacts the Black community and Black men. This is a well-written and exquisitely crafted story that explores these themes with a complex elegance.
