An American Marriage by Tayari Jones – Audio
Book Blurb:
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
My Review: 4.5 stars
An American Marriage was just WOW for me. I knew nothing about the plot of this book, only that it was an Oprah pick for book clubs. Maybe going in knowing nothing was the ticket for a novel getting tons of rave reviews. With that being said, I’m leaving this review quite sparse so that I don’t give more away than the aforementioned blurb from the press.
This book takes place in the south, both Louisiana and Georgia, and location plays a large role in this novel. It’s about a marriage that is abruptly stopped due to many things: to the system, to time, to race, to the justice system and to faith. It tests families, challenges relationships and alters our perspective. Much of this book is written in an epistolary format, which adds so much depth to the characters mindset. I personally believe it’s much easier to write your thoughts than to say them.
Jones has written a book that is sensitive, provocative and will be a winner for book clubs as there is so much to chew on.
Quotes I liked:
But home isn’t where you land; home is where you launch. You can’t pick your home any more than you can choose your family. In poker, you get five cards. Three of them you can swap out, but two are yours to keep: family and native land.”
-“A marriage is more than your heart, it’s your life. And we are not sharing ours.”
-“One is the left shoe and the other is the right. They are the same but not interchangeable.”
-“I don’t believe that blood makes a family; kin is the circle you create, hands held tight.”
-“There are too many loose ends in the world in need of knots. You can’t attend to all of them, but you have to try.”
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