Title: An American Marriage
Author: Tayari Jones
Year Published: 2018
Genre: Literary Fiction
Setting: Atlanta, Georgia; Louisiana
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
An American Marriage: A Blurb
An American Marriage tells the story of Celestial and Roy, a newlywed Black couple living in Atlanta. Both are successful, ambitious, and on the precipice of great things. However, before any of that can materialize, Roy is arrested and wrongfully convicted of a heinous crime. He receives a sentence of twelve years, leaving Celestial on her own.
Over the following few years, the two continue their relationship via letters and off-page visits to the jail. Celestial’s life moves forward, and she grows closer to her lifelong friend, Andre. Roy makes connections within the prison and waits, hoping that his lawyer will finally prove his innocence.
After five years, Roy’s sentence is finally overturned, and he heads back to Atlanta, ready to restart his old life. That old life doesn’t exist any longer, however, and he and Celestial must redefine both themselves and their relationship in these new circumstances.
My Thoughts
This book was fantastic and profoundly moving. When I picked it up, I wanted a book that was set in the American South and that would make me think. This book did both of those things wonderfully.
I’ll preface this by saying that this isn’t necessarily the type of book I usually read, or maybe it’s not one that I’ve even seen before. I usually stick more to escapist reads, not books that deal with such heavy topics. When I read or hear something about prison or wrongful convictions or racial profiling, it’s usually in the news. I think the last book that I read with a similar situation was To Kill a Mockingbird, which is obviously very different. With that being said, I didn’t entirely know what to expect going into this book.
However, I was quickly moved and impressed at the way in which the author brought such humanity to a current issue. It wasn’t just about prison or even just about re-transitioning to life after prison. It was about the toll that such a thing takes on an entire family, an entire ecosystem. Jones examines how each person reacts to the situation, often imperfectly, but almost always understandably. Told in both earthshaking events and tiny, quiet moments, she perfectly illustrates the turmoil that goes along with this struggle.
There are too many loose ends in a world in need of knots. You can’t attend to all of them, but you have to try.
–Tayari Jones, An American Marriage
Characterization
Jones’ biggest strength lies within the characters she so fully brought to life. For me, none of them were entirely likeable (nor unlikeable!), but they were immensely compelling. As a writer, I believe this shows true skill; it’s easy to create a sympathetic character, but it’s much more difficult and rewarding to create a complicated one.
Both Celestial and Roy are complex, multi-faceted, real people who jump off the page. When (slight spoiler alert) Celestial decides that she can’t keep going with her marriage like this for another decade, it’s something that hurts to see, yet also forces the reader to reflect. When Roy rages at the fact that Celestial’s life has continued without him during his time in prison, we understand. Both were placed in an impossible situation, and despite their decisions not always being “good” or “fair,” they are understandable and human.
Literary Merit
The varying use of prose, letters, and flashbacks keeps the story moving in a uniquely dynamic way. It was a brilliant decision on the author’s part, one which simultaneously captured the way time must creep in a prison and how contact with the outside world must punctuate that long flow of time. Once again, she perfectly places the reader into their mindsets.
The writing style fit the book’s vibe perfectly, and you can tell that Jones spent time choosing each word. I appreciated the fact that it had the quality of literary fiction, as well as the focus on character, but it didn’t get bogged down in excessively complex language.
In the private library of my spirit, there is a dictionary of words that aren’t. On those pages is a mysterious character that conveys what it is to have no volition even when you do.
–Tayari Jones, An American Marriage
The Ending
Celestial and Roy’s story was never going to be easy, and Jones is fully aware of this. She doesn’t let them–or us–off the hook easy. It’s painful to watch at times as she lays their relationship bare and forces them to confront their demons. Above all, they must accept a central truth: over the last five years, they have both changed immensely. The question is what their future will look like together, and what their new roles will be.
There isn’t a straightforward answer, and the finale ends up being a bittersweet one, but it is right for the characters. Jones is clearly comfortable writing in that intensely human gray area, and I commend her for it. If you want a book that you’ll keep thinking about, even after you finish it, you definitely need to check out An American Marriage.
Image Credit: Background Image by Chanh Nguyen from Pixabay
