An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones | Published February 6th 2018 by Algonquin Book |  308 Pages | Goodreads

PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION

“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. In this deft exploration of love, loyalty, race, justice, and both Black masculinity and Black womanhood in 21st century America, Jones achieves that most-illusive of all literary goals: the Great American Novel.”

✅ REVIEW

A compelling and complex novel. I was captivated from beginning to end!

Roy and Celestial are young and successful, he is an executive and she is an artist. They have been married for 1 1/2 years when a life-changing event happens that will test their marriage. The book explores the meaning of marriage, love, sacrifice, and resilience in the face of injustice.

The story is narrated in alternating points of view and takes place (mostly) in Atlanta, Georgia.  The strength of this novel lies in its characters. Their voices were carefully crafted, believable, and captivating.

Overall, I recommend it to readers of contemporary fiction. This books makes a great book club selection, we chose it recently in our group and had a great discussion.

✅ BOOK SOURCE AND FORMAT

Loan from Miami-Dade’s Overdrive Library, Audiobook