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shellballenger's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Type of read: Lunch/Weekend Read
What made me pick it up: One of the TN R.E.A.D.s prompts for August was to read an epistolary novel or collection of letters. The description for 'An American Marriage' seemed like something I would enjoy.
Overall rating: I enjoyed 'An American Marriage.' It was real and raw, as someone married for over 15 years, I could feel the emotions and almost transport myself into the conversations Roy and Celeste had about love, being together, and the future. Some of the book moved a bit slowly for me, but it all worked into the story in the end. Overall, I'm glad I came across this one!
Reader's Note: 'An American Marriage' includes themes of sex, violence, death, rape, and racism.
What made me pick it up: One of the TN R.E.A.D.s prompts for August was to read an epistolary novel or collection of letters. The description for 'An American Marriage' seemed like something I would enjoy.
Overall rating: I enjoyed 'An American Marriage.' It was real and raw, as someone married for over 15 years, I could feel the emotions and almost transport myself into the conversations Roy and Celeste had about love, being together, and the future. Some of the book moved a bit slowly for me, but it all worked into the story in the end. Overall, I'm glad I came across this one!
Reader's Note: 'An American Marriage' includes themes of sex, violence, death, rape, and racism.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Infidelity, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Abortion
chloelawrence127's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Abortion
raindropxox's review against another edition
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed listening to this book, it was a quick listen. I thought although it was quite a simple story, it also can give you a lot to think about if you go deeper. I liked having all of the different perspectives as I thought it elevated it from what it was apparently previously meant to be, which was a story with just Celestial’s point of view! I thought the ending was quite a sad reflection on our society, how Roy and Celestial’s marriage was ruined because of racism, basically. Him going to prison for something he didn’t do changed him and their marriage into something irreversible. I think that although the ending for me was slightly unsatisfying, I think that was important as it shows that there’s still a long way to go in terms of defeating racism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Death of parent
Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence
Minor: Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Abortion
carlytenille's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual content, Police brutality, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, and Abandonment
anniesher23's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was heartbreaking and I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. It was truly devastating to see how incarceration broke so many lives. I think my favorite part of this book was how close Roy’s experience came to turning him into the kind of person his wrongful conviction made him out to be, but how he recognized that and chose not to be that person in the end. That was incredibly powerful and well done. I’m not sure how I feel about Celestial’s character - I felt like she had so little agency in the end, but maybe the point is that what she went through changed her that deeply. I will prob have more to say about this book so TALK SOON!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Abortion
midnightmarauder's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
An American Marriage is the fourth novel written by Tayari Jones. It follows the story of newlyweds Roy and Celestial Hamilton, whose marriage is put to the test when Roy is falsely accused of rape.
Roy and Celestial had been staying the night at a motel in the fictional town of Eloe, Louisiana, with plans to visit Roy's parents. Him and Celestial get into a small disagreement aftertelling her that the man who raised him wasn't his biological father , and he leaves their room to clear his head and fill their ice bucket. There, he meets an elderly woman who has her arm in a sling, also getting ice. Roy takes it upon himself to help the woman bring the ice back to her room. While he's there, he also helps out with her leaky toilet. Before leaving, he notices that the doorknob to her room is wonky, and brings the issue to her attention. Later that night, the woman is assaulted, and as Roy was the last man she laid eyes on that knew about the broken doorknob, she accuses him as her assailant.
The book's central theme is how racism and the justice system go hand in hand, and how a false accusation can affect someone in different ways. The race of the woman who was assaulted is never explicitly stated, but it can be assumed that she was white. Being that Roy is a black man in the Deep South at the time, it was his word against that of hers. Despite him and Celestial maintaining their alibi, the prosecutors sentence Roy to 12 years in prison.
The pair try their best to make the marriage work, the effort of which is told through a series of letters. Celestial takes the time to visit Roy as much as possible and put commissary on his books, while Roy tries to maintain his sanity. Early into Roy's sentence, Celestial writes to tell Roy thatshe's pregnant, but being reluctant to bring a child into the world, he quietly asks her to have an abortion. This breaks Celestial and puts a further strain on the relationship. For a while, Celestial stops responding to Roy's letters and absorbs herself into her hobby, dollmaking. Eventually, she grows tired of the distance between the two of them and lets Roy know that she no longer wants to be his wife, subsequently beginning a relationship with her childhood friend, Andre.
In my opinion, a good protagonist is one that is imperfect. I felt that Roy Hamilton fit that bill. He was flawed from the very beginning, from the manner in which he was brought into the world to the day of his release from prison. That doesn't mean that I liked him, however. I felt that he was quite selfish throughout the course of the novel, from the moment he met Celestial to the dissolution of their relationship. Some may interpret him differently, possibly saying that he developed into a selfish being during the time he spent in prison, but I don't agree. One of the biggest things I hated about Roy was his blatant misogyny. He often treated Celestial as if she were his property instead of a separate human being. This shows the most toward the end of the novel when heconfronts Andre about him and Celestial's newfound relationship. He feels as though Andre has "stolen" Celestial away, and that Celestial should have waited all that time for him because he, and I quote, "would've done it for her". Also, there was a part of the novel after Roy is released and sees Celestial that he practically tries to force himself onto her. She isn't interested in having sex with him, but he pushes and pushes. When she does reluctantly give in, she asks that he use protection. Roy is greatly offended by this, feeling as though he was entitled to have sex with his wife whenever he wanted, and it is shown in his monologue that he considers raping her just because he "knows that he can". Thankfully, he doesn't go through with it, but the fact that he contemplated it for even a second grossed me out. Both Celestial and Andre's patience and capacities for forgiveness was absolutely phenomenal, because I would've never given Roy any grace for his behavior. Roy's thoughts and actions were disgusting, regardless of if prison made him that way or not.
Overall, I loved the way this novel was written. It is the second book I've read by Tayari, the first one being her debut novel, Leaving Atlanta. I read that book rather quickly, so I'm not surprised that I was able to finish this one at the same speed.
Roy and Celestial had been staying the night at a motel in the fictional town of Eloe, Louisiana, with plans to visit Roy's parents. Him and Celestial get into a small disagreement after
The book's central theme is how racism and the justice system go hand in hand, and how a false accusation can affect someone in different ways. The race of the woman who was assaulted is never explicitly stated, but it can be assumed that she was white. Being that Roy is a black man in the Deep South at the time, it was his word against that of hers. Despite him and Celestial maintaining their alibi, the prosecutors sentence Roy to 12 years in prison.
The pair try their best to make the marriage work, the effort of which is told through a series of letters. Celestial takes the time to visit Roy as much as possible and put commissary on his books, while Roy tries to maintain his sanity. Early into Roy's sentence, Celestial writes to tell Roy that
In my opinion, a good protagonist is one that is imperfect. I felt that Roy Hamilton fit that bill. He was flawed from the very beginning, from the manner in which he was brought into the world to the day of his release from prison. That doesn't mean that I liked him, however. I felt that he was quite selfish throughout the course of the novel, from the moment he met Celestial to the dissolution of their relationship. Some may interpret him differently, possibly saying that he developed into a selfish being during the time he spent in prison, but I don't agree. One of the biggest things I hated about Roy was his blatant misogyny. He often treated Celestial as if she were his property instead of a separate human being. This shows the most toward the end of the novel when he
Overall, I loved the way this novel was written. It is the second book I've read by Tayari, the first one being her debut novel, Leaving Atlanta. I read that book rather quickly, so I'm not surprised that I was able to finish this one at the same speed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
jordyfrombookclub's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a beautifully written book about the damage years in prison can do to a person, their loved ones, and the rest of their life. It’s a story about the equally impossible and necessary task of moving forward. Throughout the book, I felt myself empathizing and feeling frustrated by each of the characters in equal measure as they worked through their uprooted lives.
Content Warnings
Minor: Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, and Abortion
klfipps's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Rape, and Murder
Moderate: Grief, Abortion, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Sexual content
jessv's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I knew after reading the first chapter that I would enjoy this book. I think it is beautifully written and so interesting to switch perspectives amongst the chapters. The story doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable situations in which you both empathise with a character while wishing they would stop what they're doing or make another decision. There isn't any "right decision" (in my opinion) and the emotions felt very raw and realistic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Violence, Abortion, and Death of parent
Minor: Rape
readbetweendeelines's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Rape, Abortion, and Death of parent