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An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book all the way through.

I love the guts of the title; in today’s society where white is considered normal and universal, to name a novel about black characters An American Novel shows confidence. The title is apt in another unfortunate way. The novel is about what a black man being in prison does to a marriage, a distinctly American problem with our justice system rigged against black men. But the novel never gets preachy about it.

Alternating sections by each of the three characters in a love triangle accomplishes two things. First, it allows us into the motives and feelings of each, such that I really cared about each and wanted the best for them. I could see why each man “deserved” the woman and why she might just take neither. Secondly, it controlled the pace of the novel in a delightful way, dangling the final decision until almost the final word–every option taking its turn to seem the probable one, every option seeming possible if not acceptable. For once the real ending was appropriate and fulfilling.

(view spoiler)[ When Davinia was introduced, I thought, well a foursome is a possible solution, but what a cheap shot. By the time that occurred, it seemed right. I could justfy a link up between either Celestial and Roy or Celestial and Andre, and at different times it seemed each man had moments of being ready to sacrifice for the other. I was terribly disappointed while I thought Celestial was going to stay with Roy out of pity, and I hate the romantic image of the loving wife who heals all the husband’s ills. But that was only a temporary tantalizing possibility, so it ended well. (hide spoiler)]

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