An American Marriage

An American Marriage (Tayari Jones, 2018)

How I stumbled upon it: I got it from Book of the Month, but I’d been eagerly awaiting it as an anticipated novel of 2018.

What it's about: A newlywed couple (Celestial + Roy) is tested when Roy is sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit.  The book traces the before, the during (a series of letters + prose) and the after with incredible poignancy.  Celestial is trying to move on with her life when she finds out that Roy has been released seven years early, and the impact this has on their relationship is profound, especially since Celestial has moved on with his best friend.

What I thought: This book was so well written and the story is so compelling. It is definitely literary fiction - a mix of thoughtful writing and a plotline that will make you think about how you would survive (or if you would survive) a similar situation. I would definitely recommend as an intense + markedly readable selection.

You can get it here OR you can sign up for Book of the Month here..