An American Marriage by Tayari Jones is, as the name implies, the story of a marriage and what happens when the husband is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. It does not focus on the crime or the legal battle, but rather, as the title implies, what happens between a husband and a wife under these circumstances. We are shown their relationship as a couple, but also hear the individual voices of Roy and Celestial.
This book is very well written, and the reader by turns empathizes with both perspectives as well as with Andre - the third character in the triangle. The author manages to bring the story to a conclusion which does not leave the reader (at least not this one) irritated by the use of some kind of formulaic ending.
Highly recommended.
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