Tayari Jones’ An American Marriage is a modern take on an epistolary novel, dramatizing the tale of two star-crossed lovers. However, instead of feuding families or supernatural forces keeping the couple apart, the opponent in this story is society itself, as this book addresses issues of race, class, and justice. The two protagonists, Roy Hamilton and Celestial Davenport, are a young, newlywed couple seemingly living the American Dream, with upward-bound careers and a comfortable life in Atlanta. The story begins a little over a year into their marriage, with Roy describing their love as “still burning blue hot,” but a trip to visit Roy’s parents in Louisiana proves ominous. An unforeseeable series of events begins with Roy and Celestial ripped from their bed in the middle of the night and ends with Roy sentenced to twelve years in prison for a crime he did not commit. In a brisk turnaround, the serene honeymoon phase of this couple’s relationship is destroyed and their lives are completely upheaved.
This story is told in a series of short chapters, alternating from the perspectives of Celestial and Roy. Reading the correspondence between two people holds its own sense of intimacy, absent from any other form of narration. The genius of Jones’ writing style is that it forces the reader to adopt a critical lens as they move between chapters and read two sides of the same story. This intimate knowledge allows the reader to sympathize with both Roy and Celestial, and makes it difficult to assign blame as their marriage faces increasing trials and tribulations. A romantic at heart, it was initially difficult to push past stereotypical expectations of a traditional love story; there is no love at first sight or grand love gestures or fairytale weddings.
That being said, this was one of the most realistic portrayals of a relationship I have even encountered, and in the words of Roy, “Everything I do is a love letter addressed to you.” All in all, Jones’ storytelling creates a love between the protagonists that is tangible, sincere, and impactful.
Roy Hamilton is a creation of Jones, but there exist countless people facing Roy’s unjust fate – being a black person (surprise!) in a broken system – making this novel all the more gut wrenching and heartbreaking. In her accompanying essay, Jones provides a powerful reawakening from the fictional setting of Roy and Celestial’s love story to the bitter realities of our own world. Pertinent racial injustices plague our everyday lives, and this story foregrounds not only their immediate effects, but the emotional and physical aftermath. Bottom line this novel leaves a lasting impression; read it for its sincere love story and powerful perspective on the turmoil of injustice.
Tanisha Thakurdeen was extremely shy and books were her solace as she was growing up. She’d much rather sit down with a new book than run around a playground or watch TV. She immediately developed a love for mystery and adventure, whether it was A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Boxcar Children, or the Nancy Drew series, a fascination that persists to this day. Academics unfortunately monopolizes much of one’s life, and she found it increasingly difficult to find the time or motivation for a leisurely read. But her love for reading never faded and any break was an opportunity to unwind with a good book. As we face uncertain times, both on the global scale and as an individual navigating the endless possibilities of post-graduation life, she continues to indulge in the joy of flipping through the pages of a book and immersing herself in a new adventure.