Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. In this deft exploration of love, loyalty, race, justice, and both Black masculinity and Black womanhood in 21st century America, Jones achieves that most-illusive of all literary goals: the Great American Novel.
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Sexy Nerd ‘Revue’
Marriage is a serious union. It’s a union that many people do not truly know the meaning of what it takes to combine your life to another’s for all eternity, at least that’s what is supposed to happen. So. . .imagine if you will, that you got married to the love of your life, your soul mate, your life partner, and within a blink of an eye, your whole life is turned inside out. That blink of an eye was a year and a half of time passed. And on one fateful night, everything you once believed and trusted within your mind, body and soul was ripped from you like a tsunami wreaks havoc over a neighborhood.
Celestial and Roy were typical young newlyweds trying to find their way within their marriage and life in general. Equally were motivated and eager to see what life had in store for them, although what they got wasn’t exactly what either of them signed up for. But, therein lies a question and an issue. When you take your vows to stand before God to attest that you will stick with your partner through the good and the bad and sickness and in health, how many married couples actually do? Their test was in seeing just how much they each honored their vows.
When Roy gets arrested for a crime he did not commit, not only is their marriage in jeopardy, but their promise to one another is called into question. Unfortunately, the fates had other plans because poor Roy got hemmed up for twelve years for this crime he didn’t do. In other words, shit just got real—quick like and in a damn hurry! This was one of the most captivating, frustrating, poetically, sad told stories I’ve ever read. I felt the emotions of each of the characters and placed myself in each of their shoes. Well, Jones, in fact placed the reader in each of the character’s shoes. She wrote this book! OMG, this was an amazing story and I could not get enough.
The entire time I was reading I kept wondering how in the world is this story going to end? I had my doubts and reservations about what this couple would do, but I have to say the ending is quite what I expected to happen. Actually, there are other scenarios that could have played out, but the one Jones wrote is the correct one, in this reader’s opinion. My God, I would never ever want to face what Celestial and Roy had to face. I don’t know how they managed to do it? But, as you read this story, you will quickly find out just how real this story feels. This is not your typical love story by any means. You have to go through some things to get to happy, and trust and believe, this couple goes there and back around again. I fell in love with the story and characters.
I soaked this book up in two days that’s how damn good it is. I could not wait to get back into their lives. I see why Oprah chose this as her book club pick! She was absolutely right in picking this novel. An outstanding read! I will never forget this story as long as I live. It sort of reminded me of the story An Indecent Proposal. If you saw the movie and how it caught on like wildfire, that will give you a sense of what you can expect from An American Marriage. It deals with so many real life issues and Jones handled the story flawlessly. This is as perfect as one author can get to writing a story, and Jones executed this well! It will have you asking a hundred different questions with that many answers and more. There really isn’t a right or wrong answer, or is there?
I give An American Marriage five I-Do’s. OMG I do love this book! One of the best I’ve read! Wow, I think this is going on my all-time favorite’s list. Jones is a phenomenon writer. She deserves every award she’s received. If you haven’t read this yet, you’ve got to get it immediately! Simply amazing. Until next time, open a book and get mind blown, keep on reading!
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