An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

“Much of life is timing and circumstance, I see that now.”

Tayari Jones recently won the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction with ‘An American Marriage’ and we completely get why. If you buy the paperback you will see a quote on the front cover from none other than Barrack Obama – and who doesn’t trust Obama?

 This novel explores a plethora of themes – namely love, loyalty, race, justice as well as black masculinity and womanhood – through the portrayal of the marriage of a young couple. It feels like a slow burner but after a couple of chapters the all-defining moment in Roy and Celestial’s marriage occurs and you are hooked. Although labelled as a ‘literary’ novel, it is surprisingly easy to digest and still has enough layers to make you stop and think about the modern world.

Professor Kate Williams, Chair of Judges, said: “This is an exquisitely intimate portrait of a marriage shattered by racial injustice. It is a story of love, loss and loyalty, the resilience of the human spirit painted on a big political canvas – that shines a light on today’s America. We all loved this brilliant book.”

#FLODown: It is hard to not feel sympathetic to both of these characters equally – although they sit on opposing sides. Their story highlights a significant movement and systemic problem in America: the treatment of Black people – especially through the judicial and penal system.

Words by Mollie Kate Cohen