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  • An American Marriage (Oprah’s Book Club)

  • A Novel
  • By: Tayari Jones
  • Narrated by: Sean Crisden, Eisa Davis
  • Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (2,232 ratings)
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An American Marriage (Oprah’s Book Club) cover art

An American Marriage (Oprah’s Book Club)

By: Tayari Jones
Narrated by: Sean Crisden, Eisa Davis
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Summary

Oprah’s Book Club 2018 Selection

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. Roy is arrested and sentenced to 12 years for a crime Celestial knows he didn't commit. 

Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. As Roy's time in prison passes, she is unable to hold on to the love that has been her center. After five years, Roy's conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to Atlanta ready to resume their life together. 

This stirring love story is a profoundly insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. An American Marriage is a masterpiece of storytelling, an intimate look deep into the souls of people who must reckon with the past while moving forward - with hope and pain - into the future. 

©2018 Tayari Jones (P)2018 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"Narrators Eisa Davis and Sean Crisden skillfully portray Celestial and Roy.... In Part One, the narrators read the couple's letters so intimately that the listener may feel like an intruder.... As every wedding vow is tested, the narrators breathe intensity into Jones's riveting prose." (AudioFile)  

What listeners say about An American Marriage (Oprah’s Book Club)

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great performances...

The plot is slightly inevitable, but absorbing nonetheless, and very well performed...my only complaint is with the actual alleged crime. I have often said my worst fear (beyond the more obvious) is being arrested for a crime I did not commit in a place where I could not clear my name... a very real fear for the many black men today in supposedly enlightened western societies. The story is not set clearly in time, (characters have cell phones so it must be pretty recent), but I can't help feeling that even in the US surely a man could not be charged with rape today without some corroborating DNA evidence? Roy is intelligent and articulate and had a good lawyer, he wasn't on drugs and had a good job- surely this shouldn't have happened? Or am I being naive?

And what happened to the victim? If Roy didn't do it who did? Did anyone? Her story added in might have been a interesting 'fourth angle' rather than the traditional 'love triangle' we see here. Especially if she were to learn that Roy is to be freed.

And 'Celestial' is a REALLY annoying character name, which stopped me from warming to her as I could have done, being black and female myself.

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31 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Marriage counselling required.

This was good in parts, but mostly I just wanted to shake the people and tell them to look at the bigger picture and stop thinking about themselves.

I am not a fan of American narrations, however this was bareable.

I personally think this is more suitable for an American market, so it was not entirely my cup of Darjeeling .

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Exciting start & finish, but disappointing overall

I was really looking forward to this book based on the good reviews.

The novel got off to an exciting and compelling start, but I felt that the majority moved sluggishly towards an ending that was foreshadowed from the outset.

Some parts of the narrative were incisive and authentic, but the reliance on conventional gender roles jarred with me. The male protagonist’s arrogance and sexism in particular distanced me from a character I felt I was supposed to like.

Regarding the narration, I found it strange that so much of the female protagonist’s voice was read by the male voice artist. This rendering was often childlike and pleading, which undermined Eisa Davis’ cool, convincing tones.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love and the Self Destroyed by Incarceration

This novel is devastatingly good. While I agree with some reviews that point out there is very little exploration of the criminal justice system, it doesn't matter. This novel is just so good in terms of how of a townie / city girl and a rural boy fall in love; and how they deal with the fallout of wrongful imprisonment comes back to their background. One can never really run from where one came from, one doesn't really change what one was born to. Prison reveals Roy's essential self. A propensity for violence is controlled and hidden away but then peaks in an unexpected, devastating way. Celestial has the privilege of never being sure of who she is and what she wants. Roy's imprisonment conveniently helps her to drift away and to continue to drift. The narrators are amazing and able to capture the heartbreak, rage and quiet torment faced. Also, I liked how Atlanta was lovingly described.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fantastic Read!

An amazing tread of events with powerful emotions expressed on all levels. The Author’s description is very captivating. X

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

too melodramatic

There were some engaging parts but the lack of proper characterisation made the relations feel implausible too often. Also, unfortunately, the main characters were far from likeable.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Uplifting

Cleverly written held my attention throughout. Excellent narrators particularly Roy. I found the last few chapters very moving. Would highly recommend

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Okay but did not live up to the reviews

I was interested in the novel but lost interest in the characters. I did listen to the whole book but felt disappointed.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not what I expected

The male narrator covering Celestial's voice? No. It diminished her to something of a carricature. The plot and characters had so much promise but in the end I didn't mind much who did what or ended up with whom...

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

fairly average

narrator was good. enjoyed the socio political themes. average storyline. I wouldn't particularly recommend this.

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2 people found this helpful