An American Marriage was one of the best books I read last year,so when the opportunity arose to read Tayari Jones' earlier work , Silver Sparrow, I eagerly said yes.
Set in Atlanta in the 1980's , the book opens with the rather startling declaration that "My Father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist.", the words of his daughter Dana Lynn Yarboro, who is part of his secret second family. From a young age she knew something was different about her family's domestic arrangement, and once she was old enough to understand, she was expected to keep her parent's secret , since her father's original wife and daughter live in the same town. Dana always feels like the second class citizen, and since the first half of the book is told from her perspective, it can make for sorrowful reading at times. As the years go by, and the secret remains unrevealed, inevitably the two daughters, who are almost identical in age, cross paths. This further complicates matters for Dana Lynn , since she knows that Chaurisse is really her sister, and so she struggles with the conflict of wanting to know her better, while struggling with her resentment of her life as James' official daughter. The second half of the book is told from Chaurisse's perspective , and it is from her view point that we see the fall out when her father's dramatic secret is revealed. Not only does this add a type of balance to the book but it also reveals the vast differences in the family experiences of the two girls , with Dana Lynn very much receiving only the scraps of her father's time and affection when compared with Chaurisse. Seeing the developing friendship with Dana from Chaurisse's perspective also made her a more sympathetic character ,since the reader is in on the secret with Dana while she remains on the outside, ignorant of her true relationship to her new "friend"
The bold opening of the book sets up the dramatic tone nicely, and as I continued through the book I found myself drawn into this domestic drama with a difference. The characters are well drawn, and the narrow focus on the two families and the men who link them works very well. At first I found the change in perspective for the second half of the book rather jarring, but by the end I really appreciated it as a device to show both sides of the story in all their complexity. The use of language is wonderful, as I expected give my previous experience with this author.
I read a review copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Something about "Silver Sparrow" is deeply enchanting. I didn't want to put it down and was really irritated when life interfered with the reading of it. The language is lovely. Tayari Jones uses words like webs of spun silver and drapes them all around the reader. I loved everything about this book. An instant fave.

Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones is about two daughters and their differing experiences having a father who is a bigmaist.

A fantastic book about two women who are married to the same man (well, obviously, only one of them is legally the wife), told by their daughters. While Gwen and her daughter Dana know about James's "real" family, Laverne and Chaurisse don't. As the lives of the two girls intersect, complex feelings surface.

I loved this book, and loved the narrative choice. It was a difficult one to pull off, but Tayari Jones did so with style. I only wish the end wasn't so abrupt.

(Review copy from NetGalley)

This is the story of two children from two marriages both with the same father. James is a bigamist. Dana is his ‘secret’ and lives in the shadow of her sister and James ‘legitimate’ daughter.
I loved the first half of this book which is told from Dana’s viewpoint but didn’t enjoy the second half so much which is told from her sister viewpoint. It picks up again at the end and so overall I enjoyed it. Would recommend it.

A stunning follow up to the deservedly widely lauded American Marriage. I loved this story of Dana and Chaurisse, who are born just months apart yet are half sisters as a result of their fathers bigamy. The secret family of Dana and her mother have always known about Chaurisse and her mother Lauverne..... and the first half of the story tells the story from Dana and her mother’s perspective. The second is from Chaurisse, who knows nothing of her fathers other life. As the girls grow up in the same town with shared acquaintances surely it only a matter of time before the secrets come to life.

Brilliantly balanced, we have nothing but love for all the characters in this novel. A fascinating exploration and study into what the emotional impact of bigamy has on all the players involved. Provokes thoughts, discussion, and I thought a great way of highlighting the complexities of relationships behind what are often the most salacious of headlines we often see covered in journalism.

Will be recommending far and wide. Loved it.