Tayari Jones' New Novel 'Kin' Explores Lifelong Friendship

The author's follow-up to her blockbuster 'American Marriage' centers on two women who grew up motherless in Louisiana.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 7:00pm

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A striking black silhouette of two women's profiles, their heads tilted towards each other, set against a bold red background with a single white line dividing the frame, conveying the concept of a lifelong friendship.An abstract visual metaphor for the unbreakable bond between two friends who grew up motherless in the segregated South.Atlanta Today

Tayari Jones' new novel 'Kin' follows the intertwined lives of Vernice and Annie, two women who grew up without mothers in a small Louisiana town and became inseparable friends. Despite taking vastly different paths in life, the women remain connected by the shared experiences of their challenging childhoods. The book explores themes of love, heartache, and the power of chosen family.

Why it matters

As a follow-up to Jones' acclaimed novel 'An American Marriage,' 'Kin' continues the author's exploration of the African American experience, particularly the complexities of relationships and the resilience of the human spirit. The book's focus on the lifelong bond between Vernice and Annie also highlights the importance of platonic love and the family we create for ourselves.

The details

The novel's two narrators, Vernice and Annie, grew up together in Louisiana after both losing their mothers at a young age. Vernice was raised by her aunt Irene after her father killed her mother, while Annie's mother abandoned her to be cared for by her grandmother. Despite their differing circumstances, the girls became inseparable. As they grow older, they take vastly different paths - Vernice goes to college and marries into Atlanta's Black elite, while Annie embarks on a series of picaresque adventures. However, the women remain connected by an unbreakable bond forged in their shared experiences of motherlessness and the challenges of being 'colored' in the segregated South.

  • The story is set primarily in 1941 Louisiana.
  • 'Kin' is the latest novel from Tayari Jones, following the success of her 2018 book 'An American Marriage.'

The players

Vernice

One of the novel's two narrators, Vernice grew up without a mother after her father killed her. She goes on to attend college and marry into Atlanta's Black upper class.

Annie

Vernice's lifelong friend, Annie also grew up motherless and embarks on a series of adventures, including working in a bordello, as she searches for her absent mother.

Tayari Jones

The acclaimed author of 'An American Marriage,' which was an Oprah's Book Club selection, and the new novel 'Kin.'

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What they’re saying

“This was Louisiana in 1941. We were colored. Something was always wrong.”

— Vernice

“I don't have what she got nor the other way around. What you have the same isn't what binds you. Hearts grow strings because of what you know that's the same, what happened to you that's the same. And when what you want is the same.”

— Annie

What’s next

Tayari Jones' 'Kin' is set to be an Oprah's Book Club selection, like her previous novel 'An American Marriage.' The book is expected to generate significant buzz and discussion around themes of friendship, family, and the African American experience.

The takeaway

Through the intertwined lives of Vernice and Annie, 'Kin' explores the power of platonic love and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. The novel highlights how the family we choose can be just as important as the one we're born into.