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Marriage and Other Monuments
"A suspenseful family drama with powerful themes of social justice." -Bruce Holsinger, author of Culpability, an Oprah Book Club pick
In the summer of 2020, social justice protests and the removal of Confederate monuments rock the city of Richmond, Virginia, as the marriages of two estranged sisters implode.
When Cynthia's husband, Bobby, can no longer hide his dire financial situation, their union finally ruptures. Melissa, her sister, has dedicated herself so fully to racial justice activism that she becomes alienated from her own Black husband.
As the summer heats up and their marriages veer in opposite directions, the sisters have no choice but to turn to one another. Meanwhile, their husbands conspire in a racial reckoning that their ancestors-one old Virginia White, the other old Virginia Black-would never have dreamed of.
When secrets within marriage erode trust, all couples must decide what’s more being true to who they are as individuals or holding on to an illusion of the past.
Marriage and Other Monuments is a must-read multigenerational drama set against a tumultuous time of racial tension in the South.
In the summer of 2020, social justice protests and the removal of Confederate monuments rock the city of Richmond, Virginia, as the marriages of two estranged sisters implode.
When Cynthia's husband, Bobby, can no longer hide his dire financial situation, their union finally ruptures. Melissa, her sister, has dedicated herself so fully to racial justice activism that she becomes alienated from her own Black husband.
As the summer heats up and their marriages veer in opposite directions, the sisters have no choice but to turn to one another. Meanwhile, their husbands conspire in a racial reckoning that their ancestors-one old Virginia White, the other old Virginia Black-would never have dreamed of.
When secrets within marriage erode trust, all couples must decide what’s more being true to who they are as individuals or holding on to an illusion of the past.
Marriage and Other Monuments is a must-read multigenerational drama set against a tumultuous time of racial tension in the South.
- GenresFictionLiterary Fiction
318 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 10, 2026
About the author
Virginia Pye
5 books89 followersVirginia Pye’s next novel, MARRIAGE AND OTHER MONUMENTS, due out in February 2026, is set in Richmond, Virginia in the summer of 2020.
Her most recent novel, THE LITERARY UNDOING OF VICTORIA SWANN (2023 Regal House) is a love story to writers and readers set in Gilded Age Boston.
She is also the author of two post-colonial historical novels set in China, RIVER OF DUST and DREAMS OF THE RED PHOENIX (2013 and 2015, Unbridled Books).
Virginia's short story collection, SHELF LIFE OF HAPPINESS (2018, Press 53) was awarded the IPPY Gold Medal for Short Fiction.
Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, Literary Hub, Publisher’s Weekly, Writer’s Digest, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Rumpus, and elsewhere.
A graduate of Wesleyan University, Virginia holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. A Tin House Summer Workshop scholar, teaching fellow at the Virginia Quarterly Review Conference, and a repeat fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, she has taught writing at New York University and the University of Pennsylvania, and, most recently, at Grub Street in Boston.
Virginia is Fiction Editor of the literary journal Pangyrus, a Regular Contributor to Writer Unboxed, and she serves on the board of the Women’s National Book Association, Boston Chapter. To learn more about her, please visit:
www.virginia@virginiapye.com
Her most recent novel, THE LITERARY UNDOING OF VICTORIA SWANN (2023 Regal House) is a love story to writers and readers set in Gilded Age Boston.
She is also the author of two post-colonial historical novels set in China, RIVER OF DUST and DREAMS OF THE RED PHOENIX (2013 and 2015, Unbridled Books).
Virginia's short story collection, SHELF LIFE OF HAPPINESS (2018, Press 53) was awarded the IPPY Gold Medal for Short Fiction.
Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, Literary Hub, Publisher’s Weekly, Writer’s Digest, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Rumpus, and elsewhere.
A graduate of Wesleyan University, Virginia holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. A Tin House Summer Workshop scholar, teaching fellow at the Virginia Quarterly Review Conference, and a repeat fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, she has taught writing at New York University and the University of Pennsylvania, and, most recently, at Grub Street in Boston.
Virginia is Fiction Editor of the literary journal Pangyrus, a Regular Contributor to Writer Unboxed, and she serves on the board of the Women’s National Book Association, Boston Chapter. To learn more about her, please visit:
www.virginia@virginiapye.com
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 5, 2025
This was a nostalgic, relatable, and timelessly relevant read. Between 2020’s pandemic, social justice protests, and marital issues, there was so much to absorb as I read. Lies about finances drive a couple apart and another couple is struggling over an uneven balance of activism. It was fascinating to see the material issues explode and how the Cynthia and Melissa navigate the messes left behind. sisters have no choice but to turn to one another. I really enjoyed the way the themes of of trust and societal issues are painted throughout the pages. I felt a lot of emotion for every character and their individual issues.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 4, 2025
Virginia Pye’s Marriage and Other Monuments masterfully intertwines the unraveling of two families with the chaos of a nation in turmoil. Set in Richmond during the pandemic and the protests that followed George Floyd’s death, Pye's latest novel captures how public turmoil seeps into and shapes private lives. The unraveling of two marriages unfolds against the toppling of monuments, revealing how race, class, and long-held secrets can erode even the strongest foundations. Pye writes with honesty and empathy about love, loss, and survival. Her characters are infinitely relatable, and I know I'll be thinking of them for a long time to come. Thank you, NetGalley and Koehler Books, for this wonderful early read.
February 2, 2026
Marriage and Other Monuments by Virginia Pye. Thanks to @mbcbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s the summer of 2000 and protests are abound in Richmond, Virginia over Confederate monuments. Two sisters both have their marriages on the rocks and turn to each other.
I liked this one and found it funny because it feels like historical fiction, even though it took place five years ago. The US is just a completely different climate now, and it’s sad how fast we changed. I loved how the plotline is about monuments, but the story is so much more than that. It’s an examination of not only the political climate, but marriages, sibling relationships, and friendships. There were some moments that were slower, and certain characters I wasn’t as in to, but it’s worth a read and is a powerful story.
“That was life for you. There was always someone trying to eat your lunch. But you had to fight back. You had to take charge.”
Read if you like:
-Contemporary fiction
-Political climate plot lines
-Domestic drama
Marriage and Other Monuments comes out 2/10.
It’s the summer of 2000 and protests are abound in Richmond, Virginia over Confederate monuments. Two sisters both have their marriages on the rocks and turn to each other.
I liked this one and found it funny because it feels like historical fiction, even though it took place five years ago. The US is just a completely different climate now, and it’s sad how fast we changed. I loved how the plotline is about monuments, but the story is so much more than that. It’s an examination of not only the political climate, but marriages, sibling relationships, and friendships. There were some moments that were slower, and certain characters I wasn’t as in to, but it’s worth a read and is a powerful story.
“That was life for you. There was always someone trying to eat your lunch. But you had to fight back. You had to take charge.”
Read if you like:
-Contemporary fiction
-Political climate plot lines
-Domestic drama
Marriage and Other Monuments comes out 2/10.
December 1, 2025
This was an insightful portrayal of two tumultuous marriages amidst the Covid pandemic and racial protests in Richmond, Virginia. The "Other Monuments" in the title is both figurative--the monuments of social justice and society--and literal, as activists demand the removal of Confederate statutes in town.
The novel is told from the four points of view of the two marriages. The novel excels at showing each person's thoughts and needs, in a way that when reading each character, you're convinced that their story of their marriage is the correct one... until you are swayed by the character in the next chapter. Pye deconstructs the marriages realistically, showing that both sides of a story can be both true and misleading.
This novel is both a timepiece of 2020 as well as an unfortunately timeless story of inequality and hope. The characters are flawed and wonderful and spending time with them was pure joy. An excellent read.
Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read an advance copy.
The novel is told from the four points of view of the two marriages. The novel excels at showing each person's thoughts and needs, in a way that when reading each character, you're convinced that their story of their marriage is the correct one... until you are swayed by the character in the next chapter. Pye deconstructs the marriages realistically, showing that both sides of a story can be both true and misleading.
This novel is both a timepiece of 2020 as well as an unfortunately timeless story of inequality and hope. The characters are flawed and wonderful and spending time with them was pure joy. An excellent read.
Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read an advance copy.
March 4, 2026
I admired the ways in which this novel deftly weaves together the stories and struggles of the two couples at the heart of the story (Marshall and Melissa, and Cynthia and Bobby) while grounding the narrative so deeply in Richmond, Virginia, a city with a rich, if fraught, history. The James River, in particular, feels like a character in the novel, and the writing about it is lovely and moving, especially when Bobby reconnects with the river on the way to figuring out a new path for his life.
His story underscores a thread that runs through the novel: that upheavals in our lives can sometimes lead us to imagine or take hold of new possibilities, and to follow new paths that feel truer to ourselves and what we really value.
The novel also offers a clear-eyed, unflinching look at the legacy of racism in Richmond, the effects of which are especially apparent in Marshall’s story. Although he owns and manages property in the city, we see through his family history the long reach of racial injustice, especially as it relates to the ability of Black citizens in Richmond (and throughout the country) to attain and hold onto property and, as a result, build wealth across generations. Pye’s writing about these struggles gives us powerful insights into how this history of discrimination has affected generations of Marshall’s family, and Marshall himself.
You can read my full review of the book here: https://smallpresspicks.com/marriage-....
His story underscores a thread that runs through the novel: that upheavals in our lives can sometimes lead us to imagine or take hold of new possibilities, and to follow new paths that feel truer to ourselves and what we really value.
The novel also offers a clear-eyed, unflinching look at the legacy of racism in Richmond, the effects of which are especially apparent in Marshall’s story. Although he owns and manages property in the city, we see through his family history the long reach of racial injustice, especially as it relates to the ability of Black citizens in Richmond (and throughout the country) to attain and hold onto property and, as a result, build wealth across generations. Pye’s writing about these struggles gives us powerful insights into how this history of discrimination has affected generations of Marshall’s family, and Marshall himself.
You can read my full review of the book here: https://smallpresspicks.com/marriage-....
February 28, 2026
In Marriage and Other Monuments, Pye creates an intimate, insightful portrait of two unraveling marriages. Their struggles are set in Richmond, VA, during the summer of 2020. COVID and the Black Lives Matter movement both contribute to the multiple stresses these characters face.
The book portrays two sisters, Cynthia and Melissa, married to two very different men. As the narrative begins, we see how months of quiet resentments--and secrets--are wearing on both marriages. The social and economic pressures of the summer expose the emotional cracks that have infiltrated the couples' relationships over the years, and it's not long before both couples end up separated from their respective spouses. The very different sisters end up as neighbors, and as the story progresses, we see more of their authentic selves, and how the women's identities differ from their former ideas of themselves. The husbands' POVs are also represented, and by the end of the novel, significant character growth is thoughtfully portrayed.
This was an ambitious book, I thought, and Pye did a great job. Lots of delicate social and emotional nuance was required to portray these characters, and I was impressed with the way Pye pulled the pieces of narrative together to create a moving story of good, flawed people working through challenging circumstances.
The book portrays two sisters, Cynthia and Melissa, married to two very different men. As the narrative begins, we see how months of quiet resentments--and secrets--are wearing on both marriages. The social and economic pressures of the summer expose the emotional cracks that have infiltrated the couples' relationships over the years, and it's not long before both couples end up separated from their respective spouses. The very different sisters end up as neighbors, and as the story progresses, we see more of their authentic selves, and how the women's identities differ from their former ideas of themselves. The husbands' POVs are also represented, and by the end of the novel, significant character growth is thoughtfully portrayed.
This was an ambitious book, I thought, and Pye did a great job. Lots of delicate social and emotional nuance was required to portray these characters, and I was impressed with the way Pye pulled the pieces of narrative together to create a moving story of good, flawed people working through challenging circumstances.
June 15, 2026
This is exactly the kind of book I love to read and discuss with a book club. The story is set in the Capitol of the Confederacy (Richmond, VA), amid the panic of a worldwide pandemic (Covid), and volatile nationwide protests following the George Floyd murders (sparking the BLM movement).
It brews like a Molotov cocktail ready to explode.
Combining all these elements, Virginia Pye manages to craft a coherent and riveting story that explores marital relationships, sibling relationships, friendship, and systemic racism all through the lens of this moment in time with simmering clarity.
The title could not be more fitting. Of course "Marriage and Other Monuments" refers to the Civil War era monuments that were taken down in Richmond, VA in 2020 and 2021. But, adding two struggling marriages to the mix created a perfect microcosm of how the year 2020 changed people, cities, and a country. I'll keep this one on my shelf.
It brews like a Molotov cocktail ready to explode.
Combining all these elements, Virginia Pye manages to craft a coherent and riveting story that explores marital relationships, sibling relationships, friendship, and systemic racism all through the lens of this moment in time with simmering clarity.
The title could not be more fitting. Of course "Marriage and Other Monuments" refers to the Civil War era monuments that were taken down in Richmond, VA in 2020 and 2021. But, adding two struggling marriages to the mix created a perfect microcosm of how the year 2020 changed people, cities, and a country. I'll keep this one on my shelf.
February 11, 2026
Marriage and Other Monuments is set in Richmond, Virginia during the summer of 2020. During this time, social justice protests are calling for the removal of Confederate monuments in the city. At the same time, two sisters at the center of this story are in dissolving marriages.
The sisters naturally lean on one another, and their husbands connect as well. The reader hears from each character’s viewpoint; each has the feel of an honest portrayal. I was buying in to all of it. It was fascinating how she captured the nuance that how we feel in a marriage can be both true and not true at the same time. A sensitive and powerful meditation on the complexities of marriage with a solid social justice backdrop. I loved this.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
The sisters naturally lean on one another, and their husbands connect as well. The reader hears from each character’s viewpoint; each has the feel of an honest portrayal. I was buying in to all of it. It was fascinating how she captured the nuance that how we feel in a marriage can be both true and not true at the same time. A sensitive and powerful meditation on the complexities of marriage with a solid social justice backdrop. I loved this.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
February 27, 2026
What amazes me about this novel is how the author takes us inside the hearts and minds of characters representing diverse, sometimes diametrically opposed, characters in the drama that unfolded in our country after the 2020 murder of George Floyd. Without imposing her judgement on the reader, though not without a moral compass, the author makes us feel we are on the streets and in the homes of people representing the powerful forces tearing at Americans at that searing moment. We may not know Richmond, Virginia, where the story unfolds, but we can identify with the life stories and life-changing moments of these memorable men and women, young and old. A page-turner that gracefully blends tender moments with profound themes, it will remain in my thoughts long after I closed the book.
March 12, 2026
A deep dive into two marriages, set in the tumultuous time of COVID and Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 in Virginia's capitol city. This family drama deftly builds as each of the 4 main characters awakens in different ways--uncovering their own buried selves. Marriage as an institution--or monument--is at the heart of the story. All eyes were on Richmond nationwide as one by one, the Confederate monuments came down. Images of the joyful, boisterous--sometimes confrontational-- protests made national news. Readers familiar with Richmond will recognize that uniquely complicated but heartbreakingly beautiful city with a dark history. This novel brings recent struggles around racism and DEI to life, reminding us to focus on the local and the interpersonal as well as the systemic.
November 20, 2025
I read this book with great interest and quite quickly. I found it to be a complex yet readable story and I loved how its various narratives were intertwined to deepen and connect the themes. I've read a few of Pye's other books and this one really stuck out for me. I was moved by the characters' dilemmas and being taken back in time to the recent history of the George Floyd summer was a powerful experience. Thank you for sharing this galley with me; I will certainly recommend this book with enthusiasm.
December 30, 2025
What an interesting novel! I am happy I won this on Goodreads and was able to appreciate the author's ability to weave so many themes into the story. I think the title is both literal and figurative and makes the reader contemplate the different monuments in our lives. The author has a strong narrative and presents the different characters in complex, meaningful ways. It's a thoughtful study of our current society, how we deal with our past and future, and how we interact with each other going forward.
May 28, 2026
I have been lost in this book ever since I picked it up!
Everything I love about a good story jumps off of the pages of Virginia's book: history, nature, architecture (especially southern given I'm from South Carolina), human feelings and raw emotions. There isn't one thing I would change and and am so thankful for the fascinating history lesson about a city and it's people that deserve to be heard!
Everything I love about a good story jumps off of the pages of Virginia's book: history, nature, architecture (especially southern given I'm from South Carolina), human feelings and raw emotions. There isn't one thing I would change and and am so thankful for the fascinating history lesson about a city and it's people that deserve to be heard!
February 26, 2026
A story of institutions under pressure as the confederate monuments in Richmond are protested and ultimately removed. The combination of “institutions” crumbling, this historical moment, jacks up family drama. There’s no putting this book down once you’ve started. It’s pitch-perfect—compelling characters in a setting under siege, literally and figuratively.
July 3, 2026
Marriage and Other Monuments is an elegantly written page-turner brimming with the history of Richmond. Virginia Pye aligns a story of teetering marriages with a city reckoning with its confederate past. This is an engrossing, emotionally astute novel, taut with the undercurrents of emotions roiling underneath the smooth-seeming surfaces of unions long in place.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
i won this in a giveaway
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2026
Well written, just not for me.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews