A review by mmarlborough
Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

5 ⭐️ alert!!!! This is one of the most powerful historical fiction books I’ve ever read. I’m not seeing this on bookstagram much and that’s gotta change. This will be hard to top, it is one of my faves this year.

Pheby Dolores Brown was born a slave, but she was treated better than most. Her father was the white plantation owner, her mother the seamstress slave on the plantation. Promised freedom on her 18th birthday, Pheby tries to stay in line and get by until then but a series of horrific events leads to her being sold to a vicious jailer. She finds herself forced to be his mistress as her only chance of survival. This is a harrowing story about what a mother does to protect her children, no matter the cost. 

Johnson was inspired by real people and events - I highly recommend reading her author’s note at the end of the book. I was blown away by her writing and characters. I have never read a book that shows the horrors of what mixed race/light skinned women endured during slavery. This story will stay with me for a long time. I can’t wait to read more by Johnson. 

✨Trigger Warnings: Racism, Slavery, Torture, Rape, Child Death, Miscarriage