A review by drnaynay
The Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.0

SPOILER ALERT: A woman conceived by rape of her mom by the slave master, was sold into another form of slavery, and because she was “yellow” was chosen/forced to be the wife of her new master who ran a horrifically brutal jail for runaway slaves. If forced institutionalization, rape, and horrific details of slave torture is your thing, you will love this book 😵‍💫 I was completely disturbed through this whole book. I had mixed feelings between whether this is just another sensationalization/fetishization of Black women/Black people’s trauma or if there is really some value in the examination of this story through a historical lens. It was really gruesome and hard for me to read. I think you can guess where I landed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual content, Violence, Child abuse, Torture, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Racism, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Blood, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, and Vomit