Book Review of
Yellow Wife

Lynn's Review

Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson was published in 2021. It is historical fiction.

This book is about Pheby Delores Brown who was born on a plantation in Virginia. She was loved and sheltered by the master’s sister. She lived in two worlds, neither of which she fit into. She was a slave, but an educated one. She was educated, but she was still a slave. 

She was promised freedom at eighteen, but due to a course of events, that did not happen. She finds herself at Devil’s Half Acre, where slaves are tortured and sold daily. She catches the eye of the master, and her life is forever changed. 

In so many ways this was a five-star read for me. It was a well-researched, well-written, historical fiction book. It took me to a time and place that I know is important to learn about. For many reasons, I could not put this book down. I wanted to know what happened to Pheby and her family. 

However, this book had so much hard stuff in it. It reminded me of The Kitchen House and Fire in Beulah. Abuse, of all kinds, was very much part of the slave life. We need to know about the reality of that world. However, Saduqa Johnson did such a great job describing the setting, that I felt like I was there. In some cases, that was good, but in others, it was just too much for me. Especially when it came to the severe abuse of the Pheby and other slaves. This book had so much detail. There are so many trigger warnings on this one that it makes it hard for me to recommend. If that kind of book doesn’t bother you it is a great read that you will not forget. But if you are like me and are sensitive to those things, the PG-13 to R-rated parts of this book will probably be a little too much for you. 

I can see why this would make a good book club book. There would be a ton to discuss in this book.