Yellow Wife is a well-written, horrifying story of slavery treatment. The coping and hoping that so many had to endure; and the ultimate sacrifice of identity, modesty, and humanity that is tragically lost along the way.

The story itself is very good and based loosely on facts. Given there is a fair bit of fiction here, everything felt believable (tragically) throughout. The biggest flaw however is that there is a bit of distance left between the reader and all the characters. At first I felt like this was left in place because Sadeqa Johnson is trying to give the reader the feeling of what many would have done to preserve their own sanity; distanced themselves from their living situations and reality. Eventually it felt like it was more a lack of intimate writing. I never really felt an enduring connection with any of our characters, including our leading lady. It was just a little too superficial when it came to emotions. This was especially true when it came down to scenes describing intense torture, insane grief, and other massively impactful moments. I'll admit that it's possible that more would have been too much for many readers. By keeping Yellow Wife at a bit of a distance Johnson allows more readers to be able to experience the reality of the extreme conditions for so many slaves in the Southern USA. For me that feels a bit cheap. Although I will admit to liking grimdark fantasy and horror so perhaps I'm not the right person to decide what is 'too much' for the average reader. That's not to say that I desire more harshness and intolerable conditions; just that it didn't connect for me like many other stories of this genre often do. At no time was I choked up or brought to tears. My fear for our characters was not as intense as it could likely have been and it was easy to casually pick this book up. Given the content and subject matter that is a bit surprising; but again leaves the novel readily accessible for a larger crowd of readers, which is awesome in it's own way.

I will look for more books by Johnson as I really liked the trueness that came across on the page. It felt very genuine and the research incorporated so many truths in it that it was nearly impossible to know what was likely fiction versus based on fact until I reader the Author's Note at the end. As with many historical stories Johnson provides us with a list of sources, supplemental reads, and details about what was based on as much fact as she could find.

Overall this is a shorter historical fiction book that is well worth everyone's time to read. It gives a brutal, excruciating view of the horrendous conditions of slavery in the South. I feel it's very timely given the recent events in the USA (it was just inauguration day) and how quickly things can deteriorate to conditions that are beyond unacceptable for any humans to exist in. While I do not believe that true 'ownership' slavery will ever come back; there is a fine line between slavery and creating social conditions that render certain groups of people into deplorable conditions, restrict their income or educational abilities, and in general control the lives of others. What is truly terrifying is that it's not as if equality had been gained between the timeframe of this book and today; and yet we are now seeing the rights and livelihood's of others taken away for no other reason than the colour of their skin, religion, sexuality, or place of birth. It's disgusting and I hope that books like Yellow Wife can remind people to fight back and remind themselves/ourselves that every human is equally special and precious.

If nothing else Yellow Wife does bring to the forefront that a common evil or enemy can create friendships and alliances that benefit the greater good. Let us hope that we see a lot more of this happen today as it did back then.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

Gave this book a try but overall didn’t enjoy it. Wasn’t able to get into the story as much as I wanted to.

I was in a slump so it took me quite a while to get to reading this but I'm so glad I did! Yellow Wife is a powerful and heartbreaking book, and one I feel everyone should read once in their lifetime.

I read this during the lockdowns, but mental health derailed my review. This story is brutally honest. It was actually painful to read, but we shouldn't look away from these truths of history. Pheby is a phenomenal protagonist and her courage, resilience, and boundless love for her children carry the story beautifully. Her strength is a bright light in the face of the worst evil that humanity is capable of inflicting. Everyone should read this book, but I caution you to expect all the possible triggers you would imagine from this subject matter. Thank you to Sadeqa Johnson and Simon Schuster for this ARC!

I received an ARC of this from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I put off reading this novel and I’m not sure why. But when the time came to read something different and something short, I picked it back up. I read several reviews beforehand and many people warned that it took awhile to get into it, or it was a laborious but necessary read. So I mentally prepared myself, and strapped myself in for the read.
I have no idea why I didn’t read this sooner. I was engaged right away and absolutely loving the characters. It is a story about heartbreak, slavery, freedom and it’s really fantastic. It was not laborious for me at all but I completely agree that it’s a necessary read. It’s beautiful and heart wrenching. I literally read this in a 24 hour period.
Loved it!

Absolutely fantastic. Such a well written emotional read. Pheby had so much to overcome as she uses her intelligence and wits to survive and make sure her family survives.

Yellow Wife is a raw and heartbreaking story. It's not an easy read by any means but it's important.

Included in February round-up of historical fiction for Zed, Zoomer magazine's online books section.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book tells of a woman's life that is not her own. Born on a plantation and protected by the Master's sister and the high status of her mother, who is a medicine woman, Pheby Delores Brown lives an easier life than most slaves.
After a tragic carriage accident results in the death of her mother and severe injury of the Master of the plantation, the Mistress of the plantation has Pheby sold and Pheby must use her education and wits to survive in her future circumstances.
This story is full of intense scenes of violence carried out against slaves who had no rights and were treated with complete indifference as to whether they lived or died.
Highly recommend to anybody interested in this time frame of history.

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t think I have read any other books that have dealt with slavery in their sense and it really was an eye opener for sure. It’s so hard for me to even fathom treating another human so poorly. And then everyone just doing what they need to do to survive. It was truly heartbreaking. It was an amazing story to see what Pheby had to overcome and didn’t let it get her to down. She was such a strong character for herself and her children and even Essex.

I would recommend everyone to read this novel.

Incredibly moving and meticulously researched reimagining of one mulatto slave woman’s life as a mistress (or “yellow wife”) to a cruel Jailer in Richmond, Virginia. Pheby is born into slavery but promised her freedom on her eighteenth birthday by her Plantation owning, white father. Her dream of freedom is thwarted however, when out of jealousy her father’s wife secretly sends Pheby away to a large jail/slave market. Once there Pheby catches the eye of the jailer and he takes her for himself. Together they have five children (plus the son Pheby had from her first love, Essex). The rest of the story is a true testament to the love and sacrifices a mother will make to try to give all of her children the freedom she was never able to achieve. Trigger warning there are some disturbing infant death scenes. Amazing debut for Sadequa Johnson > pairs really well with Robert Jones Jr’s debut, The prophets!!

A powerful historical fiction based on the life of a slave ,Pheby,in Virginia in 1850. Once her master dies she is sent to the Lapier jail in Richmond to be sold as a "fancy girl" .The ower of the jail takes her in and makes her his yellow wife. The story is complex ,inspiring and heartbreaking,
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book. It's one of my favourites to handsell and the story was inbcredibly engaging. I didn't want it to end.

Beautifully written historical fiction. Phoebe is born a slave, but light skinned. The death of the plantation owner dashes her hopes of freedom at age 18, and instead she is sold off to a brutal slave trader. Brutal at times, especially during her times at the slave jail at Hell's Half Acre, this nonetheless is an uplifting salute to bravery and self-reliance.

This is one of those books that everyone should read. If people read this then I imagine they wouldn’t hold onto any old thoughts about people of color. This is a heartbreaking story. It is honest and raw and horrible all at the same time. It doesn’t have easy topics and it will choke you up more then once. But I promise it is worth the read.

This story was so hard to put down yet it was emotionally difficult to witness at times. It transports the reader back to the mid-19th century before the Civil War when slave trade was a booming business. It follows an enslaved woman, Pheby Deloris Brown, of mixed black and white descent whose mother was a slave and father was a wealthy plantation owner. A series of events lead Pheby to the Infamous Devil’s Half Acre jail in Virginia. There she becomes the Jailer’s property and mistress, set apart from others but not fitting into either world. This story is loosely based on the life of Mary Lumpkin and Lumpkin’s jail. It is a profound look at slavery in the 1800’s with raw and unadorned descriptions that may be on the edge for some readers. I loved this book! Definitely in my top five this year. A must read for anyone who is drawn to historical fiction.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada.and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The characters in this thought provoking book are deep and well written. This is an important book that opens a window into the history of the slave trade and the people it affected.

1850, American South, Bell Plantation. Young Pheby loses everything all at once. The life she knew is swept away from her by angry and mean Missus; she has to start anew but where should she found strength and desire to love, when everyone and everything she had ever loved disappeared in a blink of an eye?

Amazingly crafted story inspired by the pages history. Fabulously built characters who came alive from printed pages. Particularly I enjoyed how Pheby Delores was portrayed - her inner struggle of being herself as her mother taught her, free in spirit and mind, be mindful of her people, at the same time, her position as a jailer’s mistress spoiled her, gave her power she didn’t ask for and was not ready to employ. Her every day struggle to survive and to protect the ones she loves.

Not once I reached for the box of tissues, as the story will tear you apart. However, it was worth it! A beautiful creation of Sadeqa Johnson!

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

Yellow Wife is the story of a young black female slave named Pheby Brown and her life as a slave. Honestly, I hated almost every minute of this story. Even the sweet parts and happy parts of Phebys life were heartbreaking to me. Though the book is called a piece of historical fiction, I know that Pheby's story is one that so many women went through and it honestly broke my heart to read.

Yellow Wife wasn't what I would call an easy read as it was very emotional and sad, but Sadeqa is such a good writer, I was compelled to keep reading her words. Pheby's life and journey came to life for me and I would recommend it to anyone that loves gripping historical fiction.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Canada and Sadeqa Johnson for the opportunity to read Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson.

TW: rape, abuse (emotional, physical, mental, children), torture, death of babies

If it was possible for me to give Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson more than 5 stars I would. This one deserves all the stars because it is just such a good book. Reading it took me back to the days when I was obsessed with reading the works of Alex Haley, Roots and Queen specifically. It evoked the same kind of emotions, thoughts, and conversations that those books did.

I don't really want to say too much because then I would be spoiling it, but don't feel bad for liking a book that introduces such depravity and cruelty to you. The sad thing is that even though this is a work of fiction, the events in the book are a lot closer to reality than any of us would like to think they are.

Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson
Rate 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (96% A+)

Beautiful, powerful and an incredibly written historical fiction with sensitive subjects to read. The story is going to make you angry, sad and happy but at the end grateful for the life that you have right now.

I agree with @sloan_read that: “It feels wrong to love a book so much that puts human cruelty front and centre.” (@sloan_reads)

The story follows Pheby from her life in the Big House and plantation where she grows up with her mother. Then some tragic event comes in Pheby life and her life is starting to change. Then the story is taking place in Jail in Richmond with Rubin Laiper.
Yellow Wife is not only focused on slavery, brutality, rape, racism, whipping, murder and more, but it’s focused on motherhood. Pheby mother is showing Pheby that she has a potential in the world and that she can’t call herself a “Slave Women”. The bond they have is everlasting.

Sadeqa Johnson did amazing research for this book and even it’s a work of fiction you know that this is a history and this really happened. The stories like this cannot be ignored and its my honour to read this historical fiction on this theme plus it’s Black History Month.

The author Sadeqa Johnson has created a beautiful story with amazing plot and characters, only ending is rushed and finished. I want to read few more chapters! Although, I really liked the book and it’s going to be on my list of top 10 in 2021 definitely!

I am highly recommending this book!
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this book!