Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson

Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson – 288 pages

ARC from Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for an honest review 

Book Blurb:

Born on a plantation in Charles City, Virginia, Pheby Brown was promised her freedom on her eighteenth birthday. But when her birthday finally comes around, instead of the idyllic life she was hoping for with her true love, she finds herself thrust into the bowels of slavery at the infamous Devil’s Half-Acre, a jail where slaves are broken, tortured, and sold every day. Forced to become the mistress of the brutal man who owns the jail, Pheby faces the ultimate sacrifice to protect her heart in this powerful, thrilling story of one slave’s fight for freedom.

My Review: 4.5 stars

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Yellow Wife was an absorbing and unputdownable story inspired by Mary Lumpkin and the infamous Lumpkin’s jail in Virginia. It’s hard to give a glowing review for a book that at times had me wincing with horror, yet still kept me glued to the page. Why? Because history has the power to teach us how to avoid repeating past indecencies to the human race.  

Our main protagonist, Pheby, is close to her promised freedom when an unlikely accident sets in motion a vastly differently path. She is bought and sent to one of the countries most foul places, Devil’s Half-Acre. She finds herself in survival mode, which includes becoming the master’s mistress. As you can imagine, this is seemingly a safe option, but many awful hardships follow. Pheby is a compelling character with a soft side and a veil of armor; she is definitely one you will root for through every page.  

This book accomplishes a lot despite its rather short length. Colorism is at full force as we see the favoritism shown to the lighter skinned black people. And of course, the title speaks volumes in that regard. Themes of motherhood, first loves, loss, secrets and the seeds of systematic racism are present in the pages. Highly recommend. 

Quotes I liked:

Mama always asid that a grateful heart served as a magnet for miracles, so I latched onto the worship and gave thanks.”

“Beauty was a curse for a slave girl.”

“Oliver Twist, my friend deep into the night, helped me to cope.”