It is truly horrifying what one human being can do to another and albeit it’s truly hard to sometimes read the excruciating details and accounts of such events and acts, it can be necessary to bear witness to history and honor those who were subjected to and had to live through injustices, torture, and/or war — lest history not repeat itself or be denied. This can especially be important as survivors pass and with them living proof and their testimony. Examples of powerful books over the last year that were burned into my brain and had such a strong impact to core and soul were CODE NAME HÉLÉNE by Ariel Lawhon, THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS by Lisa Wingate, and SUNFLOWER SISTERS by Martha Hall Kelly. These are the kind of books that will not be forgotten, can stir humanity, and mobilize readers to action. All had tough sections to get through, speaking of vile treatment and heinous acts against people such as slaves in America or Jews in Europe. I have just finished another such book YELLOW WIFE by Sadeqa Johnson.

Inspired after walking the Richmond Slave Trail in Virginia and learning about former mulatto or “yellow” slave Mary Lumpkin, the wife of a white jailer who held and mistreated slaves prior to their sale on his “Devil’s Half Acre”, Johnson wove this new historical fiction work with characters based on these real life counterparts to illuminate this dark piece of history. The hundreds of thousands of men and women who suffered at Robert Lumpkin’s hands was shockingly staggering and incomprehensible. That these slaves were able to survive, their bodies broken but spirit to live and gain freedom steadfast, spun a underlying thread of hope to cling to as the reader struggles to wade through the unfathomable. Throughout the novel it was clearly and consistently declared, especially by protagonist Pheby, that a person’s body may be imprisoned or enslaved but their mind can still be free. The triumph of love and iron will prevailed in the end, an inspiration of good out of bad, when after the Civil War an emancipated Mary leased this same cursed half-acre to abolitionist Dr. Rev. Nathaniel Colver to use for his Baptist seminary. The site of pain for slaves was now a site of education and ministry for freed men. This school later became the HBCU of Virginia Union University with notable alumni of many “firsts”. These alumni trailblazers included the first African American US governor, VA mayor, and US Navy Admiral. The “Devil’s Half-Acre” became “God’s Half-Acre”, a testament of faith and the tenets of our great country that form our foundation - liberty, equality, and ‘unalienable rights’.

Just as Pheby in Johnson’s book recorded the stories and life details of the ‘fancy girls’ that passed through their jail before being bought as a living record and proof of each, so has Johnson done with the writing of THE YELLOW WIFE. Other recent historical fiction novels that also parallel this illumination of books as concrete undeniable accounts of peoples existence: THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS by Lisa Wingate and THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES by Kristin Harmel. There is power in the written word and lifetimes without end in books. Knowledge prevails and ignorance becomes an impossibility. I am thankful for these and all of the talented and wondrous women authors, past and present, who put their mighty pens to paper creating living documents of historical events and people to educate and shine a spotlight for readers across the world. As authors now have and those before them, may future generations continue this work — as well as present generations use their voices to magnify by word of mouth these written gifts!

Men committing evil acts has occurred throughout all time - from biblical times to medieval times, from times of slavery to racial injustices today - if people bore those atrocities and truth, then we can certainly at least try and buck up to read about them despite any difficulty there may be to do so. Then we must use what we read to rally our energies for good and for better from what we have seen in the pages, determined that their work and legacy will not be in vain.

4.5 stars
I have been loving historical fiction lately and the Yellow Wife was fabulous. Not an easy topic to read about and yet was told in a way that made me keep hope despite the cruelty. Definitely has me interested in exploring Richmond to learn more.

Ranks up there with The Invention of Wings in its creative point of view and in teaching me some lesser known facts.

I received a reviewer copy of Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson from the publisher Simon and Schuster from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Slavery, Racism, Violence, Incarceration, Rape, Kidnapping, Selling of People, Death of Parents, and Loss of Child, Nonconsented Relationship.

What It’s About: Pheby Delores Brown is the daughter the plantation medicine woman and the master of her plantation and adored by his sister (or her aunt), Pheby is educated and has always been told she is not a slave and will be freed upon turning 18. She has plans with her love Essex. And then after an abrupt trip, where her mother accompanies the head of the plantation, her life is forever changed.

What I Loved: This book is immensely readable. I flew through it, it was compelling and horrifying. Pheby is such a remarkable character, she is tough and takes no shit as much as possible. This book is just so unexpected, from the get-go we meet Pheby and see she is meant for freedom and a future at a school in the Massachusetts. Then we see how rapidly that changes and how Pheby has to temper herself and how she's been raised to survive. This book really showcases the mistake of believing their is a generous loving master of the plantation, because the institution of slavery is inhumane and cruel, and there is no way to be generous or loving and hold someone in servitude, This book makes clear that there is no protection in this institution and that being favored can change in an instant. We also see trying to survive this system can lead to having to turn your head on your people and supporting your people can lead to your end. This balance and psychological component is discussed as well. This is a book of resilience and an amazing woman and that's why I loved it so much, but it would be disingenuous to say this book isn't horrifying at it's core.

What I Didn't Like So Much: There is a central love story between Pheby and Essex and it didn't feel like it added to the story much. I felt like the true 'love' story ended up being Pheby and her children. And there is a portion where I felt like Essex was very dismissive of this duty Pheby felt towards her children which made me not feel like this love story was quite romantic or true. I definitely get Essex's motivations but his inability to understand this duty Pheby felt made me feel like she was unseen by him.

Who Should Read This: People who love historical fiction. People who are looking for a bad ass Black woman as a main character. People who are looking for characters that will touch their hearts forever.

Quick Summary: A story of a enslaved woman who fights for her children's freedoms.

This story put me through the ringer. A must read but be aware of the content warnings.
Pheby is the child of the enslaver is spends most of her adolescence being promised freedom while being protected. Suddenly the life she envisioned begins to slip away and those she loves taken from her. She arrives at the Devil's Half Acre where she is witness to the tortures inflicted by the Jailer; she experiences his cruelties in way others who are enslaved don't, she is the object of his desire.
Pheby spends years fighting to protect herself and her child stealthily plotting their escape. This is a heavy read filled with detail and vivid imagery. There was so much that at times I had to put the book down but immediately picked it back up. I needed to know Pheby's story.
I understand why this may not be the book for everyone and for many reasons but if you decide to pick it up I urge you to push all the way through. This is due to the wonderful job Sadeqa does in transporting you to that time. She said this is a story she felt moved to write, she had to tell it because it happened. It's been a couple weeks and this story and its characters (named after real enslaved people) are still on my mind and will be always.

I loved this book and read it in one day. I was immediately drawn into the story and needed to know what was going to happen to her once she was taken from her original plantation. A new story of slavery in the south and what a person had to do to survive. Wonderful story! I will looking for more from this author.

This book is a historical book inspired by the story of Mary Lumpkin and Lumpkin's Jail in Richmond, Virginia.

It follows the life of Pheby Delores Brown, the slave daughter of the Bell Plantation master who's been sold by his wife.

Pheby is promised, when she turns eighteen, her freedom and an education at a girl's school in Massachusetts by her father but instead she's been taken to Lapier's jail, where she's "saved" by Rubin Lapier the owner and master of the jail.

Here she learns how to survive, by becoming the master's "wife". By doing so she saves her black son, from another Bell Plantation slave, and her four white daughters from Lapier.

This is a well researched book which doesn’t shy away from describing the brutalities and atrocities committed against the black slave population in the south during the slavery era.

The book shows the length of what a mother will do in order to save her children.

Phebe Delores Brown lived a very sheltered plantation life, under the protective eye of mother. A sudden accident brings many changes. As a result, Phebe is sold into an unknown lifestyle, and the promise of freedom at the age of eighteen...is gone forever.

In this book, the author gives a vivid , yet historical account of a “Yellow Wife”, a woman of position who is often reminded that she is still a slave. Determined to give her children a better life, Phebe is forced to make decisions of survival.

The storyline allowed the heaviness of the topic to flow with ease, and the characterization was on point. I recommend this 💎💎💎💎💎book be read with a book buddy or book club, because you’re going to want to discuss it with someone.

The was a better book than I expected from some of the reviews. I had seen a lot of reviews saying there was a lot of brutality and rape throughout the book. There is brutality it’s slave trade. But it wasn’t in abundance and strangely it wasn’t the actual focus, the focus was the story and the survival. There was brutality it was a brutal time. But it wasn’t overwhelming.
As for the story itself it was good I found Phelby To be an endearing character I liked her I liked her strength and her ability to do whatever she needed to do to put her children first. Sadly that was the way of the times. I liked all of the characters actually, even Lapier, he was a brutal awful man, but his character was well written and he was easy to hate. The story didn’t have any slow parts, it kept me engaged. I wouldn’t say it was unputdownable, but it was well written. I would recommend to a friend if asked about historical antebellum era works.

This was a very moving, intense and heartfelt book. I love reading historical fiction. However, dealing with the very tumultuous time of slavery is difficult to read. This was a well written story which showed just how precarious life was for slaves and their families. Well done!

A beautifully written, moving book that is completely compelling and intricately researched. I couldn't put it down.

Never be a slave in your mind.

Pheby Brown was born for great things and for a purpose. Her mother watched over and spoke into her daughter life even though she was born the daughter of a slave. Her father the slave owner found favor with Pheby and promised her freedom when she turned 18. The mistress had other ideals.

This historical fiction is loosely based on the story of Mary Lumpkin and the Lumpkin's Jail in Richmond, Virginia. It makes this work so much more richer as it brings a voice to Pheby. Pheby being sold while her father was away to the famous jailer that was known Devil's Half Acre. You are drawn into Pheby and the relationships she shares with her mother, Essex the man she loved, and her adversary Delphina, the master's wife. Then ultimately the devil himself, Lumpkin. Pheby held on to the promise of a purpose and as she bore Lumpkin's children, she survived to live out that purpose.

The ending was probably for me the most satisfying because her purpose was realized. What become of her relationships with her daughters as they lived "white" lives and how she ultimately redeemed Lumpkin's jail. She sacrificed love for her children and did what she had to do.

A special thank you to Simon & Shuster and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

I've been seeing this book everywhere, and was thrilled to be approved for a copy. I read it in a matter of days and couldn't put it down. Especially now, the book feels important and timely, not least because it's based on the real-world experience of Mary Lumpkin, an enslaved woman and mistress of a jail in colonial Virginia.

Yellow Wife follows Pheby, a mixed-race young woman enslaved on a plantation. Due to her status as the master's daughter, she is significantly privileged - she's educated, her workload is light, she's rarely punished, and has been promised her freedom once she reaches eighteen. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes and Pheby is sold off to become a 'fancy girl' (prostitute) only to be 'rescued' by the owner of the jail. Pheby has to use her wits and courage to make the best out of her situation, be selfless, and protect her children.

Pheby as the protagonist was very interesting - due to her education and status there's quite a disconnect between her and the field slaves, a dichotomy that I found fascinating. Johnson portrayed almost a class divide between slaves, which was also evident in Pheby's experience at the jail and her interactions with the other women, especially Sissy. I did wish that Pheby was more proactive at times - often she seemed to let her circumstances carry her along, and I wanted to see more action from her. I also thought she could be naive and ignorant at times - for example, when Sissy asked her to teach her son how to read in return for keeping Pheby's visits to Essex secret - it was clear that Pheby's refusal would not end well for her and she should have considered becoming allies with Sissy instead of choosing to remain on opposite sides of their divide. Pheby did end up taking drastic action at the climax of the book, and I found that, and her sacrifice, to be stunning.

Johnson is a skilled writer and gave Pheby a strong voice. The story was well-paced and I skated through it with a mix of emotion - joy, sadness, pain. I did find some details to be distracting - specifically, the birthdates and ages of Pheby's children. It seemed like Johnson didn't pause to consider the ages of the children and how they would have acted and spoken. I hope that these inconsistencies would have been caught and corrected by Johnson's editor prior to publishing.

This book is not for the faint of heart, and doesn't shy away from awful, gruesome scenes. While there is joy here, too, I'd recommend bracing yourself for stories of great cruelty and pain. It doesn't feel gratuitous, and it's not meant to titillate, but it is fairly explicit, so trigger warning for... a lot. Still, I'd wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who has even a passing interest in learning about this dark period of the nation's history as told through the voice of a smart, strong Black woman.

The yellow wife by Sadeqa Johnson is about the life of Pheby who was born a slave on a plantation in Virginia. She fell in love with a slave who ran away and Pheby was punished because he couldn’t be found. She was sold to a slave trader and taken to the devils half acre, a place where slaves were sold and tortured. Phoebe was noticed by the jailer and was taken by him to be his woman and have his children. Phoebe endured her life for the love of her children. This story is a page turner. The torture and hardships of the characters is heartbreaking. The horrors of slavery is shown throughout the story, in a way that you could feel the pain of the characters. It is a wonderful historical fiction. Sadeqa Johnson is a very talented writer bringing her characters to life. I recommend this book.
I was given an ARC by the publisher through NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Yellow Wife Book Review
By Jaleesa McKnight

From the Southern Indie Bestsellers list to the Most anticipated historical fiction novel, Sadeqa merge into the scene to give us a beautiful written masterpiece. She held nothing back in this novel and gave you all of the character Pheby from an enslaved girl to a mistress of a slave jailer. The main character was so well developed that as a reader, you could not help but to feel like you were in the story watching everything unfold. We see Pheby’s ultimate sacrifices to protect her heart, children and freedom. A woman, whose fair skin tone made her life worth more than that of some white women. Just when she thinks she endure the life of the Jailer’s mistress, she is reminded by the slaves and girl’s traded that she can not. What are the limits to gain your freedoms?

Reading this, I went on a constant emotional roller coaster and at times I had to take a break. This is a powerful, heart wrenching, fastest-page turner, thrilling story of a slave girl’s fight for freedom. The thrill sent chills down my spine and the wrenching action caused my heart to cry out. To know that many aspects within this story was my ancestors reality, brought back trauma around a very intricate part of my history. A very grim time in history that the author Sadeqa masterfully narrated.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review .
Thank you

Thank you to Netgalley for a digital copy of this book and a chance to review it. First off.....wow! I actually read this book in one day and I NEVER have the time or the desire to read all day but this one did it to me! It has definitely earned 5 stars in my opinion! My first 5 star read of 2021! Yellow Wife is beautifully written, absolutely heartbreaking and will stay with me for a very long time.

Yellow Wife was a novel that had to be read in doses. The reason for that was because the story was so engrossing, so powerful, and so transporting that it was easy to feel as though you were living Pheby’s life. As an African-American women in 2021, the tale gave a bird’s eye view of the heartless and gut-wrenching life for our ancestors surrounded by their sheer faith and determination toward better.

The story of mulatto women during that era and story of the Devil’s Half Acre as told from Pheby’s POV offers us another historical recount of how life and survival was for those women; never quite belonging to either side—black slaves and free whites, how they were used as pawns, and showcasing the notion of never being able to reveal your identity in order to maintain a certain lifestyle and freedoms. Surrounding the core story was the heartbreaking visualization of families and true loves being separated some temporarily while others forever.

The care in which the author took in researching and detailing all the intricacies of the time were as beautiful as they were excruciating which created a harrowing yet magnificent book that transcends time.

Thank you NetGalley for this book and we are voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The Yellow Wife by Sadequa Johnson

Brief Summary: Phelby is sold out by her mistress and becomes the mistress of the owner of the Devil’s Half-Acre Jail for slaves.

Highlights: Phelby is a remarkable character in a very unique situation. She is still a slave but has many privileges as the mistress of the jail. While the evils of slavery are not new to fiction, I did not know of these slave jails nor the different roles that slaves took on. While this is the premise, I could not turn the pages fast enough. I had to know how Phelby would manage, could she keep her children safe, and if she would ever be reunited with Essex. I was fascinated that this was based on a real person and I added the Richmond Slave Trail to my travel list.

Explanation of Rating: 5/5; I loved learning about Phelby’s life and was inspired by her resiliency.

Favorite Quotes: “As long as there is breath there is hope.”

This book did not get the attention it deserved. This is a must read for historical fiction fans.

Thank you to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Pheby was born on a plantation in Virginia. Daughter of the master of the plantation, she is “high yellow.” From birth, she has been told that she is special and will be sent to a girl’s school in Massachusetts when she turns eighteen.
Once I started this novel, I kept making excuses on why I needed to take a break and sit down and read.
Totally engrossing story with characters that are so very memorable! Read this one, you will be very happy you did!

4.5

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.

Great read by author Sadeqa Johnson. I featured Yellow a wife as book of the day across all my Black Fiction Addiction social media channels and interviewed the author for my Black Fiction Addiction blog.