The Yellow Wife

A Novel

De: Sadeqa Johnson

Narrado por: Robin Miles

From the New York Times bestselling author of House of Eve—a 2023 Reese’s Book Club Pick!

*A Best Book of the Year by NPR and Christian Science Monitor*

Called “wholly engrossing” by New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Grissom, this “fully immersive” (Lisa Wingate, #1 bestselling author of Before We Were Yours) story follows an enslaved woman forced to barter love and freedom while living in the most infamous slave jail in Virginia.

Born on a plantation in Charles City, Virginia, Pheby Delores Brown has lived a relatively sheltered life. Shielded by her mother’s position as the estate’s medicine woman and cherished by the Master’s sister, she is set apart from the others on the plantation, belonging to neither world.

She’d been promised freedom on her eighteenth birthday, but instead of the idyllic life she imagined with her true love, Essex Henry, Pheby is forced to leave the only home she has ever known. She unexpectedly finds herself thrust into the bowels of slavery at the infamous Devil’s Half Acre, a jail in Richmond, Virginia, where the enslaved are broken, tortured, and sold every day. There, Pheby is exposed not just to her Jailer’s cruelty but also to his contradictions. To survive, Pheby will have to outwit him, and she soon faces the ultimate sacrifice.

Omg! This book was amazing!!

I could not stop listening and THANK YOU to the amazing narrator because she made me feel as if I was sitting with her as she told the story !! This was a treat ! Such an amazing strong woman !

Amazing

I love slave narratives and this one does not disappoint. It’s a wonderful culmination of heartache, love, survival and triumph. Sadeqa Johnson is an amazing writer. Much attention to detail it’s easy to visual the story. Robin Miles is magnificent as the narrator.

Yellow wife

Amazing book kept me on the edge of my seat full of history and very well written.

Such an intriguing story

By nature, I’m a numbers person, but I love to read. I typically don’t love historical fiction. However, this book was such a great story! I finished it in just two days because I could not put it down. The storyline was awesome. The narration was excellent. On top of it all, I learned a few things that I did not know about in the referenced time frame. I HIGHLY recommend!!

Beautiful, tragic, and amazing.

This is the first book that I have a really wanted to write a full review for on this app. This book was beautifully written. The characters were so wonderfully developed. It was really painful to listen to but the story was handled with such grace and the care. I absolutely adored the narrator. The accents that she used for the different characters made listening to this a wonderful experience. Highly recommend!

A constant listening worth listening to constantly

This audio and story touched on so many points until it’s hard to pinpoint the best one! This story hit every single, raw emotion in me and I highly recommend this one over and over!

Heartbreaking

The research the author did before writing is evident. This was heartbreaking in many ways, but as long as there is breath, there is hope.

The Yellow Wife

To say this audiobook was enjoyable would be hideous. It was a interesting, sometimes captivating story of the slave trade business in the South before the end of the Civil War. At times, it was extremely difficult to listen to. Although fiction, the book was well researched, and the descriptions were vivid. The characters were based on real people and their experiences as slaves and slave owners. It kept me engaged, and held my interest. The narrator was very good and made the story come alive. I would recommend this audiobook to those interested in this era.

Riveting Story

I've ridden my bike through Charles City and spent many days in Richmond. At times, the horrible treatment of the slaves was gut wrenching and horrifying to "read". The author's descriptive style make the pre-war time come vividly alive. It was an engaging read that compels me to learn more about the history of the areas she referenced.

Amazing Listen

What an appropriate time for me to listen to this work of art, as it easily invoked disdain for the enslavers while producing love & compassion for the enslaved. For me this story takes what I’ve been seeing in the news to a new level. The whipping of Essex brings to mind the kneeling on the neck of George Floyd. Thanks to the author for the research & bringing these characters to life! I will definitely take a trip to Richmond to visit the Lumpkin jail & trail.