Every aspect of my life is such a privilege. Certainly, I already knew this. But nothing I’ve read in recent memory reminded me of this so harshly and deeply as Yellow Wife, the heart wrenching story of Pheby Delores Brown, an enslaved woman in 1850. Simply holding this book to read it is something my ancestors could not do without risking their lives.

But I put off reading it, or more accurately, avoided it. Which is what I tend to do with most slavery themed content. But I realize now that this is so much more than that. 

Yes, the real and painful history of enslaved Black people in the United States is on every page. But ultimately, this book is about love, family, sacrifice and survival. And while it certainly broke my heart, Pheby Delores Brown completely stole it. Along with several other unforgettable characters- Essex, Ruth, July, Abbie, Monroe. Learning that Johnson selected the character names from actual slave ledgers makes me feel even more moved by them.

This book is everything I love about good historical fiction- an imagined story in a real world that moves me and teaches me. And in this case, inspired by real people and set in my home state, Virginia, which made me feel even more connected to it. 
I was completely transported and could not put this book down or stop thinking about it when it was closed.

Thank you, Sadeqa Johnson, for this masterpiece.