Droughtlander suggestions: Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson is a new book you need to check out

Sadeqa Johnson’s Yellow Wife is now available to get through Droughtlander

Hands up if you’re still looking for a book to read to get through Droughtlander. There’s a new book out today that all Outlander fans will want to read. Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson is now available.

Yellow Wife is inspired by the real story of Mary Lumpkin and the Lumpkin jail. It’s a harrowing tale that doesn’t avoid the truth of the time period, a time when slavery was allowed. It’s this reason why this is a must-read for fans.

What is Yellow Wife about?

Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson follows the story of Pheby Delores Brown. She’s the daughter of a slave on a plantation, promised her freedom on her 18th birthday. Before that happens, she’s taken to a jail, where she ends up becoming the mistress of the jail owner.

Think that means a cushty life? Not at all. She is still owned. Her children’s lives are at risk, especially the one that is not the child of the jail owner. Pheby’s actions run the risk of getting her and others in trouble, and she will need to do everything she can to protect herself and find a way to get her children to freedom.

While it is a dark and difficult read, it’s going to be worth it. And from about the 25% mark, you’ll not be able to put the book down. All you’ll want to know is whether there is a happy ending for Pheby and those around her.

Why Outlander fans need to read this book during Droughtlander

One of the understandable complaints many have about Outlander, both the show and the books, is the lack of real focus on the lives of the slaves. The show is the worst, simply having the slaves in the background without a real focus. We don’t even find out much about Ulysses on the show until he is ready to leave the story.

The storylines are told from the viewpoint of a white person. It is an issue that many books and TV shows have, which is something Yellow Wife fixes.

This novel is told fully from Pheby’s point of view. While I usually find first-person POV stories somewhat limiting, that’s not the case when it comes to this story. We get to know the other characters relatively well through their actions, the way they speak, and the thoughts they share. Pheby is a descriptive storyteller.

Plus, the limitations are understandable. We’re thrown into this world just through her eyes. It’s hard not for our hearts to break for her as promises to her are broken and as she faces the horrors that is the Devil’s Half-Acre.

Being inspired by a real story of the past is certainly beneficial. It adds the ability to humanize a tale, offering more empathy for the people of the time and the things they had to face.

Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson is now available to buy.