Review of 'Shades of Yellow' By Wendy J Dunn

Review of 'Shades of Yellow' By Wendy J. Dunn

Release date: September 7th, 2025

Publisher: Other Terrain Press

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What the book is about:

During her battle with illness, Lucy Ellis found solace in writing a novel about the mysterious death of Amy Robsart, the first wife of Robert Dudley, the man who came close to marrying Elizabeth I. As Lucy delves into Amy’s story, she also navigates the aftermath of her own experience that brought her close to death and the collapse of her marriage.

After taking leave from her teaching job to complete her novel, Lucy falls ill again. Fearing she will die before she finishes her book, she flees to England to solve the mystery of Amy Robsart’s death.

Can she find the strength to confront her past, forgive the man who broke her heart, and take control of her own destiny?

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REVIEW

‘For a writer, life consists of either writing or thinking about writing.’

‘Historical novelists reimagine the lives of real people of the past.’

Shades of Yellow by Wendy J. Dunn is a powerful, complex, brave and creative novel with fascinating Tudor history at its core. It has many levels of meaning, much as a poem. It is about love and betrayal but also hope and healing. And it is a novel about writing a novel and the healing effects of writing. The twists, turns and thought processes, the challenges in working out plot directions, character growth, lessons to be learned, themes to address. And the need for research! Which is why settings are so critical in this story as Lucy Ellis must go to England where her story takes place, to see the sights, hear the sounds, touch the relics and walk in the historical footsteps of her Tudor character Amy Robsart, first wife of Robert Dudley, favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. Her trip may seem like a temporary escape from her personal problems but it has a much more important purpose in providing accuracy and inspiration for her novel.

I loved Shades of Yellow. It kept me intrigued with its unique presentation, endearing characters and double plot of distant past and modern present. The beautiful images, insightful thoughts and poetic expressions tugged on my emotional core. Being a writer, I could relate to all the writing comments, too, and appreciated the seasoned skill and exceptional craftsmanship of combining elements of historical fiction with contemporary literature. Whether I can accurately call it a dual timeline in the strict sense of the word, I am not sure, but it is cleverly designed and still provides two time periods that compliment and contrast each other.

The modern story exists in 2010 and the past during the 1500s. But we visit the Elizabethan era on the pages of Lucy’s novel while she is writing it and reading parts of it to her grandfather, a well-known but now blind author. Besides hearing her thoughts on what she thinks happens to Amy who has died a mysterious and suspicious death, we learn about Lucy’s own failed marriage and unfaithful husband. So as the book’s cover states: ‘who better to write about a betrayed woman than a woman betrayed?’

We get equal time in the Elizabethan era while Lucy works out Amy’s story—that often parallels her own life. In many ways, writing this novel is a journey of self-discovery: it helps Lucy focus and sort through her emotions and issues: to see what has made her unhappy and what might turn her life around. We sympathise as she has had serious battles with her health. Discovering breast cancer at a young age turned her world upside down. But she survived: maybe because writing gave her purpose and hope. And just when she thinks she has it all together, she receives word again— this time she has a brain tumour. How fatal she does not know. But it spurs her into action to take leave from her teaching job, fly to England, and do the required research to complete her novel…while she still has time. For her future is uncertain. Will she die before completing her writing project? And while in England, will her past return to haunt her? Will a heartbreak surface that maybe never fully healed? This trip holds many possibilities. But she knows it’s time to meet her giants, face them and slay them.

Forgiveness is at the heart of this story, the extension of grace to achieve freedom; necessary for healing. Rejection plants the seed that causes the damage. And so, betrayal begets grief. For there is death of trust which sometimes leads to the ending of a love. All these negative emotions play havoc with a person’s health and can break the body down and leave it open to illness. It is easy to understand this as when we are out of harmony in our spirits and minds, the body can suffer.

I love the symbolism, particularly the messages flowers convey. Lucy wishes to utilise their meaning in her novel. There are also some lovely mystical elements. Such as: the character of an angel in Lucy’s story. And later she must add a witch representation. In this case a wise woman or healer. Many were accused of being witches in the distant past so they are an appropriate addition in an Elizabethan plot. This novel covers everything— including concerns about death and the hereafter. With Lucy’s illness, these are real, honest universal questions she and everyone asks. The exploration of the spiritual gives the story complexity.

The novel takes the literary approach with its creative direction in story-telling as it does not follow a formula, is more character driven and explores serious themes through intense introspection leaving us with lots to ponder. The ending is not predictable but it leads us towards a path of hope and healing. We may never know what caused Amy’s fall and death, and we may not learn how Lucy’s surgery goes but seeds of hope are planted in the comments made by various characters. Yet I have a feeling all will be well for our modern day Lucy. For she has stared death in the face, grasped hope like an anchor, forgiven sins like a saint and made herself ready for literary success. This novel is a gem and just plain brilliant. Wendy has created something beautiful, lasting and original. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

Thanks to Wendy and Other Terrain Press for a review copy.