Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Ace of Spades

Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

12 reviews

emily_mh's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I don’t want to write too much about this read, because I fear I would spoil something by accident, and I truly think the best way to experience this book is to go in not knowing much about the plot, so that you’re as confused as the MCs and disocvering the trurth right alongside them. The only reason I’m giving this less than five stars is because of some pacing issues. The first half could have been tightened up more, and more time needed to be spent on the climax. There was also an aspect of one MC that felt a bit shoehorned in and underdeveloped. But other than that, this was a truly phenomenal read, both insightful and harrowing. There were so many layers to the plot and characters that Àbíké-Íyímídé artfully constructed and peeled back for the reader. I can see why everyone raves about this work, and I’m really looking forward to reading Àbíké-Íyímídé’s 2024 release.

Rep: gay Black MC, sapphic biracial Black/white Italian/Nigerian-American MC, bi SC, Black Achillean SC

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m0rdred_the_fallen's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Una novela debut estelar, me quito el sombrero ante la autora.

Como alguien que pasó toda su vida escolar siendo un alumno becado me identifique con Devon en varios aspectos, incluyendo la relación con su mamá. Soy hijo único, pero igual tuve claro desde un inicio que debía hacer todo lo posible por mantner un buen promedio y sobresalir por cosas buenas; como siempre me dijo mi propia madre

Mi niño, tú no estás en esta escuela porque tu padre y yo tengamos dinero, sino porqué te tallas el lomo todos los días. El día que dejes de hacerlo, todo esto se va

Es una cruda verdad que los problemas que enfrentan los protagonistas sigan tan presentes y que, parafraseando a Chiamaka, les molesta más que les digas que son racistas al racismo en sí mismo; y se puede decir lo mismo de la homophobia, del clasismo, de los juegos de poder enfermos de estos grupos de odio. Aún cuando se nota que muy en el fondo saben que lo que hacen está mal, es un pobre consuelo para cuando usan su poder y sus recursos para atacar a inocentes. Tristemente, cuando el virus del fanatismo llega a la cabeza no hay nada que pueda hacerse por esa persona sino huir, pues el fanatismo y la estupidez nunca afectan a los que lo tienen, sino a aquellos que les rodean. Y lo peor del caso es lo compenetrado que está el sistema de ello, este sistema que no sólo promueve y protege actos de odio irracional; los demanda para seguir funcionando. El mundo moderno está construido sobre la sangre de generación tras generación de inocentes para el beneficio de unos pocos que se creen con derecho a todo.

En esta lectura sólo hubo una cosa que me dejó con ganas de más:

El arrepentimiento Belle se me hizo que llevaría a un arco de autorreflexión y luego de redención en el cual Chiamaka y Devon le dicen, tal cual, que no pueden perdonarla, no después de 4 años planeando destruirlos, y Belle aceptándolo.

Que haya sido un grupo de manifestantes quienes los salven al último tiene mayor peso porque es una comunidad que los acoge y protege, en lugar un individuo de una clase opresora que tuvo una crisis de conciencia. Eso, estuvo genial.

Lo que a mí gustaría haber visto es Belle recolectando información de Ases, delatando a la periodista y exponiendo a todos los integrantes en Niveus, y quizá algunos de otras escuelas como es que haya conocido por cualquier cosa. Pero que aún así Chiamaka le diga que no, no es suficiente por todo lo que le ha hecho. Incluso cuestionarla sobre su cambio de corazón.

¿Y si no se enamoraba de Chiamaka? ¿Se le opone a Ases porqué es lo correcto o porqué están agrediendo a alguien que quiere como pareja?

Lo recomendaria 10/10

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123urmom's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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peachythi_books's review

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challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Ace of Spades absolutely blew me away. The plot twist. THE PLOT TWIST?!? I’m not talking just one but multiple. I was genuinely shocked by the events in the book. Like I was flabbergasted, befuddled, completely turned around. I developed trust issues in the best ways because of this book.

This book also discusses micro-agressions and the systemic racism black people have to go through in the systems set up by white supremacy. This book is also so deeply disturbing I cried multiple times. Because everyone is fucked up and I need people to read it.

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snuggly_feminist's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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solenodon's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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kj468's review against another edition

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dark sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

Disclaimer: I am an adult white woman. People of color, particularly young adults who this book was geared towards, should be listened to in their opinion of this book.

That being said, I absolutely hated this book. I almost DNF'd ~50%. My library loan expired and didn't immediately re-borrow it. But I moved through the first half quickly, and the Goodreads reading challenge tempted me into completing it. My oh my, do I wish I had just let it be as a DNF.

This book is poorly written, both in terms of the actual prose and in terms of the overall plot and characters. The prose was awkward and jarring at times and generally felt like a middle schooler wrote it. The characters were unlikeable at best -- even the two MCs who, presumably, the reader is supposed to be rooting for. Outside of the two MCs, all the characters were incredibly flat and clearly present only to further the plot. They seemed to have no lives or personalities outside of their interactions with the MCs.

The plot didn't redeem the book, either. Every chapter felt like trauma porn, as if the author couldn't decide which aspects of the Black experience should be highlighted, and instead chose to highlight all of them. So many traumatic things happen to the characters, and often in such fleeting and plot-irrelevant ways, that the impact of discussing the issues is lessened. As a reader, it felt a little like the author was throwing sh!+ pies at me every chapter, only for the sh!+ to magically disappear and new sh!+ to appear, with the sole purpose seeming to be to remind me that sh!+ exists. A few examples of what I mean: the male MC mentions that a family friend's son (?) was murdered by police, but there's no actual discussion of police brutality and it only seems to be brought up to validate the MC's fear of police; the male MC's father is in prison and (small spoiler) suffered the death penalty, which is a detail the MC uncovers in a dramatic scene that then has no relevance to the plot and does not seem to meaningfully impact the MC or his relationships with relevant people.

Lastly, the truth behind the "aces" persona was not intriguing, full of plot holes, and, honestly, seemed to greatly underestimate readers' intelligence. The author's note said the author hoped readers picked up on the themes of racism -- I think it's impossible not to; I felt like I was being smacked upside the head with it every paragraph. I'm so so so so here for books that explore systematic racism and explore how institutions are set up to benefit white, wealthy, cis-het people (especially men), but, for me, this book didn't do that. Instead of contemplating how institutions, like education, benefit the privileged, I was focused on the (truly astonishing number of) plot holes and marveling at how deeply unrealistic the twist was.

I was hoping for a book with strong POC MCs, a nuanced discussion of racism and systematic oppression, and maybe a dash of thrill and romance. I got none of that. I'm glad I borrowed this book from the library and did not spend money on it.

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