Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

88 reviews

se_wigget's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Highlight, copy, paste--you know, like a phone that isn't a piece of shit. Stop proving that you're garbage, stupidphone.

Paste, paste, paste, paste, paste, paste 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Stalking, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail

mamatrauma's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Outing, Violence, Stalking, Sexism, Murder, Drug use, Death, Cursing, and Classism

ka_schulze's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Bullying

Moderate: Murder, Violence, Sexism, Stalking, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Car accident, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Grief

theuncannydani's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Racism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Stalking, Classism, Death, Car accident, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Drug use, Sexual harassment, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Confinement, Alcohol, Suicide, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual violence

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Cursing, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug abuse

ismildlypoetic's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

5 stars are typically reserved for books that changed my life or I hyperfixated on them

While I don't know if Ace of Spades fits those qualifications, its resemblance to media (that very much did have some core memories) and the importance of its message, plus the way it had me turning pages, I very much feel that this book deserves the 5 stars anyway.

For fans of Pretty Little Liars, this book gives that horrendous cyberbullying experience we're familiar with, plus the added twist of

systematic racism.

There were multiple times I wrote in my reading app that I was terrified to turn the page, knowing that whatever was coming wouldn't be good for our two title characters.

Now time for my infodump:

As for the characters, Devon, I loved. I loved him from the first page. I think he has a genuine care for people, even those who've wronged him. He shoots high, but he does what is right to get to them, and I truly admire that.
As for Chiamaka, my love-hate relationship with her was strong. There are very few people in this world she cared for besides herself, and she didn't give a shit who fell as long as she didn't fall with them. However, I am very happy she got a happy ending. And I hope she kept on her journey of self-growth in those sixteen years after Niveus burned.

I highly recommend this book, especially for those who see themselves, like me, relating to some of the other characters at Niveus. We could all use a lesson in seeing others from a different point of view.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, Bullying, Car accident, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Alcohol, Stalking, Death of parent, Outing, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Blood, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Vomit, and Sexual assault

mir_frog73's review

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Holy shit…. That was so crazy. I don’t really read mystery/thrillers but that was so incredible. Every time I thought it would let up it just got worse.

hot take but I’m happy the Jamie died and I hope chi killed headmaster ward 🤷🏼‍♂️ what can I say they are the worst </spoiler >

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Racism, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Outing, Racial slurs, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Minor: Suicide attempt

sup3r_xn0va_maya's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Wow. I really enjoyed this! It was fear and anxiety inducing, like a thriller should be! 

Ace of Spades is the story of Chiamaka and Devon, the only two Black students at an almost all white prestigious high school in America. Someone named Aces stars revealing the two student's secrets and more to the whole school. Aces is out to get Devon and Chiamaka, but who are they? and why?

My only complaint was that the "WHO DID IT?" was spoiled for me thanks to the marketing team and book listing on Amazon! I went to buy this book from Amazon (as it was on sale) and the synopsis on their website spoiled the big reveal for me.

I sometimes hate when the synopsis says, "this novel is X show and Y book/movie put together!", because there's either hardly a comparison or it's spot on and then the story is no longer a surprise. In this case, the examples were the film "Get Out" and the show "Gossip Girl". The comparisons were spot on and because of that, there were few surprises left to figure out on my own.

Overall, I really liked this novel, I'm giving this 4.5 stars out of 5, I'm knocking off .5 stars because I guessed some of the ending on my own. I'm also knocking a star off because Chiamaka was a jerk and unpleasant, and half the book was from her point of view so I couldn't avoid her annoying personality.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I listened to this for free on libbyapp.com

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Classism, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Bullying, and Suicidal thoughts

clockworkstars's review against another edition

dark mysterious

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

“Growing up, I realized quite quickly that people hate being called racist more than they hate racism itself.”
4.5☆|5

Embarquons ensemble vers la Niveus private academy, école élitiste et quasiment entièrement blanche à l'exception de deux étudiants noirs, faisant ici leur rentrée en dernière année. On suit Devon et Chiamaka et tout cela se passe bien jusqu'à que quelqu'un, un mystérieux "aces" ne se mettent à révéler leurs secrets les plus enfouis. À les révéler à l'entièreté de l'établissement via des messages anonymes...

Sachez que si vous n'avez pas encore lu ce livre, vous devez aller le lire maintenant. Et je ne plaisante même pas. Vous avez besoin de lire ce livre. Préparez vous à vous sentir mal, plein de rage, à pleurer mais ce seront des réactions justes et légitimes. Mais lisez ce livre.

Je n'ai pas pu le poser. C'est un livre que l'on ne peut pas déposer et que l'on ne veut pas lâcher non plus. On ne veut pas arrêter de le lire, en sortir ne serait ce que quelques instants. C'est un véritable page turner et cela en est un très bon. Ce livre est absolument exceptionnel. Et cela pour tant de raisons. Tout d'abord grâce à la plume qui vous attrape pour ne pas vous lâcher, qui vous plonge entièrement dans l'histoire. Je l'ai adorée, elle donne une puissance incroyable au livre. Et la puissance est renforcée par l'histoire créée par l'autrice.

Un plot qui va vous mettre en colère, qui va vous retourner. Des retournements de situation qui vous donne envie de crier, une histoire de fiction qui vous glace le sang car vous savez au fond de vous que ce n'est pas si poussé que cela, que cela peut arriver, que cela arrive sans doute quelque part. Car cela semble tellement réel. 

Ce livre parle par conséquent de bien des choses, il met en évidence et dénonce le racisme et l'homophobie, l'élitisme et la "suprématie blanche". C'est un thriller exceptionnel car il traite de thèmes extrêmement réels. 

Et il le fait accompagné de personnages qui semblent tout aussi réels et vivants. On suit Devon, adolescent noir et gay issu de quartier populaire, l'un des seuls de son école à venir de ces quartiers de la ville. Et on suit Chiamaka, jeune fille biraciale (italienne et nigérienne), saphique, plus riche et bien plus populaire. Et ils sont tellement différents, lire leurs pdv en alternance en était exceptionnelle. Je suis absolument fan de Chiamaka, donnez plus de personnages féminins bien écrit qui sont badass au possible (je vais peut être juste arrêter de lire des personnages féminins écrits par des hommes).

Et le fait qu'ils ne viennent pas du même milieu se voit au niveau du traitement de leur personnage et cela se voit dans le comment ils réagissent différemment à ce qui leur tombe dessus. Les personnages sont extrêmement bien gérés par l'autrice qui a réussi à écrire ici un roman incroyable.

C'est queer, c'est noir, cela a un coté dark academia, une plume et un plot relevant du génie, cela traite de racisme systématique, qu'est ce que vous attendez de plus ? Lisez le, maintenant.

Rep : MC noire biraciale (italienne et nigérienne) et sapphique ; MC noir et gay ; SC noir et achiléen

TW : racisme ; n-word ; homophobie ; outing ; harcèlement ; sang ; consommation d'alcool ; accident de voiture ; stalking ; abus émotionnel ; crise de panique ; idée suicidaire ; mention de tentative de suicide passée ; mort d'un parent ; violence par armes à feu ; meurtre ; sexisme ; usage de drogue ; incendie ; relation toxique 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, Stalking, and Outing

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Murder, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Infidelity

linnea1801's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I don’t even know what to say… 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Sexism, Classism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Outing, Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Drug abuse, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction and Blood

Minor: Gun violence and Police brutality

m0rdred_the_fallen's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Hate crime, Bullying, Car accident, Toxic friendship, Racism, Death, Physical abuse, Classism, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, and Outing

Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Sexism, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Body shaming, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Drug use

Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, and Suicide