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A review by l_arand
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
4.75
ace of spades is described as a mix of gossip girl and get out, and it immediately pulls the reader into chiamaka and devon’s world and their time attending niveus academy; a prestigious school with (no surprise here) a mostly white student population. the beginning of their senior year’s seems to be off to a great start, until an anonymous source who calls themselves “aces,” starts posting their private information, lies, and harassing the two of them.
this book acts simultaneously as a thriller and a social commentary on the racist systems that still exist today, especially in terms of private education. it’s a great read, full of twists that push you into continually saying “just one more chapter.” another thing i loved about this book (which i normally don’t love) is dual perspectives. the chapters go from chiamaka’s pov to devon’s, and this allows the reader to really see how much their upbringing and gender impacts the way the experience the world. the only slight issue i had with this book was the pacing. it starts off very slow but picks up towards the end, and i was in a frenzy to finish it. also, the language seems a bit...young if that makes sense. in these “dark academia” kind of books, one expects dark and lush writing, especially if it’s talking about darker topics like the ones covered in this book. overall though, i really did love this book and the characters.
dr. adebayo and professors richards, i love y’all.
this book acts simultaneously as a thriller and a social commentary on the racist systems that still exist today, especially in terms of private education. it’s a great read, full of twists that push you into continually saying “just one more chapter.” another thing i loved about this book (which i normally don’t love) is dual perspectives. the chapters go from chiamaka’s pov to devon’s, and this allows the reader to really see how much their upbringing and gender impacts the way the experience the world. the only slight issue i had with this book was the pacing. it starts off very slow but picks up towards the end, and i was in a frenzy to finish it. also, the language seems a bit...young if that makes sense. in these “dark academia” kind of books, one expects dark and lush writing, especially if it’s talking about darker topics like the ones covered in this book. overall though, i really did love this book and the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Racism, and Stalking
Moderate: Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Gun violence
Minor: Body shaming, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent