A review by alouette
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

dark hopeful 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? Yes

4.5

not what i expected! the author takes a seemingly basic setting and uses well fleshed out characters to create a really meaningful, creepy, important story. while i think the writing style wasn't for me when it came to visualizing scenes, especially very heavy ones, it still got a magnificent plot across. absolutely the diverse, thematic, unpredictable kind of novel we will always need more of in the world.

i was definitely more partial to devon's POV as a queer person, but both his and chiamaka's voices were very distinctive and gave fresh perspective on their community. worth a reread to find all the hints that culminate into that thrilling ending. and the closure afterwards in the epilogue made me incredibly happy!
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