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

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Jesus Christ what a story. I heard someone say that this book is like if Gossip Girl and Get Out had a baby, and that is so true. The mystery had me absolutely hooked, and then the focus on institutionalised racism both within the education system and within society in general was simultaneously difficult to read and very important. Some of the things that Aces does made me feel sick to my stomach, and I was really rooting for Devon and Chiamaka - who are both fantastic, well-developed characters in their own right. I felt like the depictions of racism were a little heavy-handed at times and perhaps could have been written with more nuance, but that isn’t necessarily a criticism since this is a YA novel and it may well be many readers’ first introduction to an example of institutionalised racism - and the book does that job spectacularly. 
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